Last session, MultiCare asked us to make a big move when they couldn’t. We did. 

Because of this movement, we showed up yesterday morning expecting MultiCare to honor that movement and engage in meaningful proposals. Instead, MultiCare continued to present a wage proposal that would make us the lowest paid MultiCare facility in Western Washington. Our bargaining team was taken aback at this refusal to engage in meaningful proposals after making such movement. Despite this surprising upset, we continue to advocate for a contract we can present to you as a fair deal we deserve. 

As the day continued, our team made clear we were ready to stay as late as it took to make a deal. In the late afternoon, MultiCare asked us, yet again, to present a deal with major movement. We, again, stepped up when MultiCare could not. We presented a proposal that would achieve respectable wages, protect our staffing protections, and get us other important wins. At 8:45 pm, after receiving our proposal, MultiCare left. 

MultiCare’s actions at the table and its proposals send one clear message – they think we aren’t worth the money, time, or energy they give to other nurses in their system. We know our worth. Let’s continue to show MultiCare what it means to fight for what’s right. 

An Invitation to Incoming MultiCare CEO Florence Chang: You are Cordially Invited to our Town Hall on July 2

On July 2 at 8 PM, we are holding a virtual town hall where MultiCare executives and incoming CEO Florence Chang will have the opportunity to repair the relationship MultiCare has with its nurses. MultiCare has not addressed us at negotiations - instead using a federal mediator to pass us their shameful proposals that make no movement at all on wages. 

We would like to offer them an opportunity to fix their behavior and are inviting the incoming CEO Florence Chang, along with MultiCare Chief Nursing Officer Caren Lewis and Good Samaritan President Dawn Anuszkiewicz, to answer nurses' questions at a virtual town hall on July 2 at 8 PM. Bill Robertson is also welcome to attend and explain to nurses why he thinks these proposals are acceptable, and how they reflect on the legacy he wants to leave at MultiCare. 

MultiCare executives need to look nurses in the eyes and explain to them why they believe we are worth less than MultiCare Auburn and Tacoma General. This is an opportunity for incoming leadership to start repairing the trust they have broken with their nurses and answer our questions. If MultiCare refuses our invite to this town hall, they can expect us to escalate.

We will be holding this meeting during our usual union update time - Thursday July 2 at 8 PM. Nurses can join virtually during the usual union meeting link here, or they can join us in person at the Mt. Adams conference room! Submit the questions you'd like to ask Florence, Karen, and Dawn below.

(Submit Questions, Comments and Concerns for the Town Hall Here!) 

MultiCare asks nurses to “trust us” on additional staffing resources – come to bargaining and share your experience! 

Since February, MultiCare has attempted to dissolve the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that provides additional staffing resources (a free flex and free charge) on the floor. These staffing resources were won three years ago after a strike vote, and are not something we will give up. MultiCare says that they can work on these resources with us at the staffing committee. We’ve heard this before and aren’t buying it. These resources are staying in our contract. 

We are inviting observers to come and share what the additional staffing resources mean to them and how they have impacted their unit. Tell MultiCare that this is unacceptable. Tell them how these resources have made a difference in your workplace. Share how your unit would be affected by cuts to these resources. Bargaining will take place on July 1 at MultiCare University - observers are welcome from noon-4 PM. 

If you can’t come to bargaining but would like your testimony to be read at negotiations, send an email to GSHaction@wsna.org sharing your experience. 

ADOs Protect Your License

We know there have been concerns around recent staffing levels on some units and how policies with chemical restraints are being implemented. As a reminder, ADOs (Assignment Despite Objection)/Staffing Complaints are legally discoverable in court and protect your license whenever you or a patient are put in an unsafe situation. For more information on ADOs and to fill out the online form, follow this link: https://www.wsna.org/union/ado

Upcoming Virtual Trainings on Grievances and Union Steward Basics!  

