To all my colleagues at Kadlec,
As a member of the negotiating team, I am recommending a YES vote on the tentative contract agreement. I am at the table with the rest of our negotiating team fighting for the ALL the nurses at Kadlec.

Our members gave us their priorities and we gave them 95% of what they asked for. We are dealing with a corporate giant and getting 95% of what we want, I consider a win. You see, they didn't get everything they want either. We accomplished that.

I have A LOT that I have invested, sacrificed, and given up for this negotiations. If I felt that we could get 100% of what we wanted then you bet I would keep fighting.

In Solidarity,

Meri Hart-Bukovinsky, Bargaining Team Member

Vote on Monday, Dec. 9 in CHINOOK 1
You must be present to vote between
8 - 10 a.m., noon - 2 p.m., 4 - 6 p.m., or 8 - 10 p.m.

To all my colleagues at Kadlec,

Thank you for entrusting me to represent our local unit at negotiations. This was not an easy task, but one that I was glad to do and honored to be a part of. We all grew and learned a lot in the last 15 months. I am very proud of US (all the nurses at Kadlec) for everything we accomplished. We've come far in unity and solidarity not just among us, but also with other nurses and employees at other Providence Hospitals across the state. And although we all shared a common goal of a fair contract, each facility had its own unique issues at each of their tables.

As a team, we could not forget what you had told us in prior surveys and meetings. So, as we often do in our nursing process, we prioritized and focused on what was important for us as a whole. Although we were prepared to, our goal was a fair contract, NOT a STRIKE!

I feel comfortable in recommending a YES vote for the tentative agreement (TA) of our collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

In solidarity,

Martha Galvez, Chair

After fourteen months of negotiations and mediation, your Kadlec Negotiating Team has reached a Tentative Agreement that addresses the issues our membership identified as top priorities including preserving existing PTO accrual and PTO caps for current nurses. The Tentative Agreement includes many significant improvements, including wage increases, a ratification bonus, and stronger staffing committee and workplace violence language. Of equal importance, the Tentative Agreement excludes many of Management’s proposed takeaways. If accepted, the new Agreement would run through October 2022.

Highlights include

• Maintains current total PTO accruals and total PTO caps for ALL current nurses covered by the collective bargaining agreement (including 0.45FTE).
• Maintains all existing EIB accruals and allows them to be used for all purposes currently allowed, as well as for topping off to 100% of regular wages for short term disability or Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave benefit.
• Enhanced staffing and workplace violence language to help keep nurses and patients safe.
• 10% total wage increases over the life of this contract, include A Combined 5.5% Across-the-Board Wage Increase by January 1, 2020, and full-time nurses (including 0.9 FTE) will receive a bonus of $1,500 upon ratification of the contract, with the bonus prorated for part-time nurses.

Please see contract proposal summary for more details.

Vote on Monday, Dec. 9 in CHINOOK 1
You must be present to vote between
8 - 10 a.m., noon - 2 p.m., 4 - 6 p.m., or 8 - 10 p.m.

For more information contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick at Jayson.Dick@wsna.org or 206-575-7979, ext. 3035.

You got questions? We got answers.

• What does grandfathering PTO mean?
• What happens to my EIB?
• What are the wage increases?
• What is a ratification bonus?
• What about staffing, low census, and workplace violence?
• What happens next?

Come to the Local Unit Meeting

Wednesday, Dec. 4
5:30 - 7 p.m.
7:30 - 9 p.m.

Contract Ratification Vote

Monday, Dec. 9
8 - 10 a.m.
noon - 2 p.m.
4 - 6 p.m.
8 - 10 p.m.

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick at jayson.dick@wsna.org.

“The nurses at Kadlec stood united, voted to authorize a strike and were deep into strike preparations,” said Vanessa Douglas, nurse in the ICU at Kadlec and a member of the negotiating team. “Without that unity we would never have been able to fight off the harsh takeaways Providence Kadlec had proposed.”

“There is no doubt in my mind that our solidarity across unions made this tentative agreement possible,” said Martha Galvez, labor and delivery nurse at Kadlec and chair of the WSNA Kadlec local unit. “Four years ago, Providence sat across the bargaining table and made a promise on paid time off and illness banks. It took all of us standing together to make them keep that promise.”

We heard the Kadlec nurses loud and clear during the past 14 months that your top priorities are protecting PTO snd EIB. Our tentative agreement does both:

• Maintains current total PTO accruals and total PTO caps for ALL nurses covered by the collective bargaining agreement (including 0.45FTE).
• Maintains all existing EIB accruals and allows them to be used for all purposes currently allowed, as well as for topping off to 100% of regular wages for short term disability or Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave benefit.

In addition, tentative agreement also includes enhanced staffing and workplace violence language to help keep nurses and patients safe. Total wage increases are 10% over the life of this contract, include an increase of 3% upon ratification and 2.5% on January first, and full-time nurses will receive a bonus of $1,500 upon ratification of the contract, with the bonus prorated for part-time nurses.

We know you have more questions. Please attend the upcoming local unit meeting:

Dec. 4, 2019
Columbia I, II and II
5:30 - 7 p.m.
7:30 - 9 p.m.

Contract Ratification Vote

Dec. 9, 2019
Chinook I
times:
8 - 10 a.m.
noon - 2 p.m.
4 - 6 p.m.
8 - 10 p.m.

Your bargaining team is thrilled to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement, after 13 hours at the table today with Providence Kadlec, that saves our current PTO and secures stronger staffing language and safety against workplace violence.

Fourteen months ago, when Providence Kadlec came to the table with proposals to slash PTO, we wouldn’t have thought this TA was possible. Our Kadlec nurses made this happen. Our rallies and picketing, our vote to authorize a strike, our work with Providence health care employee unions across the state—they all made the difference.

Here are some of the key wins in this tentative contract agreement:

• Maintains current total PTO accruals and total PTO caps for ALL current WSNA nurses (including 0.45FTE).
• Maintains all existing EIB accruals and allows them to be used for all purposes currently allowed, as well as for topping off to 100% of regular wages for short term disability or Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave benefit.
• Secures Short-Term Disability benefit to be maintained at a minimum of 65% and allows employee’s choice to use PTO or EIB to top off 100% of regular wages for STD.
• Enhanced staffing language mandates that changes to the staffing plan be discussed with the staffing committee before implementation and allows a WSNA staff representative to attend staffing committee meetings.
• Recognizes nurses’ discretion to remove themselves from a patient who they believe presents an immediate risk of violence and work with manager to develop a plan to assure nurse safety and appropriate safe patient care.
• Total wage increase of 10% over the life of this contract – 3% effective 12/27/2019, 2.5% Jan 1, 2020, 2% Jan 1, 2021, 2.5% Jan 1, 2022 with expiration on Oct. 31, 2022.
• Ratification bonus of $1500 for 0.9-1.0FTE, prorated below 0.9FTE and $250 for per diems.

Additional TAs:

• Medical plan increases up to 10% blended rate for 2019, 2020, 2021.
• Maintain same low census language as previous contracts.
• Nurses hired at 0.5FTE or above following ratification would move to the new proposed PTO plan.
• Nurses employed at ratification may choose to migrate to the new proposed PTO plan within 45 days of ratification

We will have more information for you in the coming days, including dates for contract ratification voting.

Thank you from your bargaining team for all of the energy, support and action you have put into this contract campaign.

Your Bargaining team: Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU)

Kadlec nurses knocked it out of the park with our turnout and overwhelming majority support for a strike at the strike authorization vote!

We will continue to press Management to give us a fair proposal that meets the needs of nurses by ensuring safe staffing at all times, better protecting against workplace violence, and providing the time off we need to take care of ourselves and our families.

We all want to settle this contract at the bargaining table, but we’re ready to strike if we have to. Our next negotiation with a federal mediator is November 25.

We need to keep up the pressure – from nurses and members of our community. Here’s what you can do to help us pressure Providence to give us the contract we deserve:

• Share the public petition and encourage your friends and neighbors to sign on
  Kadlec is our community’s hospital. Encourage everyone you know to tell Providence that the Tri-Cities community supports us in getting “a fair contract that ensures safe staffing and maintains earned benefits so we all can receive the exceptional care we expect from Kadlec.”
  Share this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/weloveKadlecRNs
  
  
• Reach out to businesses and community organizations
  Are you member of a church, a volunteer organization, a club? Fill out a “Community Connections” card so that we can reach out and get the community on our side.
  
  
• Are you signed up for a strike committee? It’s not too late!
  Fill out the strike committee form. We are moving forward with organization committees so that we are prepared to strike if we have to.

Media coverage you may have missed
In case you missed it, here is a round-up of some of the media coverage we got for our strike authorization vote.

