Your bargaining team achieved a first agreement!

VOTE
June 21, 2019
12:30 to 4 p.m.
Fresenius Conference Room at St. Joseph Medical Ctr - Tacoma

Your bargaining team recommends a YES vote!

Great news – your negotiating team reached a tentative agreement for a first collective bargaining agreement with Fresenius. It’s been a long and difficult negotiation, but with your support we have accomplished many important goals. Your Committee is proud to unanimously recommend a YES vote!

First contracts are always difficult to achieve. Your team stood toe to toe with management to reach an agreement that achieves major goals, including general wage increases of 2.5% per year, a prorated $1000 signing bonus, just cause protection to prevent unfair discipline, seniority rights and much more. While we have yet to reach all our objectives in this first agreement, major steps have been taken to secure future improvements and establish your right to have your collective voice heard!

Full copies of the draft agreement will be available at ratification for review. Your WSNA negotiating team will also be there to help answer any questions. Come to the ratification vote to find out more!

Highlights include:

WAGES

• Across the Board Wage Increases – 2.5% in the first full pay period after ratification, 2.5% for the second year and 2.5% for the third year.
• Signing Bonus – One thousand dollars ($1000) prorated to hours worked.
• Overtime – OT pay for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week.
• Float Pay – Nurses assigned off their home clinics will receive a 15% premium.
• Preceptor Pay – Nurses will receive an extra $1.50 per hour to precept other nurses.
• Weekend Differential – Nurses working weekends will receive a 10% differential.
• Shift Differentials – Evening hours will include a 7% differential, and night shift will include a 10% differential.
• Charge Nurse – Inpatient nurses assigned charge duties will receive a 5% differential.
• Rest Between Shifts – Nurses who do not receive 11 hours between shifts will work the entire following shift with overtime pay.
• Report Pay – Nurses not notified of low census 1.5 hours before their start time will receive a minimum of three hours report pay.
• Continuing Education – CEU payments of $500 for full-time and $350 for part-time each year.
• Rest Breaks – RNs will receive rest breaks per new policy and limited payment for missing them.

BENEFITS

• Medical and Life Insurance – Nurses who work in excess of 30 hours per week will receive per Company Policy.
• Retirement – Nurses will participate in the Company’s 401(k) plan.
• PTO – Nurses will accrue and may be able to cash out PTO.
• Holidays – Nurses will receive 6 holidays per year.
• Sick Leave – Regular and extended illness benefits will be a contract right.
• Tuition Reimbursement – Reimbursement for approved classes.
• Professional Association Fees – Payment of 50% up to a maximum $500 per year.

Effective Union Representation

• WSNA Unit Representatives – Both Inpatient and Clinics will include WSNA-trained representatives to protect your rights and assure you are represented in meetings with management.
• Nurse Practice Committee – Management will be confronted with issues you face on the job. Your officers, with WSNA support, will advocate your interests with Management at quarterly Nurse Practice Committee meetings.
• Staffing – Staffing will be addressed in WSNA-Management meetings by your officers and supported by WSNA’s new online form to document unsafe working conditions.
• Just Cause – Protects you from unjust discipline and requires use of progressive discipline. Union representation is provided throughout the grievance procedure and, if necessary, arbitration before a neutral third-party arbitrator.

Your New Rights on the Job

• Grievance-Arbitration Procedure – Access to the grievance procedure in which any violations of the Agreement can be raised to Management with union representation and binding arbitration.
• Low Census Order – Provides for low censusing agency workers and others before regular full and part time nurses, who will be low censused on an equitable rotating basis.
• Seniority – Protection from layoff and recognition of seniority in promotions.
• Access to Personnel Files – You have a right to see all the information management possesses regarding you and your employment.
• Schedule Posting – Right to have schedules posted at least 14 days in advance.
• Probationary Period – Ordinarily limited to 90 days, after which you are protected by just cause from unfair discipline.
• Weekend Shifts – Management commits to equitable rotation of Saturday assignments subject to business needs.
• Floating Between Clinics – Full and part time clinic nurses will be floated only after float and per diem nurses, and then on an equitable rotating basis.
• Call Shifts – Management commits to equitable rotation of assignments of call shifts.
• New Association Membership Requirement – Nurses will be required to join as members of WSNA or remain non-members and pay a fair share fee to support your team’s efforts, ensuring the growth and strength of your collective voice moving forward. WSNA Membership applications will be available at the vote.

Your Bargaining Team Recommends a YES vote on June 21, 2019!

Time: 12:30 to 4 p.m.

Place: Fresenius Conference Room at St Joseph Medical Center Tacoma

Come, join WSNA and VOTE!