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The 1980s: The raids

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Hard hats 80s
“We survived the raids!” WSNA nurses celebrate at an ANA convention.

Lobbying, deception and union raids

The 1980s came with many highlights for WSNA, including membership reaching 8,400; adoption of the RN Bill of Rights; creating lobbying partnerships for comparable worth legislation; and another WSNA member elected to the state legislature. WSNA also achieved recognition at the national level as a leader among state nurses associations and provided leadership for restructuring the American Nurses Association (ANA) as a modified federation. Several WSNA leaders were elected to national offices, including Eunice Cole as ANA president.

The overshadowing cloud of the '80s, however, was the initial labor union raid of WSNA bargaining units — which began in 1983 by SEIU 1199NW and continued throughout the decade. In 1989, WSNA staff members executed an internal raid — stealing membership rosters and joining UFCW in raiding WSNA. At the end of the decade, these union raids had escalated to full-scale war; WSNA sought help from its sister states and ANA in order to survive. These raids cost WSNA more than $1.5 million and half of its membership.

The courageous men and women who stayed with WSNA throughout these crises not only maintained the work of the association but also helped restore and rebuild the association from within. Major advances occurred in spite of the raids.

1980

WSNA negotiated 35 contracts. The Economic and General Welfare (E&GW) program grew to 85 local units and more than 10,000 RNs represented for collective bargaining.

1981

  • WSNA adopted the RN Bill of Rights.
  • WSNA issued its first year of PUNCH (WSNA PAC) candidate endorsements.
  • WSNA secured passage of a bill that mandated Health Care Contractors (Blue Shield/Blue Cross) reimburse nurses for their services if the Health Care Contractors would have paid a physician for the service.

1982

  • The Washington State Nurses Foundation (WSNF) was established to provide educational support through nursing scholarships and mentorship.
  • WSNA member Eunice Cole was elected ANA president. Member Louise Shores was elected ANA treasurer.

1983

  • WSNA and the Washington State Medical Association (WSMA) jointly supported successful legislation mandating the use of seat belts in automobiles.
  • WSNA was instrumental in gaining recognition from the Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) to reimburse services provided by RN surgical first assists.
  • WSNA was a founding member of the Committee for Affordable Health Care, whose work led to the introduction and successful passage of the Washington Basic Health Plan.
  • WSNA experienced its first “union raid” by 1199-NW at Group Health. This was followed by additional raids in Yakima, Harborview and several others.
80s lobbying
WSNA Board Member Hilke Faber discusses legislative concerns with George Fleming, Washington State Senator and Democratic Caucus Chairman in Seattle, at a WSNA legislative dinner event (1984).

1985

  • WSNA gained passage of the Nurse-Patient Privilege Communications Bill after being reintroduced every year for seven years.
  • Federal legislation establishing Diagnostic Related Groupings (DRGs) dramatically changed payments to hospitals.
  • The State Board of Nursing adopted regulations requiring a master's degree for recognition as a CRN beginning in 1990. Current CRNs were grandfathered in, and the CRN title was changed to "Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP)."
  • WSNA participated in a joint task force with the Washington State Board of Nursing on chemically dependent nurses; the task force developed a plan for 1988 legislation supporting a program to assist chemically dependent nurses and health care workers.
  • WSNA member Judy Huntington was elected ANA's 2nd vice president.

1988

  • WSNA successfully lobbied for passage of the Nurse Forgivable Loan Program.
  • WSNA introduced the Nursing Assistant Law to ensure that nursing controls nursing practice and prevent the establishment of RCTs (Registered Care Technicians) in Washington state — which were proposed by the American Medical Association.
  • Two nurses ran for election to the Washington State Legislature; WSNA member Margarita Prentice is elected to the House.

1989

  • WSNA, along with other nursing organizations, developed a Master Plan for Nursing in Washington state.
  • WSNA and ARNPs began a decade of lobbying to complete prescriptive authority for ARNPs by adding schedule II-IV authority.
  • Dissident WSNA staff members joined UFCW and 1199NW in raiding WSNA. WSNA lost nearly half its bargaining units and membership before the raids ended.