News

Advocacy and policy and COVID-19

Washington state health care workers call on hospitals to mitigate the staffing crisis

With increasing volume, hospital administrators across Washington have joined health care workers and the unions that represent them in calling attention to the unprecedented staffing crisis. But today, nurses and other frontline workers are calling on hospitals to use the tools and resources they have available to finally begin…

WSNA responds to Nursing Commission statement

In September, the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission put out a statement on COVID-19 misinformation. WSNA sent a letter to the Commission expressing concerns with the statement.

Your voices were heard, and your activism made a difference

The Washington State Legislature’s 2021 Regular Session adjourned sine die on April 25, marking the end of the 2021 legislative session. While the remote session presented new challenges, it also allowed for greater public participation — and the legislature made significant accomplishments.

Washington hospitals on the brink of unprecedented crisis

The reality cannot be overstated: Washington hospitals are on the brink of a crisis, and without immediate and impactful action to retain and attract critical workers the state’s health care system could face an unprecedented collapse in capacity and care.

WSNA responds to governor’s COVID-19 vaccination order

Because Governor Inslee has issued this mandate, health care employers – public and private – have to abide by the mandate. However, all employers still have to bargain with WSNA over the effects of the mandate.

Union statement on vaccination requirement for health care workers

As unions repre­senting nurses and health care workers in Washington state, WSNA, SEIU Health­care 1199NW and UFCW21 support science-based public health direc­tives on COVID-19 vacci­na­tion require­ments for front­line health care workers, with medical and religious exemp­tions.

High-risk worker proclamation to be replaced by new law June 28

On June 21, Governor Inslee announced that three coronavirus pandemic-related proclamations would be rescinded in anticipation of Washington state's June 30 reopening date. One of these proclamations, the High-Risk Worker Proclamation, will be rescinded June 28 and transition to the new Health Emergency Labor Standards Act.

Governor Jay Inslee proclaims May as Nurses Month in Washington state

“I encourage all people in our state to join me in honoring the nurses of Washington, especially recog­nizing the critical and live-saving role that regis­tered nurses have filled around our state, country, and world through the current coron­avirus pandemic.”

Chauvin conviction a landmark on the long road to eliminating systemic racism

WSNA applauds the guilty verdicts delivered against former police officer Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd. The jury’s conclusion supports what we know to be true: that Black Americans, especially Black men, are too often victims of systemic racism in law enforcement in this country, and the consequences can be deadly.

It’s National Public Health Week (or should it be year?)

The national theme for Public Health Week 2021 is “Building Bridges to Better Health,” a recognition that making communities safe and healthy is public health’s top priority and that COVID-19 has made that even more important.

Update on public health restructure legislation

Both the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives released their budget proposals in late March – and both provided significant new funding for Foundational Public Health Services.WSNA and the Washington State Medical Association issued a joint statement to budget leadership on March 28.

WSNA in Olympia: 2021 Legislative Session Week 10

This was the tenth week of the 2021 legislative session. Committee hearings continued this week ahead of the March 26 cutoff when policy bills must be voted out of committee in the opposite chamber.