We held our seventh session with management in negotiations and were very pleased to post all the support notes and encouragement notes from all of you – our colleagues – prominently for all to see. Thank you for supporting us at the table as we continue in our fight for all of us at Evergreen!

We had some good dialogue and exchanged some proposals throughout the day. However, we still have some considerable work to do around key issues.

1. Wages. Throughout the negotiations, we have proposed wages that would lessen the wage gap between our nurses and those of nearby Overlake Hospital. However, management has rejected our proposals and responded with wages that we do not think will attract and retain nurses.
2. Management proposed to reduce the amount of 1.5x pay to nurses who do not receive adequate rest between shifts. We feel strongly this is not in the best interest of nurses or of the patients we serve.
3. Management also proposed that nurses would not be able to refuse when offered a break. We strongly feel that this provides no consideration, regard or respect for a nurse utilizing critical thinking and clinical judgment. This was voiced strongly by all of us at the table explaining that a nurse who has been with the patient all day would know best when to take a break and the primary nurse would also know what information needs to be passed on to the break relief nurse to help provide a safe patient handoff. We also stressed that there needs to be someone available who is qualified and competent to relieve nurses for breaks without altering the staffing matrix. Management feels that if a break is offered, the nurse would not be able to refuse to take the break at that moment.
4. Management continues to insist on increasing the work requirements of Per Diems while also proposing to reduce their premium pay.
5. We have improved staffing language. Unfortunately, we are continuing to receive pushback from management on this issue.

We continue in our negotiations and our fight for the best contract that will improve our working conditions, wages and hours for all of us at Evergreen. Please continue to support our team and stay tuned for additional actions all of us can take to ensure that management is aware of our commitment to each other and to the patients and community we serve every day.

In unity,

Your WSNA Negotiation Team:

Clarise Mahler, Chair (CCU); hapilark@gmail.com
Debbie Pronk, Grievance Officer (PACU); dppbee@gmail.com
Jomay Ruiz, Secretary/Treasurer (FMC); ruiz.jomay@gmail.com
Linda Snyder, Membership Officer (7 Silver); lsnyder1@eastern.edu
Val Artamonova, Membership Officer (Home Hospice); valeriya.art@gmail.com
Jessica Taylor – 6 Silver; Neelam Kaur – 4 Silver; Holly Baker – ED; Lexi Overa – ED; Beth Selander – OR; Caine Ballew – Float Pool; Charina Alvarez – PACU; Theresa Blazer – FMC; Alicia O’Neal - Hospice Care Center; and Sue Dunlap, RN, WSNA Nurse Rep (sdunlap@wsna.org)