• KEPR TV: Kadlec nurses still on the job after authorizing strike (10/31/19)
• TRI-CITY HERALD: Kadlec nurses authorize strike at Richland hospital (10/30/19)
• KVEW TV: Kadlec nurses vote to authorize strike (10/30/19)
• KNDU TV: Kadlec Nurses vote in favor of authorizing strike (10/30/19)
• KNDU: Kadlec nurses voting on authorizing a strike (10/29/19)
• KVEW TV: Kadlec nurses spend all day voting on whether or not to strike (10/29/19)
• KEPR TV: Nurses voting to authorize a strike for safer staffing and protection of benefits (10/28/19)

Stay tuned for local unit and strike committee meeting dates.

Not getting email newsletters from WSNA? Don’t miss important updates. If you or someone you know isn’t getting the WSNA e-mail newsletters, please contact your Nurse Rep, or WSNA membership at 1-800-231-8482 ext: 3023 or email at membership@wsna.org.

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick. MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

Kadlec nurses showed up in record numbers to vote on October 29 and 30, and by an overwhelming majority, we voted to authorize a strike.

We sent a clear message to management that we are willing to do whatever it takes to get a fair contract, including going on strike.

When a strike is called, WSNA will give the legally required 10-days’ notice to Providence Kadlec prior to the strike.

With this vote, we made a clear and powerful statement that we will keep fighting for safe staffing, safe working conditions and keeping the benefits we have earned. Providence demands substantial cuts to our earned PTO, even as Providence is making record profits -- $1 billion in the first half of this year alone.

We are standing up in the face of troubling and illegal actions by Providence Kadlec, actions aimed at diminishing our power, including interfering with nurses’ right to concerted activity and failing to bargain in good faith. We believe management has committed multiple Unfair Labor Practices. We have filed ULPs against Kadlec, and WSNA will declare a ULP strike if there is one.

We are in the process of scheduling another mediation date. Providence Kadlec has the opportunity to avert a strike by coming back to the negotiating table prepared to engage in serious discussions about issues of concern to nurses and our patients.

We will continue fighting for a contract that protects our working conditions, our patients and our community.

Your Bargaining team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU)

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick. MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

Now is the time to step up and say, “no more.”

We have rallied, we have picketed, we have bargained in good faith for more than a year. But Providence continues to make every effort to steal our hard-earned PTO while pocketing nearly $1 billion in profits in 2019 alone. Providence Kadlec has failed to adequately address staffing, workplace safety and benefits issues.

It’s time to tell Providence corporate that Kadlec is OUR hospital, and we will strike if we have to in order to achieve a contract that allows us to take care of our families, our patients and our community.

We believe management has committed Unfair Labor Practices. WSNA has filed ULPs against Providence Kadlec, and we will declare a ULP strike if there is one.

On Friday night, Sacred Heart nurses counted the ballots from their Oct. 24 and 25 strike authorization vote. Sacred Heart nurses voted overwhelmingly to stand up to Providence and authorize a strike. Now it’s our turn.

We have scheduled vote times throughout the day on two consecutive days to give as many nurses as possible the opportunity to vote. Please note that vote times will be strictly enforced and limited to the voting times listed below. Make your voices heard on Oct. 29 and 30.

October 29 and 30 unfair labor practice strike authorization vote
location and times:

Red Lion Hotel
802 George Washington Way
Richland, WA 99352

Times are the same for both days
8-10 a.m.
noon-2 p.m.
4-6 p.m.
8-10 p.m.

Please note that you must be a WSNA member in good standing to vote on strike authorization. If you are not a member, you can still join and cast your ballot. Complete a WSNA member application and sign the dues authorization that includes incurring an obligation to pay WSNA dues for at least a year. If payroll deduction is not selected, three months advance payment will be required.

Questions?

Please submit your questions and potential concerns so we can be prepared to respond at the strike vote coming up.

Other questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick. MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

Many of you have seen the “FAQ Regarding Strikes” communications from management. It raised as many questions as it answered. Here are WSNA’s answers to some of the concerns we’ve received.

What if I can’t afford to strike for a long period of time?
We have heard concerns about a long strike. We look forward to more conversations and want to hear your input on the length of the strike at the upcoming vote. The vote on October 29 and 30 is to authorize a strike. The WSNA Cabinet on Economic & General Welfare will determine the duration of the strike when a strike is called based on multiple factors including consultation with our negotiating team. Your voice will help inform this decision so please attend the upcoming vote and make your voice heard.

Will I get fined if I cross the picket line?
NO.
WSNA is not going to fine you — we’re going to support each other. It’s not in WSNA’s Bylaws and Local Unit Rules, and WSNA has NEVER imposed fines against nurses who choose to work during a strike. If it comes to a strike, we certainly hope every Kadlec nurse will join us on the picket line to make the strike as effective as possible as we work to achieve our goals at the bargaining table. Crossing a picket line erodes camaraderie in the workplace, prolongs the strike and negatively impacts our efforts to work as a team once the strike is settled. But, no, we will not fine you if you choose to go to work.

Do I have to be a member of WSNA?
If you want to vote on strike authorization, you must be a WSNA member in good standing. We are proud that so many Kadlec nurse are members of WSNA—our unity makes us strong! If you are not a member and want to join (and vote in the upcoming strike authorization), you can complete a WSNA member application. If you choose to have your dues deducted from payroll for the next year, you don’t have to pay anything up front. If payroll deduction is not selected, three months advance payment will be required. Nonmembers are welcome to attend the vote to hear the information and to ask questions.

Will I be harassed at work if I don’t support the strike?
WSNA does not support harassment of any kind. We don’t want to harass anyone – we want to talk to each other about the very important decision on whether to authorize a strike.

WSNA is committed to providing accurate information and answers to your questions and concerns.

Mediation update

On Friday, Oct. 25, we met for our 15th session, our fifth with a Federal Mediator. Today, we presented a package proposal in the morning focused on preserving our earned benefits. Although management responded, sadly we are still far apart. We spent a significant part of our day preparing for and interviewing Providence's benefits specialist. We are in the process of scheduling another mediation date in hopes of reaching an agreement we can recommend. Please come to the strike vote to learn more.

Other questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick. MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

We don’t want to go on strike. We want a fair contract. Sometimes, though, withholding our labor is the only way left to stand up for our patients and ourselves.

If you haven’t already, read WSNA’s blog post “Sometimes walking is the last, best option.”

“Standing together in solidarity on the strike line is the biggest “no” our profession has to offer. No more marginalization of patient care, no more slashing of the benefits that allow us to take care of our families and our patients, no more treatment of staff that leads too many to walk away.”

“Sometimes, allowing a hospital to continue along its current path is more harmful than any negative consequences resulting from a strike. In such instances, and when all other alternatives have been exhausted, we are called to act collectively on behalf of our patients.”

“A strike is particularly critical when the employer engages in bad faith bargaining and commits other unfair labor practices. Nurses must be free from illegal coercion and intimidation so they can effectively advocate for their patients' needs. Such unlawful management tactics cannot stand unanswered…”

Vote on October 29 & 30

We have scheduled vote times throughout the day on two consecutive days to give as many nurses as possible the opportunity to vote. Please note that vote times will be strictly enforced and limited to the voting times listed below.

October 29 and 30 unfair labor practice strike authorization vote
location and times:

Red Lion Hotel
802 George Washington Way
Richland, WA 99352

Times are the same for both days
8-10 a.m.
noon-2 p.m.
4-6 p.m.
8-10 p.m.

Please note that you must be a WSNA member in good standing to vote on strike authorization. If you are not a member, you can still join and cast your ballot. Complete a WSNA member application and sign the dues authorization that includes incurring an obligation to pay WSNA dues for at least a year. If payroll deduction is not selected, three months advance payment will be required.

Questions?

Please submit your questions and potential concerns so we can be prepared to respond at the strike vote coming up.

Other questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick. MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

Stand strong with your fellow Kadlec nurses and vote yes on the unfair labor practice strike authorization vote on October 29 and 30.

"I am recommending you vote yes on the strike authorization vote," says Vanessa Douglas, Kadlec ICU nurse and bargaining team member. "By saying yes, you're standing up and saying we don't want to lose our PTO or any of our other benefits that we currently earn. It shows solidarity for what we're fighting for, against the administration that continues to take away the things we've worked so hard to keep."

Watch Vanessa's video message to all Kadlec RNs.

Despite earning $1 billion in profits so far this year, Providence Kadlec's management remain insistent that they be able to cut your PTO and other benefits and have ignored our concerns over fair treatment and safe staffing. Management has also committed multiple Unfair Labor Practices (ULPs), illegal actions aimed at diminishing our power, including interfering with nurses right to concerted activity and failing to bargain in good faith. We have filed ULPs against Kadlec, and WSNA will declare a ULP strike if there is one.

