MultiCare’s Nurses Week Gift to Good Sam: Below-market wages and an end to staffing resources

Your bargaining team showed up at 0830 yesterday (5/4) ready to work. The ball was in management’s court, and they gave us a counter proposal with almost NO MOVEMENT. MultiCare management continues to refuse to engage in any counter-proposal(s) on protections for charge nurses, self-scheduling, and ratios. Their wage proposal didn’t change at all. It is still 3.25% + $1.25 in Year 1, 3.25% in Year 2, and 3% in Year 3. This is still significantly behind both TG and Auburn. MultiCare also continues to hold on their proposal to dissolve our existing staffing & meal and rest protections. These hard-won free flex and free charge staffing resources are not something we’re interested in giving up!

Any path forward depends on the MultiCare’s willingness to have real conversations with your bargaining committee about the challenges we face everyday at Good Sam. Once again, your bargaining team read some of the feedback and safety concerns you left on the CAMN survey that we recently put out. Management seemed unfazed by the stories we’ve read that have cited numerous examples of the issues that occur when CANMs are in the charge position. In fact, MultiCare’s negotiator stated that there are plenty of ways for nurses to file complaints if CANM’s really are a safety issue.  So, we are asking you to report anytime you see an unsafe situation with a CANM or are put in an unsafe situation by a CANM.

There are multiple ways to submit a complaint:

• You can submit an ADO Form. If you submit an ADO form because of an issue with a CANM, encourage your coworkers on shift to do the same! You can all fill out the ADO together after work to ensure that we are reporting issues that occur when CANMs are charge.
• You can report the CANM to the Board of Nursing.
• You can submit a complaint to the Joint Commission.
• You can also submit a HERO. Just know that you lose access to the hero once you submit it. Unlike ADOs, WSNA does not see any HEROs you file – they go directly to MultiCare
• Please continue to fill out the CANM survey here with any stories you have! We will continue to read these at the bargaining table.

We have agreed to enter federal mediation as a next step. May 18 will be our first day with a mediator. There is still serious work ahead to make sure we get a fair deal for ourselves, our coworkers, and our patients. While we’re hopeful that MultiCare will come ready to engage and discuss our issues, we also know that it’s our solidarity and collective action that create change at the bargaining table. That’s why we’re continuing to circulate info picket pledges – sign one today to let MultiCare know that if they don’t move at the table, we’ll take our fight to the public! 

Sign your Info Picket Pledge today!

An informational picket is when nurses and community members march, carry picket signs, and hand out leaflets on public sidewalks in front of the hospital to amplify concerns to hospital’s leadership and the community. Nurses work and continue to work – an informational picket is not a work stoppage or a strike. Signing a picket pledge means that you are committed to picketing if you can. While we don’t have a date for our picket yet, signing the pledge means that you’ll come to the picket if you’re not working. If you are working on the day of the picket, you’ll come out on your break or fill out an ADO if you miss a break!

We need everyone to sign the picket pledge so your bargaining team has an accurate assessment of what Good Sam nurses are willing to do so we can make informed decisions about which actions to take.

Federal law requires us to give MultiCare a ten-day notice before picketing, so you’ll have at least a week and a half to know the date and make plans to attend!

If you want to help collect picket pledge signatures from your unit, reach out to WSNA organizer Grace to find out who on your unit still needs to sign. If you are a per diem, on leave, or are unable to physically sign a copy, you can electronically fill one out.

Completed picket pledges can be sent to GSHaction@wsna.org or to Grace at 206-553-9794.

Observe Bargaining: Next Negotiations are May 18 and June 2   

It’s important we continue to build power at the table. Our next negotiations on May 18 and June 2 will take place at MultiCare University. Stay for a few hours or the whole day – we'll provide lunch! If you’d like to observe any of these negotiation dates, reach out to WSNA Organizer Grace at glamonte@wsna.org or 206-553-9794.

Shoutout to Justin in Med Onc and Makaya in ED for consistently showing up to observe negotiations - their commitment and solidarity have made a huge difference at the table!

WSNA Nurses Week Burrito Breakfast on May 8! 

Join your WSNA officers from 0630-0900 on May 8 in the Gordon Education Room for free breakfast burritos for nurses week! We’ll also have WSNA shirts, swag, and picket pledges to sign – because all we really want for nurses week is a fair contract.

Next Virtual Union Update Meeting: Thursday, May 7

While we are in negotiations, bargaining team members will be hosting informal union meetings with WSNA members. “Sip and Chats” occur every Thursday from 2000-2100 while we are in negotiations. Click the button to join via Microsoft Teams or call in (206) 485-2614; Passcode: 44078739# to join.

Paint GSH Blue! 

Your WSNA Bargaining Team is requesting that EVERY NURSE wear their WSNA T-Shirt at work (especially on Friday’s & bargaining days)! Membership officer Ruth Gelbach will be by the Starbucks with shirts every other Monday from 12-3. If you need a shirt, stop by or ask a friend to grab you one!

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.

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.

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!