Dear nurse colleagues,

Today our negotiations team met with management for a half day of negotiations (because management insists on ending at 1 p.m. - Fresenius refuses to be available for a full day of negotiations). Due to the lack of movement on the employer's side in our previous three sessions, we both agreed to have a federal mediator come in to help us come to an agreement. We also have formed a coalition with the tech union UFCW 3000 because Fresenius is treating their negotiations with the same contempt they are treating us.

Today, management said that they were almost done with negotiations and only offered 2.5% in the first year, 2% the second year, and 2% the third year, along with a $500 ratification bonus.

Insulting things that management said and did:

• Fresenius has a vertical monopoly on dialysis and has deep pockets yet is refusing to make any significant movement on wages.
• Paid executives a 40% increase over the pandemic.
• Touting that they "pay market value" because nurses who were being paid under the market were recently raised up (but only because of the grievance we filed due to them not following the contract).
• They insist that the only nurses that left Fresenius are from in-patient, but implied that the clinics are fine.
• They are clearly not concerned with retention or nurses leaving.

Management's proposals are laughable and completely out of touch with reality. They also displayed a gross lack of respect for us, for our patients, and for the work that we do. They made it very clear that they do not believe nurses are leaving and are not concerned with retention. Their behavior in this process is borderline unethical and beyond insulting - they do not care and they are lying to us.

Take Action:

• Wear your Coalition Buttons that were mailed to you on every day you work.
• Sign the Staff Petition to be delivered at the next session, 8/17.
• Join the Private Facebook Group.

We have mediation again next week; we are back 8/17!

In Solidarity,
Your Negotiations Team:
Suzette Marengo (Tacoma South Center)
Mia Guilder (Puyallup Center)
Elisha Knight (Mount Rainier Center & Float)
Sarrel Rico (Gig Harbor Center & Acute Inpatient float)

Zach Seikel, WSNA Organizer
Janet Stewart, WSNA Nurse Representative jstewart@wsna.org