We have scheduled multiple voting sessions throughout two days to ensure as many WSNA members as possible have the opportunity to vote. The vote is being held at the Red Lion, just a couple of blocks from Kadlec. Find the time to drop by and make your voice heard.

October 29 and 30 strike authorization vote location and times:

Red Lion Hotel

802 George Washington Way

Richland, WA 99352

Times are the same for both days

8-10 a.m.

noon-2 p.m.

4-6 p.m.

8-10 p.m.

Please note that you must be a WSNA member in good standing to vote on strike authorization. If you are not a member, you can still join and cast your ballot. Complete a WSNA member application and sign the dues authorization that includes incurring an obligation to pay WSNA dues for at least a year. If payroll deduction is not selected, three months advance payment will be required.

Questions?

Please submit your questions and potential concerns so we can be prepared to respond at the strike vote coming up.

Your Bargaining team:
Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU)

Other questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick. MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

Strike Vote in the news!

The community cares about their nurses. Yesterday, we announced your strike authorization vote to the media and have already had several news stories:

TRI-CITY HERALD - Kadlec hospital nurses to vote on strike

KEPR TV - Kadlec nurses could vote on strike after year without contracts

KVEW TV - Hundreds of Kadlec nurses may vote to go on strike

Univision KUNW - Más de 900 enfermeras se preparan para un voto de huelga

Your strike questions answered

Our goal is a contract that addresses our staffing concerns, protects our earned benefits and demonstrates respect for our professionalism and dedication. We are also protesting management’s unfair labor practices. We don’t want to go on strike, but we will strike if we have to.

With the upcoming strike authorization vote, we know there are many questions. Here are the answers to the top questions we have heard thus far:

1. Does management have a plan to staff and deliver care during a strike? What will happen to my patients?
   
   Make no mistake about it—if we go on strike it will be FOR our patients.
   
   If a strike is called, we will give Kadlec the required 10-day notice so that administration can plan for patient care. In addition, WSNA’s strike preparation includes establishing an RN Emergency Standby Team Committee that would solicit volunteers to work in the case of an emergency. You can sign up for this and other strike committees by submitting this form.
   
   The ANA Nursing Code of Ethics states that “the nurse, through individual and collective effort, establishes, maintains, and improves the ethical environment of the work setting and conditions of employment that are conducive to safe, quality health care.” By demanding that Kadlec Regional Medical Center address nursing staffing and patient safety issues, we are doing nothing less than making an ethical stand on behalf of the patients we serve.
   
   
2. How long will the strike last?
   
   The vote on October 29 and 30 is to authorize a strike. Duration of the strike will be determined at a later time by the WSNA Cabinet on Economic & General Welfare when a strike is called, based on multiple factors including consultation with our negotiating team.
   
   
3. Who is eligible to vote on October 29 & 30 at the Strike Authorization vote?
   
   Only WSNA members in good standing have the right to vote in a strike authorization vote in their bargaining unit. If a bargaining unit nurse is not a WSNA member but wants to join WSNA in order to vote, they may do so by completing a WSNA member application and signing dues authorization that includes incurring an obligation to pay WSNA dues for at least a year. If payroll deduction is not selected, three months advance payment will be required.
   
   
4. Can I mail in my vote?
   
   No, votes must be made in person during the provided voting times.

Your Bargaining team:
Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU)

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick. MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

We have been bargaining for over a year. We have rallied and picketed and negotiated hard. Unfortunately, Providence Kadlec management remain insistent that they be able to cut your PTO, stealing back your earned benefits, even as Providence earned $1 billion in profits so far this year. Providence corporate has ignored our concerns over fair treatment and safe staffing.

We also have seen management commit multiple Unfair Labor Practices, illegal actions aimed at diminishing our power, including interfering with nurses right to concerted activity and failing to bargain in good faith.

Our strike assessment and strike preparations have demonstrated that we are strong, and we are prepared to continue our fight for a fair contract.

Your bargaining team has worked as hard as we can at the bargaining table to push back on the take-aways management has proposed. Now we need every single nurse to stand behind us by voting YES. Yes, you are willing to strike if you have to. Yes, you will stand on the picket line. Yes, you will send the most powerful message to management that we are not backing down.

October 29 and 30 strike authorization vote location and times:

Red Lion Hotel
802 George Washington Way
Richland, WA 99352

Times are the same for both days
8-10 a.m.
noon-2 p.m.
4-6 p.m.
8-10 p.m.

Each session will begin with a presentation on bargaining issues. Must be a member in good standing to vote.

Now is the time to make your voices heard!
Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick, MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

“I am a former firefighter, professional and volunteer, a former Marine and operation Iraqi Freedom vet and EMT. I have spent my adult life serving the community and now I serve the community as an RN…

Providence has come in and placed profits over people and we as the nurses that belong to this community and are part of this community and call this hospital home are not standing for this.”

Have you already signed the strike petition? If not, talk to the Rapid Response Organizer on your unit and pledge that “If it is necessary, I will vote to authorize a strike, join my co-workers on strike and participate in picketing on all of my assigned picket shifts.”

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick, MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

"After almost 20 years of service to Kadlec, Providence now wants to “reward” me by decreasing my PTO accrual hours, cutting nearly two weeks per year... It makes me sad to think that all you are looking at is the bottom line, and not how you are affecting my life and how you don’t think I am worthy of the PTO that I am earning after giving Kadlec 20 years of service.

You expect and want so much from me and yet… you also want and expect to take away so much from me. I need to ask, why is that?"

Have you already signed the strike petition? If not, talk to the Rapid Response Organizer on your unit and pledge that “If it is necessary, I will vote to authorize a strike, join my co-workers on strike and participate in picketing on all of my assigned picket shifts.”

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick, MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

"My job, although I truly love it, is exhausting. Physically, emotionally, spiritually...you name it, it's exhausting. I wouldn't trade it for any other job in the world — but I will tell you, I need my time off. I need time to regroup, to unwind, to renew my spirit. I'm a better nurse when I'm not burned out — which means in your darkest and most vulnerable times, when you have the unfortunate need to be my patient — you're in better hands."

"Enough is enough. While Providence and Kadlec CEOs sit atop their ivory towers, making millions in profits — they have the audacity to try to steal from their nurses. I have a feeling, they're going to find out in the most crucial way, that it won't be without a fight. We will fight for our patients, fight for OUR health and safety, and fight for each other. We have to — they've left us no other choice."

How does the proposed PTO impact you? Check out the chart outlining the % of nurses who gain and lose PTO hours based on each year of service.

We have officially launched preparations to strike, and nurses have turned out! WSNA is actively providing training to the 40 plus newly-formed Rapid Response Organizers. Hundreds of nurses turned out for local unit meetings to get their questions answered about striking, signed strike commitment petitions, and signed up for strike committees. Solidarity is in the air!

Three things you can do to take part in our strike preparations:

1. Sign the strike commitment petition and pledge that “If it is necessary, I will vote to authorize a strike, join my co-workers on strike and participate in picketing on all of my assigned picket shifts.”
2. Sign up for strike committee.
3. Be informed, stay engaged.

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick. MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

Time: 5:30 - 7 p.m. and 7:30 - 9 p.m.
Location: Kadlec Columbia Rooms I, II, III
Date: Sept. 17, 2019

Come hear the key issues at stake during negotiations, have your strike questions answered and get prepared for what’s next.

Attending in addition to our negotiations team will be:
Dave Campbell, Special Counsel
Anne Tan Piazza, MBA, WSNA Senior Director of Strategic Affairs
Gerard Friesz, AFT/WSNA Providence Campaign Organizing Director

We will see you there!

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick. MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

Our Bargaining Team met with the Federal Mediator and Providence Management on Saturday, Sept. 7. WSNA made new proposals on Workplace Violence and Low Census. Unfortunately, Providence management insists on holding on to contract language allowing it to reinstate mandatory low census, and we otherwise saw little movement. We were forced to reschedule our meeting on Monday, Sept. 9, due to a family medical emergency of our nurse representative, Jayson Dick. We are seeking another date before we are scheduled to meet again on Oct. 25.

Providence continues to demand the cuts to our PTO accrual and decrease the PTO cap. They are now offering, on a one-time basis for nurses subject to immediate large PTO cuts, an hours dump of a 8-24 hours in each of the next two years and some cash incentives to those with over 30 years of service.

