Yesterday, June 2, was the first negotiations session since our powerful info picket. We expected MultiCare to come ready to bargain with us so we can come to an agreement on the issues we have been prioritizing since we started negotiating in February. 

The Good: 
We know that our collective action is working because management moved on several important issues: we reached a tentative agreement on self-scheduling and had productive conversations on the Respect Committee. MultiCare’s Chief Belonging Officer Shareka Fortier actually came to bargaining. She gave a verbal presentation and answered questions. 

The Bad: 
Wages remain in MultiCare’s court and they did not give us a counterproposal. They are still insisting that you only deserve a disrespectful 3.25% + $1.75 / 3.25% / 3%. 

The Ugly: 
MultiCare still will not agree to staffing ratios in our contract. These protections are necessary for the future of our hospital and the patients we care for – as we continue to grow, caring for more patients with higher acuity, we need to ensure safe staffing standards to protect us. 

Here’s what we need to keep up the momentum until we get a fair contract: 

Share our campaign asking the community to send a letter to CEO Bill Robertson, Chief Nursing Officer Angie Naylor, and Good Samaritan President Dawn Anuszkiewicz here using our pre-filled template. Send a letter and ask your family and friends to do the same at the link below! You can personalize the letter to make it your own. Share this widely - let your community group, church, neighbors, family, and friends know about our fight for a fair contract.

Or send them this link: https://wsna.to/RespectGSHNurses.

Let’s flood their inboxes and show MultiCare that our community stands with us! 

Hey Bill - word is out!

Our picket had some fantastic media coverage last week informing the public about our fight for a fair contract! Fox 13 featured our bargaining team members Nicole and Savanah discussing the issues facing Good Sam nurses.

The Tacoma News Tribune covered our picket on Wednesday and ran an op-ed piece by bargaining team member Jacqueline Dynes on Friday. Read Jackie's powerful piece speaking up about discrimination at Good Samaritan here. ‘Colored nurses?’ Do better Good Samaritan Hospital | Opinion

To ensure that everyone knows about how Bill Robertson treats his nurses, we also are running a billboard on I5South by Emerald Queen Casino that reads "Hey Bill: Put Patients Over Profits. Fair Contract Now for MultiCare Good Samaritan Nurses!"  Keep your eye out for it next time you drive by!

To see more photos of our picket, you can go to this photo gallery on the WSNA website. Make sure to share your picket photos to our Facebook page and send us pictures of your favorite picket signs to GSHaction@wsna.org!

Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs) Filed Against MultiCare

We filed two unfair labor practices against MultiCare for (1) refusing access to public areas of the Hospital for members of the public and employees who were wearing WSNA shirts or insignias and (2) informing nurses they were not allowed to attend the information picket on their breaks. In these charges, we allege that these actions are a violation of federal labor laws (unlawful interference with our Union members’ rights to engage in protected concerted activity). We will continue to fight any MultiCare behavior that limits our members’ rights to advocate for ourselves and our coworkers.

In the spirit of MultiCare playing games…get tickets to a Rainiers game for free on June 12! 

You and your family are invited to the Rainiers game at Cheney Stadium on June 12 at 7PM! We have free tickets for the first 20 nurses interested as well as their families and friends. Wear your WSNA shirt and look for a message on the video board in the third inning! If you’re interested in attending, send an email to glamonte@wsna.org letting us know how many free tickets you’d like. 

Observe Bargaining on June 15 and June 25

It’s important that we continue to build power at the table. Our next mediation date is on June 15 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.

Thank you to our observers from June 2! 

Next Virtual Union Update Meeting: Thursday, June 4

While we are in negotiations, bargaining team members are hosting informal union meetings with WSNA members. “Sip and Chats” occur every Thursday from 2000-2100 while we are in negotiations. Click the link 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)! We are also ordering WSNA pride shirts for interested members, reach out to membership officer Ruth at 509-903-8907 if you're interested in getting one! 

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!