Virginia Mason Medical Center

2016 Negotiations Survey

The current contract between WSNA and your Local Unit expires November 15, 2016. This survey is our first step in preparation for contract negotiations. Your input is critical to determining our priorities as we head to the bargaining table. It is vital that we know your current issues and concerns prior to the start of negotiations.

Take a moment to complete this survey now. The power of representation comes from the willingness of Registered Nurses to unite; our strength is in unity! Remember in order for our negotiating team to be an effective, strong, influential voice for you at the table, we need your engagement and involvement.

Please provide us with your current contact information. WSNA and your negotiating team members do not share this information with anyone. It is only collected so that we may contact you if we have questions and so we may share important information with you regarding current negotiations and issues.

Please have all surveys completed by the 31st of July so your voice will be heard! Your input is valuable!
There is no strength without Unity! We Are One!

Questions? Email Terri Williams, MS, RN; twilliams@wsna.org

Thanks to all of the Registered Nurses who have been contacting WSNA regarding the meetings you have been attending with Management. Without the phone calls, emails and itemized notes from these meetings, WSNA would not have been well-informed.

The Employer did not notify WSNA in advance of this Voluntary Severance Package – we were only informed within the last few days. Your Local Unit Officers, WSNA Nurse Rep and a WSNA Attorney met with (3) members of Administration and their Attorney on Thursday, October 8, 2015. The Voluntary Severance Package was presented to our team at that time.

We were informed that this package was designed for all VMMC employees and has been presented to most of them. We raised concerns about some aspects of the plan as they would apply to WSNA bargaining unit nurses, and were able to convince VMMC to extend the deadline for WSNA nurses because of the delayed notice. The deadline has been extended from October 19th to 5:00 p.m. on October 22nd.

We also convinced VMMC to use seniority as defined and used in the WSNA collective bargaining agreement, rather than years of service, as the priority factor in determining who will receive the VSP (after applying). Total years of VMMC service will be used in the calculation of severance pay.
After careful consideration, WSNA agrees that VMMC nurses should be eligible to participate in the VSP. We believe it may be a suitable option for some nurses – especially those who may be close to retirement or those who would rather not work at VMMC any longer, for whatever reason.

WSNA requested an extension of the deadline for the application for the VSP. VM agreed to extend the deadline from October 19th to 5:00 p.m. on October 22nd. Seniority will be the priority factor in determining who will receive the VSP (after applying) and they will use total years of VMMC service in the calculation of severance pay.

The layoff process for the anticipated layoff has not been discussed with WSNA to date. WSNA is committed to keeping you informed with any updates!

For individual questions, comments or information to share, please contact: Terri Williams, MS, RN; WSNA Nurse Representative; twilliams@wsna.org or one of the Local Unit Officers.

In Solidarity!

Your Local Unit Officers:

Jane C. Hill-Littlejohn, Chair, jhlittlejohn1@hotmail.com
Art J. Laycock, RN, Vice Chair, art.laycock@gmail.com
Susan L. Dunn, RN, Grievance Officer, ballardsue@yahoo.com
Brittney M. Porter, RN, Grievance Officer, brittneymporter@gmail.com
Suzanne I. Baek, RN MSN CNOR, Grievance Officer, suzannebaek1@gmail.com
Patricia L Callow-Borgeson, RN, Secretary

If so, when a holiday falls on a RN’s normally scheduled work day, the RN can decide to use the following Kronos codes for this time:
VAC-PTO (D, E, N)
LC Paid (D, E, N)
--OR--
Low Census (Unpaid)

Since we have had two holidays recently, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, WSNA has been advised by a number of RNs that their pay codes were changed to Approved Personal Leave (APL). Because APL does not accrue benefitted hours, your Local Unit Officers and WSNA have been working with HR regarding this issue. HR has agreed to have these annual hours reinstated!

If you work in an area that closes on Holidays, check your pay codes to be sure they are correct or have been corrected.

Do you have questions/concerns about the upcoming closure of the Rehab Unit in September? Your WSNA Local Unit Officers and WSNA Nurse Representative will be on hand to answer your questions.

When: Friday, July 31, 2015
Time: 0730 to 0830 - and - 1400 to 1630
Where: HR Building, Room 131

After more than 6 years of representing the wonderful WSNA nursing staff at VMMC, I am transitioning to another Seattle area medical center. Terri Williams will be assuming the role of your Nurse Representative. Terri has previously been with WSNA for 3 years as a Nurse Representative. I’d like to extend a big thank you to your officers, unit reps and committee members for their hard work in helping me to represent you at your facility. I know that together with Terri, they will continue to do a great job representing you. As always, WSNA is your resource for any questions related to your contract as well as any topic covered under wages, hours and working conditions.

Sincerely, Ed Zercher EZercher@wsna.org (206) 575-7979 ext. 3022

Contact information for Terri Williams TWilliams@wsna.org (206) 575-7979, Ext. 3058

The MOA regarding Jones 5 expansion and acceptance of VMMC Seniority as BU Seniority has passed by a majority vote

The March 23rd vote, by those voting members able to make it, passed the MOA by a majority vote.

Congratulations to all of these RNs from GI, IR and Cath Lab that have transitioned into WSNA Bargaining Unit Roles.
We look forward to your support and engagement within WSNA.

This Memorandum of Agreement can be found here.

For any questions about this MOA, please contact WSNA Nurse Representative Ed Zercher at 206-575-7979, ext. 3022.

To all WSNA/VMMC RNs re Jones 5 Expansion and Seniority,

As many of you may already be aware, several new units recently opened up on Jones 5 including Interventional Radiology inpatient, GI inpatient and Cath Lab inpatient.

Many of the RNs hired into these new positions have been your Virginia Mason colleagues for many years working in the respective outpatient areas in Buck Pavilion.

The addition of these RNs into the WSNA Bargaining Unit brought a great many benefits to them including wage increases and other benefits, progressive discipline and the just cause provision they were not entitled to in the outpatient setting.

Starting back in October of 2014, Virginia Mason leadership and WSNA leadership met in an effort to decide how these positions were to be hired into and the potential impacts to be had for RNs coming over from Buck outpatient into Jones inpatient units. One of the issues that surfaced was that of seniority for these RNs and how that might be retained upon their move into a WSNA represented position.

WSNA and VMMC have agreed on some terms of such an incorporation and acknowledgment of Seniority in a Memorandum of Agreement

In order to be adopted, this proposal MUST be voted on by the members in good standing and pass by a simple majority.

This vote will take place on March 23th 2015 in Correa “B”. Voting times will be from 0730-0830, 1530-1630 and then finally from 1930-2030 all that same day.

It is essential that all voting members get informed and show up to vote on this.

For questions or concerns about this proposal, please contact your WSNA Nurse Representative at ezercher@wsna.org or call 206-575-7979m ext. 3022

Only members in good standing can vote on this contract. If you are not a member, it is not too late. Call Ed Zercher at the number above to find out how or find out more online.