The reality is that these small hour dumps do nothing to erase the steady decline in PTO accrual which will result in huge cumulative PTO losses over time, nor fix the slashed PTO caps which, when quickly hit, will halt PTO accrual altogether. Don’t be fooled by management’s so-called PTO projections, as they do not begin to account for the long-term impacts of their enormous PTO cuts. Nearly 2 out of 3 nurses (67%) impacted will lose earned PTO hours under management's proposal.

A lot will be happening at Kadlec very soon!

In Solidarity :

Your Bargaining team
Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick. MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

Winning the contract our patients need and nurses deserve requires fighting against Providence Kadlec's corporate greed. To prepare for this fight, we are recruiting Rapid Response Organizers (RROs) for every unit and on every shift.

Who are Rapid Response Organizers? Unit nurses who agree to communicate with their unit colleagues to make sure nurses are informed and engaged in the contract campaign. RROs will be talking to every nurse at Kadlec about our campaign to win a fair contract and assess strike readiness to protect patients, ensure safe staffing, enhance working conditions and secure the wages and benefits nurses deserve. RROs will also have accurate information about our campaign and be able to respond to any rumors from management intended to intimidate people during the contract negotiations process.

To be effective, our RROs will need training. To that end, we have scheduled two training sessions:

8-10 p.m. on Monday, September 16

8-10 a.m. on Tuesday, September 17

Both sessions will be held at:
Executive Board Room
Hampton Inn, Richland/Tri-Cities
486 Bradley Blvd, Richland, WA 99352

We ask that anyone who has signed up as an RRO or is interested in becoming an RRO attend one of these sessions. Please RSVP using the link below.

Are you ready to fight to keep our PTO and safety for our nurses and patients?

Want to stand up to Providence and demand they put patients before profits?

Join us at the training!

In Solidarity :

Our bargaining team

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab), Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick, MBA, BSN, RN at 206-858-2139.

Our bargaining team has been working hard to secure a fair contract with Providence. We have been fighting for safe staffing to ensure our families, friends, and community get the care they deserve. We are fighting for a safe work place were our providers feel safe and secure as we continue to commit our lives to a broken health care system so we can be there when our patients need us most.

Our bargaining team is fed up with going back to the table and beating their heads against the wall while trying to mitigate losses. Last round of negotiations three years ago, Providence came for your Extended Illness Time (EIT) and said they would never touch your PTO. Now they are coming for your PTO in a way that shows complete disrespect to the nurses who have served their community the longest. What's next?

Our objective for this negotiation is to keep what we have, give our patients what they need, and work to make our hospital safer. That’s it. That’s what we were asking for. But that was unreasonable to a corporation that devalues our providers and sees our patients as nothing more than a revenue stream.
At what point will Providence stop hiding behind sick patients while they continue to gouge our nurses for the sake of making their year-end bonuses!? Enough is enough.

Time to prep for launch of strike assessment

As we ramp up in our fight for the contract that our patients need and our nurses deserve, we have to be prepared for the battle, one that may lead to a strike if necessary. Our next step as we prepare for the launch of an official strike assessment and preparations is talking to each of our 900+ nurses at Kadlec and assess their readiness to strike for a fair contract.

Fighting for the contract our patients need and nurses deserve: Join the fight as a Rapid Response Organizer

Winning the contract our patients need and nurses deserve requires fighting against Providence Kadlec's corporate greed. To prepare for this fight, we are recruiting Rapid Response Organizers (RROs) for every unit and on every shift.

Who are Rapid Response Organizers? Unit nurses who agree to communicate with their unit colleagues to make sure nurses are informed and engaged in the contract campaign.

Why do we need you to join us as a Rapid Response Organizers? The fight for a fair contract may require organizing a strike against Providence Kadlec. Rapid Response Organizers will have the important job of talking to nurses and assessing their readiness to strike to get the contract patients need and nurses deserve.

What is the immediate task at hand for Rapid Response Organizers? RROs will be talking to every nurse at Kadlec about our campaign to win a fair contract and assess strike readiness to protect patients, ensure safe staffing, enhance working conditions and secure the wages and benefits nurses deserve. RROs will also have accurate information about our campaign and be able to respond to any rumors from management intended to intimidate people during the contract negotiations process.

Will Rapid Response Organizers receive support to do this work? Yes! RROs will receive the training and resources they need to complete their work. WSNA staff organizers and nurse reps will be assigned to RROs and be with you every step of the way. They will be your resource throughout the campaign - answering questions, troubleshooting and otherwise providing you the tools you need to do this important work.

In order to reach every nurse on every unit and shift, we have set a target to recruit 40 RROs by September 10.

Are you ready to fight to keep our PTO and safety for our nurses and patients?

Want to stand up to Providence and demand they put patients before profits?

In Solidarity :

Your Bargaining team
Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab), Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions?? Call your Nurse Rep Jayson Dick MBA, BSN, RN 1-206-858-2139.

Thank you!

Our team would like to thank the entire bargaining unit for taking the time to fill out the survey. The number of responses was overwhelming. We asked that Kadlec nurses provide guidance to our team as we continue to bargain for a fair contract and that’s exactly what you did. We always keep the survey results confidential, but it should come as no surprise that the top priorities we chose were to maintain the current PTO program, maintain our no mandatory low census and a fair economic proposal.

We wanted to make certain that it is understood that this survey was in no way a strike authorization vote. However, it helps our team make critical decisions knowing that there is overwhelming support of further actions up to and including strike as we head back to mediations.

In Solidarity :
Your Bargaining team
Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab), Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick at jayson.dick@wsna.org.

Today is the last day to complete the contract survey and tell your negotiating team:

• Your bargaining priorities
• What you are willing to do to reach a fair contract

Check out the video by Kadlec RN Adam Halvorsen on the Kadlec RNs Care for Us Facebook page if you need any more convincing!

Take 2 minutes to fill out the contract survey:

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick at jayson.dick@wsna.org.

Your negotiating team needs to hear from every Kadlec RN on:

• Your bargaining priorities
• What you are willing to do to reach a fair contract

Take 2 minutes to complete the contract survey by August 9.

Spread the word and keep and keep an eye out for more news!

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick at jayson.dick@wsna.org.

On Friday, July 26, our nurses from Sacred Heart and Kadlec joined hundreds of outraged nurses, healthcare workers, state labor leaders, public officials, and union activists from across Washington to hold a “Rally for Patients Before Profits” at the corporate headquarters of Providence St. Joseph Health, the state’s largest health system.

We brought our message directly to multi-millionaire executives because managers in our local Providence facilities have refused to address urgent problems including workplace and patient safety concerns, cuts to sick time and paid time off, competitive benefits and wages to recruit and retain nurses.

The rally represents over 20,000 workers from throughout the Providence system in almost every job title. The shared problems they are experiencing have become so extreme that they have prompted the workers’ four different unions – OPEIU Local 8, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, UFCW 21 and the Washington State Nurses Association – to create the “Providence United Coalition” to support each other and jointly hold executives accountable for solutions.

The response from Providence? A statement to the media that “the most effective venue for discussing labor contracts is at the local bargaining tables” and “We have full confidence that our local leaders, who are bargaining these contracts, have presented strong pay and benefits packages that are aligned with our values and advance our commitment to creating an exceptional work experience for our caregivers.” Really? If that were true we wouldn’t have been compelled to travel across the state to try and get our message across.

Resolution calling on Providence St. Joseph Health to put Patients before Profits

At the Washington State Labor Council Convention on July 27, delegates passed a resolution calling on leaders of local unions to send letter to the Providence board of directors calling on them to listen to healthcare workers and immediately negotiate fair union contracts; and the Washington State Labor Council to stand in solidarity with healthcare workers in their fight to make Providence return to the founding core values of Compassion, Dignity, Justice, Excellence and Integrity, and put patients before profits.

Key issues & action survey

What’s your top priority: preserve PTO, no mandatory low census, higher wages, no increases to insurance premiums? And what are you willing to do to fight for your priorities? Our team needs to hear from you. Take a minute to complete this very important survey now.

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jayson Dick at 206-575-7979, ext. 3121 or jayson.dick@wsna.org.

Once again, we have met with administration and sent a full package proposal through our mediator. Our proposal was partially responded to on workplace violence and staffing language. Our team is evaluating this response to see if it meets the needs of our nurses. We have still maintained our position on PTO, no mandatory low census, wages and preventing increases in insurance premiums.

Our team needs to hear from you regarding your position on the remaining key issues to win a fair contract. Take a minute to complete this very important survey now.

We met for our second day of mediation on June 5. We were joined by WSNA Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives Anne Tan Piazza. Proposals were passed back and forth but very little progress was made. The team engaged in very candid discussion during our time together regarding our next steps.

