Another Slow Day At The Bargaining Table…

Once again, your bargaining team showed up at 0830 ready to bargain with Good Samaritan management. However, MultiCare made minimal movement at the bargaining table and left at 1730 without passing back the proposals we gave them in the afternoon. We reached a tentative agreement on automatic removal of progressive guidance discipline after 2 years and management increased their wage proposal by 0.25% in year one, to bring their wage proposal to 3.25% + $1 in year 1, 3.25% in year 2 and 3% in year 3.

MultiCare continues to hold firm on takeaways like decreasing severance pay for nurses with 15+ years of experience, dissolving guaranteed staffing plan additional resources under the staffing MOU, keeping CANM’s as charge nurses, and made no movement on increasing premiums. Your bargaining team shared some of your stories around CANMs from the survey at the bargaining table to provide MultiCare with evidence of the issues CANMs acting as charge can cause. If you haven’t taken the survey, please do so!

Self-scheduling was also a hot topic at the table. We know that MultiCare is planning to expand self-scheduling, and it is important that we have boundaries that protect your work-life balance. We're demanding answers from MultiCare about how self-scheduling will work.

It’s Not Too Late To Take our CANM Survey and Share Your Story!  

We are fighting to ensure that WSNA nurses do WSNA work! We know that charge nurses are union nurses – but management seems to think that nurses are happy with CANMs taking away bargaining unit work. We need everyone to fill out this survey to share your experiences with CANMs. Nurses who don’t have CANMs in the charge role are also encouraged to fill out the survey so we can show management the value of having union nurses in the charge role.

Here are a few of the quotes we shared with management yesterday to share our concerns with CANMs in the Charge RN Role:

"Staff RNs are the foundation of running a smooth, successful unit. Staff RNs know the patient populations we serve more in comparison to the lens a CANM carries. Staff RNs know firsthand the impact of short staff, unsafe ratios, and a busy patient/shift/unit that I do not believe a CANM can attest to feeling since they are not working floor shifts as often as staff RNs. When staff RNs are charge when compared to Charge RNs, floating and LC protocols written in our union agreement are followed, staffing is adequate for a safe smooth running shift, and overall satisfaction is shared by the unit knowing staff vs CANM will be advocating for a safe unit."

"CANMs are not present, they are in the office doing clerical work. They rarely are at the bedside or in rooms, unless to survey a patient for satisfaction scores. They are not trusted sources of correct bedside practice information. I personally have had a CANM watch my patients so I could finally get a lunch in the 1600 hour of a 12 hour shift, gave clear handoff, things when I returned couldn’t have been more wrong, they miscommunicated to a provider and it took me twice as long to go undo all of their “work” when I returned from my lunch. Should have never left my patient to them. Very out of practice, asking for wrong orders from provider, would have caused great harm to patient had that med been verified by pharmacy and made it to the bedside to be given by that CANM."

Our Contract is expired - What does that mean?

Our Contract expired at midnight on March 31, 2026 and we are not extending it. This means that the no strike/no lockout clause is no longer applicable. However, nearly everything else remains in place!  You will continue to get step increases, receive the same premiums and differentials, and have the same scheduling system. By law, management cannot unilaterally change any of the terms and conditions of your employment just because the Contract has expired. If your supervisor does change anything because the Contract has expired, let an officer or your nurse rep know immediately!

Observe Bargaining: Next Negotiations are April 24 and April 30 at MultiCare University! 

Come see what negotiations look like for yourself! Observers are crucial to keeping the negotiations process open and transparent. Negotiations will take place at MultiCare University starting at 11am. 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 Justin, Arielle, and Makaya for observing yesterday! 

Next Sip and Chat: Thursday, April 16 at 8PM

While we are in negotiations, bargaining team members will be hosting informal union meetings with WSNA members. “Sip and Chats” will 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 Good Sam Blue! 

Your WSNA Bargaining Team is requesting that EVERY NURSE wear their WSNA T-Shirt at work (especially on Friday’s & bargaining days)! We also have “I Support My Bargaining Team" buttons and stickers available to be worn on negotiation days. More shirts and scrub caps have arrived that we'll be distributing shortly!

Give our Instagram a follow and share pictures of your unit in their WSNA blue so we can feature you!

Get Involved in Our Union - Join the Contract Action Team! 

If you want to make sure your unit stays in the loop during negotiations and support our bargaining team, consider joining our Contract Action Team! You’ll be added to a group of nurses across the hospital that coordinate actions and ensure every nurse knows what’s happening at bargaining.

For more information, reach out to a member of the bargaining team or WSNA Organizer Grace at glamonte@wsna.org/206-553-9794

Become a member, make our voice Stronger! 

https://www.wsna.org/membership/application

You’ve dedicated time, money – and a lot of yourself – to achieve your success. Protect your career and financial future. Don’t let a lawsuit or licensure complaint jeopardize all you’ve worked to accomplish! WSNA recommends that all of our members carry NSO malpractice insurance! It’s affordable and you’ll be glad you have it when you need it! www.nso.com.

Contact membership@wsna.org if you are not getting emails from WSNA. Also, please remember to check your junk mail!

Your 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!