Our bargaining team met yesterday for our 7th negotiations session with Hospital management. Despite the fact that some bargaining team members woke up without power, and that a tree fell next to the hospital taking out the internet for the entire day, we pressed on to tackle contract proposals. We began by discussing the Union's proposal for a Timekeeping LOU (Letter of Understanding) addressing the recent change to "to-the-minute" timekeeping. We are coming closer to an agreement but continue to discuss the issue of ensuring that nurses have adequate time for donning and doffing hospital scrubs.

Next, we discussed our latest Meal and Rest Break proposal, with bargaining team members explaining the challenges nurses face getting adequate meal and rest breaks. We are maintaining that nurses have the option to take or waive any additional meal breaks provided under state law for shifts of 10 hours or longer. The Hospital has proposed taking away this option and waiving these additional unpaid meal breaks for everyone. The Hospital has also proposed waiving other aspects of state law on meal and rest breaks, including that breaks must be uninterrupted. While we are continuing to negotiate over meal and rest break language, we are very concerned by the Hospital's broad waiver proposal.

Lastly, the Union presented our latest proposals on many outstanding contract articles. We are holding strong on our key priorities, including wages. We expect Hospital management to bring responses to our proposals at our next negotiations session tomorrow, Friday December 20.

If you are interested in coming as a bargaining team supporter, please reach out to one of the local unit officers. You may join us between 09:00 to 09:45 in Conference Room A while we prepare to begin negotiating with Hospital management at 10:00 a.m. on December 20. Thank you, Maria D. for joining us yesterday.

Your bargaining team,
Ryan Housden – ED
Jason Kindle – OPS
Jennifer Reynolds – CCU
Kim Scott – CCU
Kala Winter – Informatics
Michelle Phillips - OPS

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Janet Stewart jstewart@wsna.org (temporarily filling in for Stephenie Troftgruben).