We are holding a very important local unit meeting on the 11^th to provide information on what a strike is and what is involved. We are aware that many people have questions regarding a strike. This is your opportunity to get your questions answered.

Tuesday, June 11
Columbia room:
5:30 - 7 p.m.
7:30 - 9 p.m.

In Solidarity,
Your bargaining team:
Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab), Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick, MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

It has come the attention of WSNA that members are being asked to remove their WSNA stickers and badge boards. Should you be approached by any member of administration and instructed to remove any WSNA items, please comply and then contact your Nurse Representative as soon as possible.

It is your RIGHT to participate in concerted union activity and show your support for the negotiating team. Any efforts by administration to interfere with your participation and silence your voice may be illegal. It is imperative that you contact your nurse rep immediately.

In Solidarity,

Jayson Dick, WSNA Nurse Representative

206-858-2139

Come decorate your own picket sign or help assemble the signs at the party. If you are working during our informational picket on Thursday this is a great way to show your support for the team!!

When: May 8 from 4pm -7pm

Where: 511 Van Giessen , Richland, WA 99352

Contact Tara Barnes, Nurse Organizer, at 206-713-2241

In Solidarity!

Your Negotiation Team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab), Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Call Nurse Organizer Tara Barnes at 206-713-2241

Sign up, show up for a fair contract!

Informational Picket May 9, 2 to 5 p.m.

In front of Kadlec

Are you willing to accept… Cuts to your PTO? Short staffing? Inadequate security against violence?

If your answer is NO, get out and picket!
Your bargaining team is fighting hard, but we can’t win without all of you behind us. Show administration you mean business by signing up and showing up.

Here’s what you can do to pressure administration by making this informational picket a success:

• Talk to your co-workers about how important it is to come to the picket and how important it is to RSVP by signing up on the picket sheet!
• Help sign up nurses to picket—we need hundreds on the line!
  If you do not have a picket-sign-up sheet, ask your coworkers or print out your own sheet
• Get your picket-sign-up sheet filled in, take a pic of it and return it to our nurse organizers ASAP: Judy Marken 206-454-9982 or Tara Barnes 206-713-2241
• Follow, like and share “Kadlec RNs Care for Us” on Facebook.
  Let others know you are going to the picket by registering for the event.

One strong voice against Providence’s attempts to put profits before patient safety:

While we’re picketing in Richland, Sacred Heart nurses will be picketing in Spokane. Together, we can make Providence listen – but only if YOU show up and do your part.

Do not forget to invite your family and friends.

If you have community connections with schools, churches, labor unions or other organizations, please make a point of inviting them, too! The picket will show our community how serious and dedicated we are about protecting our patients and our profession.

In Solidarity,
Your Negotiation Team: Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick MBA, BSN, RN at (206)-858-2139.

Most of us were surprised to receive a “Bargaining Update” from KRMC in our mailbox recently. We’ve done our best to translate and rebut that letter below. We have picked out key things, in the order that they were presented in the mailer. Feel free to ask questions, we’ll do our best to answer. (Portions of the mailer are in bold and italicized).

“Although we usually have extension agreements during negotiations to keep the contract in effect, this time, at WSNA’s request, the contract lapsed on Sept. 30, 2018”.

This is accurate, however, please realize that you are still protected under the terms of the expired contract. Anyone who remembers the ordeal we faced three years will remember that in order for us, as a unified body, to do things like rallies, pickets or strikes we have to allow the contract to expire. Extension agreements, when the two parties are too far apart, benefit no one. KRMC has not shown us any indication that they are willing to budge on the takeaways they’ve proposed; therefore we’ve seen no reason to extend our contract and offer them certain protections against the actions mentioned above.

“We have offered increases that range from 2.25 to 2.5% in annual across-the-board increase, plus the existing step increase of approximately 2%.”

KRMC frequently likes to combine these two separate wage rates into one, to make their offer sound better than it actually is. The facts are these:

• The “average” step increase is 2%, however, there are steps where the increase is even less than 1%. For those people, their annual raise could be as low as 3% total.
• These steps are based on hours served, and if you’re a part-timer, you most likely won’t get a step raise every year.
• Rewarding experience and seniority in the nursing profession are not unique to KRMC. Almost every hospital pays its nurses this way and still keeps up with basic cost of living raises.

In case you haven't seen the chart circulating around Facebook, we've included it here:

“Ordinarily, you would have received increases on January 1^st”.

We won’t be made to feel guilty about fighting to get what you deserve. We will also fight for raises to be back-paid.

Parental Leave & Short Term Disability

KRMC spends the next couple of paragraphs introducing changes to our current STD plan. This includes increasing pay from 60% to 65% as well as extending STD benefits to new fathers. While we appreciate this, the reality is that Washington state, beginning in 2020 was already going to mandate these actions. And let’s not forget all of the downfalls of Short-Term Disability:

• 7 calendar days of your own time must be used before it goes into effect
• Third party administrator decides whether you’re granted your time off
• The last 3 years working with Sedgwick haven’t exactly been smooth sailing. There are many nurses who can attest to this.

They also conveniently failed to mention that any remaining EIB nurses may have will be lost in 2020.

Staffing Committees

“We have made proposals that align with the state law on Nurse Staffing Committees and do not agree to allow an outside third party to decide staffing disputes”.

You’d think a hospital wouldn’t fight us to assure that there are enough nurses hired to allow nurses their proper rest and meal breaks or enough scheduled to safely care for their patient load, but we just can’t seem to get them to agree to the most basic language stating this. Also, it’s a little ironic that a third party is no big deal when it comes to our medical time off disputes (Sedgwick), but suddenly KRMC doesn’t want to deal with a “third party” (WSNA) when it comes to staffing disputes.

Paid Time Off – a “Competitive PTO program”

Many of you have likely seen the chart circulated by us showing the loss of PTO. KRMC included a chart as well. Their own chart doesn’t lie and shows exactly how much PTO is lost every year. At almost every step past your two-year anniversary with KRMC, you LOSE PTO! At the 9 to 10-year mark, there’s a loss of almost 2 full weeks. There is zero justification for these proposed takeaways.

In addition to this, the maximum amount of PTO to keep in your bank has been drastically cut in their proposal. Our current contract allows for 480 hours to be banked. Here’s a brief history lesson: three years ago, as KRMC stole our EIB, the one concession WSNA wanted was the ability for nurses to accrue enough time off to cover a FMLA leave – since we could no longer rely on EIB. Remember, short term disability does NOT cover/pay you if you should need to use FMLA for a family member. KRMC now wants to take this away as well. Based on their proposal, the maximum amount of PTO to bank ranges from 300 hours to 420 hours after 15+ years’ experience.

“In order to help with the transition, we have proposed extra PTO for nurses who will earn less PTO under the new plan – up to 2 extra days in 2020 and 1 extra day in 2021”.

Frankly, we don’t need help with the transition. WE WON’T TAKE THE TRANSITION. We stand to lose almost 2 weeks of PTO every year. That cannot be replaced by a 1-time offer of 3 extra days. This concession is borderline insulting.

Union Membership

“WSNA has proposed that each nurse be required to pay dues or fees to be employed here.”

We are addressing this topic out of order, mostly to drive home the fact that this is KRMC’s favorite tool to cause division. First, it should be pointed out that WSNA has agreed to let current nurses working at KRMC to remain under the current language (opt out if desired). We are, though, fighting for all new hires to have fair share memberships to WSNA.

There is a reason KRMC wants to fight this so hard – they KNOW unions are powerful. This battle we are currently having, the battle we had three years ago, and any of the past battles we’ve had would never had taken place without a union, and nurses would have suffered significant losses. You don’t have to look very far to see the drastic difference: Kadlec Clinic Nurses are not covered under a union. Their wages & PTO benefits are significantly different than ours, not to mention they don’t have the protections from work redesign and/or layoffs the way we do. Unions are strong, and any attempt KRMC can take to divide us, is a win for them. Don’t be fooled by their motivation here.

We are strong, we are many, and we should not have to be fighting this hard for a fair contract. But we will!

In solidarity,

Your WSNA negotiating team: Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab), Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick, MBA, BSN, RN at (206) 858-2139.

We will have our local unit meeting at the United Steel Workers hall on April 4. Right now, it is crucial our team hears from you as we determine our next course of action. Plan on attending this VERY important discussion with our negotiating team and Chief Negotiator Dave Campbell.

When: April 4 from 5:30 -7 p.m. and 7:30-9 p.m.
Where: United Steel Workers Hall
797 Stevens Dr, Richland, WA 99352

In Solidarity!

Your Bargaining team:
Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab), Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions?? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick MBA, BSN, RN at (206) 858-2139.

