COVID-19 Shift MOU

CWH manage­ment has given us 14-days’ notice to suspend the COVID Shift MOU. Their reasoning is that the numbers of positive patients have consis­tently come down.

Griev­ance and Arbitra­tion updates

We won two big arbitra­tions regarding two nurses who were termi­nated by CWH. In both of the arbitra­tors’ decisions, both nurses were awarded their job back with back pay including all benefits. They have both chosen to not to return to work at CWH but they are still entitled to the back pay to make them whole. This was a very long process that has taken 3 years from the date of filing the griev­ance to finally having the arbitra­tion hearings.

We currently have a griev­ance for the STAT nurses that has bee advanced to arbitration.

There have been many resolved griev­ances over the years. These were the first griev­ances that were advanced to arbitra­tion in at least 15 years. The process works. If you believe there has been a viola­tion of the contract, please contact the griev­ance officers.

Appoint­ments and changes in the WSNA Officers

We have recently had a few vacan­cies that are now filled. We want to welcome the newly appointed officers and thank all the current and past officers for their hard work and dedica­tion to repre­senting you in bargaining, Confer­ence Committee, Staffing Committee, and many other duties.

Nick Jackson: Chair

Lorna Sebas­tian: Co-chair

Paul Molenaar: Membership

Sara Bergen­holtz: Membership

Paul Stamilio: Griev­ance officer

Karla Bourgeois: Griev­ance officer

Stefanie Gates: Secretary/​Treasurer

Brad Piers: Commu­ni­ca­tions Officer

Repre­sen­ta­tion Rights (AKA Weingarten Rights)

If you are asked to meet with your manager, you have the right to ask if this could lead to disci­pline. If manage­ment says yes, you have a right to repre­sen­ta­tion at that meeting. If they say ​“no” but during the course of the inves­ti­ga­tory meeting you believe this could become disci­pli­nary, you have a right to ask that the meeting stop so you can find a repre­sen­ta­tive avail­able to be in the meeting. That repre­sen­ta­tive should be one of your WSNA officers who doesn’t work in the depart­ment you work in.

For more infor­ma­tion on your Repre­sen­ta­tion Rights go to Repre­sen­ta­tion rights | Washington State Nurses Associ­a­tion (wsna​.org)

ADO (Assign­ment Despite Objection)

Have you been given a patient assign­ment that you do not feel comfort­able in accepting, you need to voice your concerns. If your depart­ment isn’t following its’ own staffing plan, file an ADO. It’s also known as a ​“Staffing Complaint Form”.

For more infor­ma­tion regarding ADOs, visit the WSNA website at Staffing Complaint / ADO Form | Washington State Nurses Associ­a­tion (wsna​.org)

Want to join the 2021 Washington State Nurses Conven­tion for FREE?

Because of our move to a virtual conven­tion, we’re able to offer regis­tra­tion for the low price of $50 for WSNA members (with code) and $100 for nonmem­bers. But if you reserve your spot for sponsor­ship, your Local Unit will reimburse the $50 member regis­tra­tion fee.

Just register and attend, then submit to your local unit for reimburse­ment. You must be a WSNA member to get the free registration.

Conven­tion gives you the oppor­tu­nity to: 

  • Earn up to 8.25 CNE – for free!
  • Join together with nurses from around the state.
  • Hear from inspiring speakers.
  • Explore stories from the front lines of the pandemic with a panel of your peers.
  • Celebrate nurses’ achieve­ments, dedica­tion and strength. 

And you can do it all wearing fuzzy slippers from the comfort of your own recliner!

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Repre­sen­ta­tive Carmen Garrison at cgarrison@wsna.org.