Now is a great time to learn more about getting involved in our WSNA union. We have upcoming virtual trainings on June 29 and June 30 that anyone is invited to attend!  

On June 29, Providence Holy Family Bargaining Unit Chair, Tristan Twohig, and WSNA Nurse Representative, Ed Zercher, will be hosting a virtual training from 6-8 PM focused on the fundamentals of investigations and grievances. 

Topics will include: 

• How to represent a colleague during an investigatory meeting 
• Understanding Weingarten rights and union representation 
• What constitutes a grievance and how to identify potential contract violations 
• How to evaluate workplace concerns and determine whether a grievance exists 
• The process for filing a grievance 
• An overview of the grievance process from start to finish 

You can join the virtual training on Microsoft Teams at this link: https://wsna.to/GrievanceTrainingWSNA

On June 30, WSNA Organizer Grace LaMonte will be hosting a virtual training from 7-8:30PM that provides an overview of union steward basics.  

Topics will include:  

• The role of a union steward 
• Rights and special protections for stewards 
• Weingarten rights and just cause 
• Identifying issue fights on your unit 

You can sign up for the virtual training at this link. After you sign up, the link will be emailed out to all participants.  

There will be more virtual trainings like this in the future - email glamonte@wsna.org to be notified about future sessions!

Next Virtual Union Update Meeting: Thursday, July 9

Our normal union update meeting next week will be when our town hall with MultiCare executives is happening, at 8PM. You can use the same link to join the union update meeting on July 9 and the town hall on July 2!

 Click this link to join via Microsoft Teams or call in (206) 485-2614; Passcode: 44078739# to join. 

Take Action: Send Bill and his C-Suite Friends a Letter!  

The fact that we have sent over 1,300 letters to CEO Bill Roberts, Good Sam President Dawn Anuszkiewicz, and Good Sam Chief Nursing Officer Angie Naylor has led to real movement at the table. But we’re not there yet – we are amping up pressure by adding five more C-Suite members to the list. MultiCare President Florence Chang, Executive Vice President Todd Czartoski, Chief Financial Officer James Lee, MultiCare Chief Nursing Officer Caren Lewis, and Chief Administrative Officer Tim Lynch also deserve to know how nurses and the community feel about the disrespect shown towards MultiCare Good Sam nurses. 

Send a letter here!

Observe Bargaining on July 1 at MultiCare University 

It’s important that we continue to build power at the table. Our next bargaining date is on July 1st at MultiCare University. Observers are welcome from noon-4 PM - lunch will be provided! 

For more information, reach out to glamonte@wsna.org.

Stay in the Loop: Follow us on Instagram, Join the Facebook Group, or get on our new Signal Chat! 

For behind the scenes bargaining content, MultiCare memes, and Blue Friday photos, follow our Instagram @gsh_wsna.  Follow our Instagram here. For discussion and questions in a private members-only space, join our Facebook group! Ask an officer or coworker to add you.

If you’re not on social media but still want to stay in the loop and join conversations on bargaining, download the app Signal and join our private discussion group here. 

Paint GSH Blue!  

Your WSNA Bargaining Team is requesting that EVERY NURSE wear their WSNA T-Shirt at work (especially on Fridays and bargaining days)! 

Contact membership@wsna.org if you are not getting emails from WSNA. Also, please remember to check your junk mail! You can update your contact information on our WSNA website here: https://www.wsna.org/membership/update-info. 

In Solidarity, your WSNA Bargaining Team:  

Co-Chair Savanah James, PCU; Treasurer Aaron Bradley, Palliative Care; Secretary Mindy Groven, PACU; Grievance Officer Emalie Hobi, ED; Jordan Goakey, Family Birth; Nicole Mandeville, ICU; Jennifer Hudson, ED; Jacqueline Dynes, ICU. 

Please contact Travis Elmore Nelson, WSNA Nurse Rep, at telmore@WSNA.org or 206-575-7979 ext. 3117 with questions or to find out what you can do to get a fair contract!