On Monday, March 18, we were able to meet with federal mediators for our first mediation session. Much of the day was invested in discussing our positions with the mediators. However, both sides were able to pass package proposals through the mediators.

After a highly energizing rally at John Dam Plaza, attended by hundreds of nurses and concerned community members, we were deeply disappointed by the lack of movement by the administration. Our bargaining team remains committed to negotiating a fair contract that will keep nurses and patients safe.

Right now, it is crucial that our team hears from you as we determine our next course of action. Plan on attending this VERY important discussion with our negotiating team and Chief Negotiator Dave Campbell. An update will be sent when we have a location that is large enough for us.

When: April 4 from 5:30-7 p.m. and 7:30-9 p.m.
Where: Location TBD

Our team would like to extend a huge thank you to all the nurses and community members that came out to support Kadlec nurses in fighting for safe patient care.

In Solidarity!

Your Bargaining Team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions?? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick MBA, BSN, RN at 1-206-858-2139.

The local unit meeting times have been updated by request. Our second session will be extended to 9 p.m. Be sure to attend this very important discussion with our negotiating team and Chief Negotiator Dave Campbell.

In Solidarity!

Your WSNA Negotiation Team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick MBA, BSN, RN at 1-206-858-2139.

Our team met with administration for day 10 of negotiations.

We have remained firm on our position regarding: Staffing language, Work Place Violence, Medical Benefits and Paid Time Off.

We are very far apart from administration and will now move forward with mediation.

If you want a contract that maintains our PTO, maintains medical benefits for the life of the contract, supports safe staffing and pushes for meaningful changes to keep us safe at work; plan on attending the upcoming local unit meeting with our Chief Negotiator Dave Campbell.

Where: Round Table Pizza - 1435 George Washington Way, Richland

When: January 30 from 1730 -1900 and 1930-2000

*Yard signs, T-Shirts, and Badge boards will be available

In Solidarity!

Your Bargaining team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab), Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions?? Call your Nurse Rep Jayson Dick, MBA, BSN, RN 1-206-858-2139.

We met for session nine with the administration on Dec. 14. We are holding strong on our position to maintain our PTO, safe staffing and workplace violence language. Our negotiation team has spent a considerable amount of time reviewing Providence’s PTO proposal and it is a considerable takeaway.

We understand that there are still a lot of questions about the PTO proposal and what is meant by “block breaks.” Our team will be putting together our own fact sheet to help clarify these issues. In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to our negotiating team with specific questions.

In Solidarity,

Your Negotiation Team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Call our WSNA nurse representative, Jayson Dick, MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

We met with the administration on Dec. 10 for our eighth session of bargaining. We offered a full package proposal at 11 a.m. with hopes of reaching a tentative agreement. After 4 p.m., the administration returned with a partial response that did not include replies to our workplace violence language or staffing proposal. Furthermore, the administration's partial responses were predicated on us accepting their PTO proposal.

We would like to thank everyone who was able to attend the Unity dinner and leave messages on the posters that we presented to the administration yesterday. The administration is just not hearing us.

Talk to us, your negotiating team, and sign the petition to SAVE OUR PTO!

In solidarity,

Your Negotiation Team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Call our nurse rep, Jayson Dick, MBA, BSN, RN, at 206-858-2139.

Thank you to all who attended the Unity Dinner last night. The dinner was a huge success because you were there. Those who had to work or couldn’t attend due to other obligations, thank you for your support.

LU Co-Chair Jacob Garcia, RN presented a PowerPoint presentation that analyzed the employers’ PTO proposal. To those who want to see it again or see it for the first time, you can find it under the Contract & Documents tab or you can download it here.

If you have any questions regarding the proposal and what it means for you, feel free to contact Jayson Dick at Jayson.dick@wsna.org or 206-858-2139.

Remember to sign the Unity posters and the petition to show your support of our negotiating team.

In solidarity,

Your Negotiation Team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI)

We had a very productive day at the table and were able to reach a few tentative agreements.

We are still VERY far apart on key issues:

• We are fighting big takeaways to our PTO and Health Plan.
• We are insisting on better staffing and safety for patients
• Wages are still to come

Our team will be discussing these issues at our upcoming free unity dinner on Dec. 4., hosted by your negotiation team and officers.

Tuesday, Dec. 4
5-8 p.m.
Clover Island Inn, 4th floor
435 Clover Island Drive, Kennewick, WA
Send your RSVP to wsna@wsna.org.

Please plan to attend and RSVP if you haven’t done so already. You will be hearing from key speakers including our chief negotiator Dave Campbell and WSNA President Jan Bussert.

In Solidarity,

Your Negotiation Team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI)

Questions? Call WSNA Nurse Rep Jayson Dick, MBA, BSN, RN at 206-858-2139.

Dear WSNA members at Kadlec,

For the past nine years, I have had the pleasure of serving as your WSNA nurse representative. I’ve seen tremendous growth in our local unit officers and the unit as a whole. While I am sad to say I have been reassigned, I am certain you are in great hands with Jayson Dick. Some of you may know him already as a former employee at Kadlec.

Jayson has been with WSNA in his nurse representative role for five years and has been doing an outstanding job. Please welcome him.

I will be finishing out negotiations and grievances that I have started and Jayson will now be taking on any new issues going forward.

His contact information is:

Jayson.dick@wsna.org
Cell: 206-858-2139

Thank you again for letting me serve you.

Sincerely,

Carmen Garrison, BSN, RN
WSNA Nurse Representative

Thank you to everyone who came out as a show of support. Your efforts mean a lot to the entire negotiating team.

Negotiations update: day six

On Nov. 13, day six of negotiations, we presented a new staffing proposal. There was some movement on workplace violence from management. They assured us that they are hiring more security and will be increasing signage regarding the zero-tolerance policy on aggressive behavior. We exchanged a number of counter-proposals; however, we are still far apart on many issues. We are working on scheduling more dates to meet with management. Our next session is on Nov. 27.

T-shirts are here

Come pick up your new WSNA T-shirts Thursday, Nov. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Cafeteria.

Unity Dinner

Keep an eye on your email for more updates on the Dec. 4 Unity Dinner. Be sure to RSVP! We are lining up some speakers and working on the agenda. We’ll have WSNA Attorney David Campbell there to talk about the current climate of negotiations.

Safe nurses = safe patients

Your WSNA Negotiation Team: Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI)

Hosted by your negotiation team and officers

Tuesday, Dec. 4
5-8 p.m.
Clover Island Inn, 4th floor
435 Clover Island Drive, Kennewick, WA

Dinner and soft drinks will be provided

Send your RSVP to wsna@wsna.org.

Sedgwick issues and survey:

Having problems with Sedgwick? We need to hear from you. We’ve been told by management/HR that Sedgwick is working just fine and that there haven’t been any issues. We, your nurse representative and LU officers, have been hearing differently. If you have had to use Sedgwick in the past three years, take a few minutes to fill out the Sedgwick survey. We need this information by our next session – please do not wait.

Next steps for negotiations:

We have two more dates scheduled for negotiations and anticipate having to schedule more dates. Our confirmed dates are Nov. 13 and 27.

Update on T-shirts:

We are hoping to have the T-shirts in by our next negotiation session on Nov. 13. More to come on how to get your T-shirt as well as other activities. Check the LU website and FB page regularly.

STAT Team meeting:

If you are on our STAT team or would like to be more involved, our next STAT meeting is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 29, from 5:30-7 p.m. and 7:15-8:15 p.m. We’ll be meeting in Columbia I and II.

Support SEIU 1199:

SEIU is still in negotiations for their first contract at Kadlec. Show your support by wearing their stickers. Communicate support to your co-workers who also want a fair contract.

After negotiations on Monday, Marianne Sturtevant, Jacob Garcia, Vanessa Douglas and Carmen Garrison met with Washington State Senator Sharon Brown to discuss the recent incidents of workplace violence at Kadlec. Senator Brown was interested to hear directly from nurses about what is needed to help prevent and respond to workplace violence.

Hearing information about the lack of security guards, physical features of patient rooms that are potentially unsafe and the lack of adequate training made an impression on the Senator, whose mom was a nurse. Senator Brown is interested in sponsoring legislation to address workplace violence in the 2019 legislative session.

Meet with Legislators TONIGHT

As demonstrated by the meeting with Senator Brown, now is the best time to meet with legislators to get support for workplace violence legislation in the 2019 session. Right now, legislators can spend 30-60 minutes with us, totally focused on nursing issues. During session, we are lucky to get 10-15 minutes of their time, during which distractions are likely to arise.

You can make a difference TODAY by showing up to the Nurses Speak event tonight. This event will show legislators and candidates why they need to address workplace violence this coming legislative session. Your voice, your stories, and most importantly, your ideas for solutions are critically important at this phase in the process.

