Sara Bergenholtz
MU1
509-449-6589
Posted Aug 30, 2023
we will be celebrating 50 years of union strength at Sunshine Ranch in Wenatchee.
September 27, 2023
4:00pm to 9:00pm
Sunshine Ranch
2265 Easy St
Wenatchee, WA 98801
On Sept. 27 from 4-9 p.m. we will be celebrating 50 years of union strength at Sunshine Ranch in Wenatchee. This is a family friendly event and catering will be provided through Visconte’s. Special thanks to our dedicated party planner Caryn Rumble for her efforts to coordinate this event for you and your families.
The nurse staffing committee will be held on Sept. 6, 2023, in conference rooms A&B from 3:30 to 4:50 p.m. This is an open meeting, so we encourage nurses to attend who are not working. If you have filled out an ADO, your contract gives you the right to attend and speak directly to the nurse staffing committee about your submission. Article 14.4 of your contract speaks to your rights:
“Nurses who have submitted a written staffing complaint may request to attend a NSC meeting and/or may be invited by the NSC to attend, and good faith efforts will be made to relieve the nurse of duties so that they may attend, on paid time.”
Your contract and all updates can be located on this local unit page.
We have been rotating observers through the conference committee to get an inside look into how your officers approach issues you raise. If you would like to observe reach out to any of your officers or contact your nurse representative directly at sreed@wsna.org or by text or voice 206-620-4246.
Due to the Labor Day holiday Conference committee has been rescheduled to Sept. 19 from 3:30 – 4:20 p.m.
Q: My concern was from last week. I presented my concern at the time to my charge nurse (nurse leader, house supervisor) and it was not addressed. Can I still fill out an ADO?
A: YES! Any time you have a staffing concern you should complete an ADO.
Q: Our staffing grid feels as if it is ignored, what can I do about this?
A: Go back to the first rule of nursing – documentation. Documentation via ADO is important to alert your nurse staffing committee representative, WSNA officers, and nurse representatives along with administration of what is taking place in real time on the floor. When in doubt CTL (close the loop) and send an email to the person you spoke to recapping your conversation and concerns and submit your ADO.
Q: My manager called me in to ask me if I really felt unsafe. I felt like they were telling me to not fill out an ADO. What should I do?
A: We have previously addressed this issue with administration however if you have specific examples, please communicate with your WSNA officers and/or your nurse representative.
On August 30, nurses from the infusion room on site in the Mares building voted to unionize and join the Central nurses, nurse navigators from Moses Lake and Omak were mailed ballots by the National Labor Relations Board. Due to the nature of the vote (in person and mailed ballots) we will not know the outcome of the vote until late September; however, we are hopeful to announce their inclusion during the 50th anniversary event. This landmark election was negotiated with Confluence to keep all infusion nurses, regardless of work site together in a non-precedent setting agreement.
President Grover Cleveland declared Labor Day a national holiday in 1894 after several states had adopted the holiday. From the department of labor, “Observed the first Monday in September, Labor Day is an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The holiday is rooted in the late nineteenth century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity, and well-being.”
As we grow closer to the holiday there is much that is unknown regarding the history of nursing unionization, however many of the same struggles our predecessors faced as echoed in the work performed today. Labor Day is a good reminder to take time to reflect on the work that we do and why.
While nursing has changed, technology advances, the human work remains the same.
Questions? Contact your WSNA nurse representative Shawn Mork (Reed), RN, SANE – sreed@wsna.org .
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Supporting Nurses Health and Well-Being: The Path Forward will both celebrate nurses and address some of our most challenging issues.
If you find yourself in a situation that you believe creates unsafe conditions for patients or for you, you should complete a Staffing Complaint / ADO Form as soon as possible.
By completing the form, you will help make the problem known to management, creating an opportunity for the problem to be addressed. Additionally, you will be documenting the facts, which may be helpful to you later if there is a negative outcome.
WSNA also uses your ADO forms to track the problems occurring in your facility. When you and your coworkers take the important step of filling out an ADO form, you are helping to identify whether there is a pattern of unsafe conditions for you or your patients at your facilities. This information is used by your conference committee, staffing committee, and WSNA labor staff to improve your working conditions.
As a union member, you have the right to have a representative present in any meetings with management that could potentially lead to disciplinary action against you.
If called into a meeting with management, read the following to management when the meeting begins:
If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, I respectfully request that my union representative be present at this meeting. Without representation present, I choose not to participate in this discussion.
Find out more about this crucial right and how to exercise it to ensure your fair treatment and protection.
Enhance your professional competency with WSNA's free online courses.
Earn CNE contact hours through topics like Cultural Humility, Telehealth Assessment, Workplace Violence Prevention, and more. Convenient and self-paced, our courses provide practical knowledge for your daily work. Expand your skills and stay up-to-date with the latest nursing practices.
Visit cne.wsna.org to access our courses and earn CNE contact hours.