King County public health nurses hold rally Sept. 27
Public health nurses provide a safety net for King County communities but are watching their paychecks stagnate because of broken promises by the county.
This story appears in the October 2025 issue of the WSNA Newsletter.
October 14, 2025
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less than 1 minute to read
Seattle King County public health nurses held a rally Sept. 27 outside the King County Chinook Building in downtown Seattle to express frustration over prolonged negotiations.
The nurses have been negotiating with the county since January.
King County’s public health nurses provide a safety net for King County communities but are watching their paychecks stagnate because of broken promises by the county. The nurses are paid based on a 10-step salary scale. This means after 10 years as a public health nurse, they no longer get raises – just a small cost of living adjustment. By comparison, nurses’ salary scales at most area hospitals go to 25 or 30 steps.