Please join us tonight - you are welcome to participate even if you have not registered for the event:

Nurses Speak - Kennewick
Wednesday, Oct. 17 from 5 - 6:30 p.m.
Red Lion Hotel Kennewick Columbia Center (1101 N Columbia Center Blvd Kennewick, WA 99336)

We started today with a strong safety proposal that sets minimum standards to protect nurses from violence, would create a committee with equal members from WSNA that would address violence issues throughout the hospital and would provide income assurance for victims of violence. We asked for action now! We’re waiting for their counter proposal on this.

Team members advocated for nurses regarding floating, which is a high priority. The overuse and abuse of floating and its safety consequences to patients, was described in detail by your team.

Prime-time PTO requests were also addressed, hoping to fix the broken system. At 16:44 management gave us their PTO proposal which has major negatives that include lower caps on PTO accrual, loss of benefits for some employees, and mixed results for the rest. We are still analyzing this proposal. Management are also proposing to cut off use of accrued EIB at the end 2020. We are committed to protecting everyone’s PTO and accrued EIB!

Our next date is November 13. We are working with management for more dates. Watch for further communication from WSNA.

As you may have heard, on Oct. 9, WSNA filed a workplace violence complaint with the Division of Occupational Safety & Health of the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, regarding safety issues at KRMC. As a result of filing that claim, Tammy Garren, GSP, Safety Inspector with the Department of Labor and Industries, started an unannounced visit the following morning (Oct. 10). She is here to investigate the violations WSNA cited in the complaint.

While she is at the hospital, she will be accompanied by Christina Mackey and Nicole Searls. You have a right to request that they leave the room. You are protected by L&I against any retaliation. If you feel intimidated by asking upper management to leave the room, ask your WSNA Local Unit representatives to be present. On-site interviews are during work time. This will not be counted as your lunch or break.

You also have the option of contacting her directly:

Tammy Garren, GSP
D: 509-886-6553
C: 509-222-8804
1-800-292-5920
Fax: 509-886-6510
gatl235@Lni.wa.gov

We had our fourth day of negotiations with management on Oct. 9, 2018. Our entire team contributed to the passionate discussion regarding staffing issues and our staffing proposal at KRMC. We advocated for our bargaining unit regarding staffing concerns and gave management examples of how short-staffed we nurses are.

We notified management that we filed a DOSH (Department of Safety and Health) complaint with L&I over the Hospital’s lack of compliance regarding workplace violence. We are working to assure that safety is a critical issue now!

Management heard your voices, saw the stickers and nurses wearing blue. Management backed off their demand of having part-time nurses pay full premiums, but there are still major benefit issues on the table. Stay tuned.

Management provided us with their economic proposal – their offer is 2% across the board, 2% raises in 2019, 2% in 2020 and 2% in 2021. We believe this is a good start. They have committed to preserving the current steps.

We still have many open proposals and discussion items. Our next dates are Oct. 15 and Nov. 13.

In Unity and Solidarity,

Your Negotiating Team: Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Maryanne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI).

STAT meetings:

• Oct. 10 at 7:30 - 9 p.m. in the Columbia II (3^rd floor Mountain Pavilion) – Meet Tammy Garren from the Department of Labor and Industries. She will be attending the meeting.
• Oct. 11 at 7:30-9 a.m. in the Ringold room (1^st floor near the tower elevators)

• Oct. 15 at 6 p.m. at the Hampton Inn, Bradley Blvd, Richland – Meet and greet with Senator Sharon Brown

Workplace Violence

We began the day with demands that the management take immediate steps to improve the hospital’s security. While we plan to make a comprehensive proposal on safety in negotiations, your team stood tall and asked management to take steps to protect nurse safety now! We demanded (1) increase in security personnel, preferably off-duty police and more guards, (2) immediate posting of large prominent signs announcing to patients and visitors Kadlec’s stated no tolerance policy for physical and verbal abuse by patients and visitors in every unit and patient room and (3) placement of guards on all patients with a history of violence in the hospital. While being non-committal on most issues, the hospital has taken a small first step by placing letter size signs announcing “Zero Tolerance” of all “Aggressive Behavior” at nursing stations.

Last week, management planned a meeting with the police to address workplace violence (“WPV")

We were supposed to meet with management and the police to address immediate security concerns, but management announced that the Officer they work with had been reassigned. Rest assured, this issue is being pursued and we are demanding the meeting on our scheduled session on Oct. 15. WPV must be addressed now!

Healthcare benefits

Management wants the right to force part-time employees to pay their entire health care premium, both for nurses and their dependents. They want a fight! We countered with a strong maintenance of benefits clause to force management to obtain your agreement to any changes to the existing Medical Plan.

Staffing and Staffing Committee

We proposed a comprehensive staffing proposal which adds strength to the new State Staffing law and (1) includes guaranteed safeguards to force management to vote with nurses on staffing issues and (2) requires that staffing be adequate to assure breaks, PTO and nursing safety and health.

Use of PTO for union members on our negotiating team

They have agreed not to force team members to use PTO by allowing them to take the day off unpaid.

Our next session is Oct. 9.

We will be having the following meetings with our members. Please plan to attend one of these meetings:

• Oct. 10 at 7:30 - 9 p.m. in the Columbia II (3^rd floor Mountain Pavilion)
• Oct. 11 at 7:30-9 a.m. in the Ringold room (1^st floor near the tower elevators)

Thank you to all those who showed support by wearing the #EndNurseAbuse stickers and wearing blue in solidarity.

We continue to collect your stories of workplace violence (WPV). We are asking you to take pictures of you/your coworkers wearing the #EndNurseAbuse stickers and holding signs of support and solidarity.

Please send those stories and pictures to WSNA Nurse Representative Carmen Garrison at cgarrison@wsna.org.

We show up, we stand up, we speak up.

In unity and solidarity,

Your WSNA negotiating team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Ryan McCauley (ICU) Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI)

We had a very productive meeting last night

Thank you all who were able to attend. This is a time for us all to be united as one. Our next meetings will be held after our Oct. 9 negotiation date.

Save the dates and plan on attending one of these meetings on Oct. 10 from 7:30-9 p.m. and Oct. 11 from 7:30-9 a.m., location to be determined.

The key moving forward is that we all stand together with one voice.

Please wear blue on Oct. 4 and Oct. 9 to support us, your negotiation team and continue to take pictures of nurses on your unit holding signs of support and unity and send them to cgarrison@wsna.org.

ED assailant charged with assault

The Benton County Prosecutor’s Office has filed charges against the patient who assaulted three nurses, one physician and a security officer on Sept. 9. We applaud the prosecutor for recognizing the seriousness of the incident and the nurses who stepped forward: Jessica Murphy, Karina Bethje and Michael Trunkey.

This is another significant step in our efforts to #EndNurseAbuse now—at Kadlec and across the state and nation.

What takeaways were proposed by management? What progress did we make on workplace safety?

Day two negotiation update:
On the afternoon of our second day, we finally received some of Management’s opening proposals. Proposals are merely management’s wishes; their opening gambit. Your bargaining team is ready for the long fight to come.

Major benefit cuts proposed:
Management is proposing major cuts and premium increases to medical benefits. Late on day two, management finally provided some of their opening proposals, which include:

• Eliminating The Employer’s Payment of 70% of the cost of dependent coverage for part-time employees;
• Tying future medical premium to what a “majority” of employees pay, and raising the premium rate increases for full-time employees from 7% to 15% per year for 2019, and 2020;
• Eliminating the last fully paid employer premium for the Hospital’s core plan in 2020, cutting the Employer contribution to 95%; and
• Reserving the right to impose further cuts and changes during the Agreement.

While management also proposed a parental leave program which they have yet to fully explain, this hardly offsets the proposed cuts. We, your bargaining team will be aggressively forcing management to turn over the detailed data on their Plan, and stand united in opposition to these cuts!

Workplace Violence challenged with demands for change:
Your bargaining team demanded immediate talks on fixing the major security lapses at Kadlec, exemplified by the recent incidents in ED and ICU. Christine Watts, WSNA’s Senior Director of Labor, laid out a powerful argument that Kadlec is falling far short of protecting its nurses. Relying on WSNA survey responses, and the terrible recent incidents, your bargaining team demanded we meet next week to intervene immediately. In addition, your brave nurses who have been recent victims have stepped forth to speak to the media and post to the internet to raise the entire Nation’s awareness of this critical issue.

Contract termination – no reason to worry:
Kadlec’s communication of yesterday appears calculated to make you worry about WSNA’s notice to terminate your current contract on Nov. 11. Do not be concerned. While the termination of the CBA allows WSNA to take more aggressive action to support its demands, and temporarily limits arbitrations, Federal Law guarantees that all your working conditions, wages and other rights will remain intact. In short, you will notice no change at all in your working conditions.

Your bargaining team is fighting hard on what may be a long road to defeat takeaways and achieve your bargaining priorities; we will be strong, smart and strategic. Be patient and we will keep you fully informed.

Upcoming dates of negotiations are Oct. 4, Oct. 9 and Oct. 15. We are currently looking for more dates.

In solidarity,

Your negotiating team:

Jacob Garcia (CDU)
Martha Galvez (Birth Center)
Vanessa Douglas (ICU)
Toni Ledridge (PAS)
Kathy Peot (Resource)
Marianne Sturtevant (OR)
Meri Bukovinsky (CDU)
Joyce McMurphy (NICU)
(Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab)
Joy Barclay (DI)

For any questions, contact WSNA Nurse Representative Carmen Garrison at cgarrison@wsna.org or at 206-575-7979, ext. 3113.

Concerns and questions about your safety and safe staffing?
WSNA Senior Director of Labor Christine Watts, MN, RN and WSNA Occupational and Environmental Health Specialist Karen Bowman, MN, RN, COHN-S will be holding cafeteria time to hear your questions and concerns.

• Wednesday, Sept. 26, 7 – 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Cafeteria

Be in the know. Attend a post negotiations meeting. Get the latest negotiation update and add your voice to the conversation:

• Thursday, Sept. 27, from 5-8 p.m. in Columbia rooms 2 & 3 on the 3rd floor of the Mountain Pavilion.

Wear your buttons and show your union solidarity. Take pictures in your units wearing the buttons and holding signs of support for our team and each other (examples: United for Safety, RNs deserve a fair contract, Protect our Nurses). Email those pictures to WSNA Nurse Representative Carmen Garrison at cgarrison@wsna.org or text to 206-491-9424.

More media coverage of the assault on Ashley Leilani Schade and three nurses in the Emergency Department at Kadlec. Read the Tri-City Herald article

Additional assault charges expected from the Benton County Prosecutor’s Office expected this week related to the attack in the ER earlier this month. Stay tuned for more information.

Hold the date for the Nurses Speak event with legislators and candidates. This event is a unique opportunity for them to hear about the challenges you face on the job every day: October 17, 5-6:30 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel in Kennewick.

Add your voice to our Workplace Violence & Safe Staffing Survey. Just 1 out of every 4 respondents so far say they have enough staff the to handle the workload on their unit. What about your unit?

Since our last communication with you, much has happened around the recent workplace violence incidents at Kadlec.

• Assailant charged – We applaud law enforcement’s response in this case. The Benton County Prosecutor’s Office has filed a Second Degree Assault charge against the assailant in the ICU attack.
• Ashley’s story goes viral - Ashley Schade, our colleague in ICU who was assaulted, has bravely stepped forward to shed light on this urgent issue of workplace violence against nurses. Her Facebook post has garnered more than 46k shares and 14k comments.
• Media coverage – We are glad to see the media attention on this important issue and proud of our union stepping forward to demand change. “Washington state law compels employers to ‘[d]o everything reasonably necessary to protect the life and safety of your employees.’ WSNA is committed to holding hospitals accountable for following the law and protecting nurses, and all other hospital employees, from violence and abuse.”
  • KEPR News Coverage
• Administration response – Kadlec administration has responded to our demand for action letter. We are pleased to hear their intentions to support the nurses impacted and immediate attention to this serious safety issue. We will hold them accountable in working with our nurses on immediate and ongoing solutions to make Kadlec a safe workplace. Read their response.

Here’s what you can do to assist our efforts to make Kadlec a safe workplace for our nurses and our patients:

1. Take the survey – Thanks to the more than 120 nurses who have already taken the survey. If you haven’t please take 7 minutes to add your voice to our Workplace Violence & Safe Staffing survey. Your personal information will be kept confidential.

2. Come share your safety concerns and ask your questions - WSNA Senior Director of Labor Christine Watts and WSNA Occupational and Envirnomental Health Specialist Karen Bowman will be holding cafeteria time on Wednesday, Sept. 26 from 7-9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

3. Be visibly supportive of the issues and each other. Wear WSNA buttons now through our next day of negotiations on Tuesday, Sept. 25. You can get them from Martha Galvez in the birth center.

4. Show your union solidarity. Take pictures in your units wearing the buttons and holding signs of support for our team and each other (examples: United for Safety, RNs deserve a
fair contract, Protect our Nurses). Email those pictures to WSNA Nurse Representative Carmen Garrison at cgarrison@wsna.org or text to 206-491-9424.

5. Stay informed and involved. Together, we can and must make Kadlec a safe place for our nurses, colleagues and patients. Attend a post negotiations meeting on Thursday, Sept. 27, from 5-8 p.m. in the Ringold Room at the hospital to get the latest negotiation update and add your voice to the conversation.

From your local unit officers,

Martha Galvez, Chair
Jacob Garcia, Vice Chair
Vanessa Douglas, Secretary
Joan Guercia, Treasurer
Kathy Peot, Grievance Officer
Toni Ledridge, Grievance Officer
Raquel Johnson, Member-at-Large
Carmen Garrison, WSNA Nurse Rep

Nurses at Kadlec shouldn’t be afraid for our lives when we go to work, yet several nurses were seriously assaulted by the very patients for whom they were caring. The two most recent preventable events in the ED and ICU have brought to light the risk that every nurse takes on a daily basis.

It’s time to take action:

1. We have taken immediate and swift action. A demand for action letter was sent to the CAO and CNO on Tuesday, Sept. 18, insisting they respond to this serious threat to nurses and staff. View the urgent letter here.

2. The recent incidents are not isolated. Many of us have been victims or have witnessed violence in our workplace. Please take a few minutes to fill out our Workplace Violence & Safe Staffing survey. Your personal information will be kept confidential.

3. Together, we can and must make Kadlec a safe place for our nurses, colleagues and patients. Attend a post negotiations meeting on Thursday, Sept. 27, from 5-8 p.m. in the Ringold Room at the hospital.

• Wear WSNA buttons now through our next day of negotiations on Tuesday, Sept. 25.
• Take pictures on your units wearing the buttons and holding signs and send it to WSNA Nurse Representative Carmen Garrison at cgarrison@wsna.org or text to 206-491-9424.

From your local unit officers,

Martha Galvez, Chair
Jacob Garcia, Vice Chair
Vanessa Douglas, Secretary
Joan Guercia, Treasurer
Kathy Peot, Grievance Officer
Toni Ledridge, Grievance Officer
Raquel Johnson, Member-at-Large
Carmen Garrison, WSNA Nurse Rep

We had our first session with management on Sept. 12. We gave the employer our opening proposal. We have not received a response but were told by their chief negotiator that they would have something for us by 9 a.m. on Sept. 25 (our next scheduled date).

We were informed Tuesday, Sept. 11 (one day before our first session) that the employer had retained an outside counsel, other than the attorney with whom we had been communicating.

As a result of this, two of the dates we had confirmed were cancelled by the employer. We have confirmed two other dates, Oct. 4 and Oct. 15. The employer is making it difficult for our team members to get the days off for negotiations, telling them that it’s not management’s responsibility to make the needed schedule changes because our team chose not to use IBB (Interest Based Bargaining). This is a union busting tactic.

We conveyed your interests to management based on communications with you, our entire Bargaining Unit of nurses, through individual conversations and what you submit to us on the Negotiation Survey. The HOT issues we are making proposals are staffing and floating.

What can you do to show support for your WSNA negotiating team?

• Wear your WSNA buttons every day, now through our next date, Sept. 25.
• Get ready for action and keep reading our negotiation updates!

Confirmed dates for Negotiations:

• Sept. 25
• Oct. 4
• Oct. 9
• Oct. 15

Your negotiating team members are: Jacob Garcia (CDU), Martha Galvez (Birth Center), Vanessa Douglas (ICU), Toni Ledridge (PAS), Kathy Peot (Resource), Marianne Sturtevant (OR), Meri Bukovinsky (CDU), Joyce McMurphy (NICU), (Anthony) Tony Jones (Cath Lab) and Joy Barclay (DI).

Let them know you appreciate their commitment to negotiating on your behalf.

If you have any questions, contact any of the negotiation team members or WSNA Nurse Representative Carmen Garrison at cgarrison@wsna.org.

Thank you to all who helped and those who attended our special event honoring the nurses at Kadlec Regional Medical Center.

We had another successful Nurses Week Breakfast. Pictures are available here.

A special thanks to all who made this possible:

Martha Galvez, Kyleaha Collis, Marianne Sturtevant, Ryan Rosenkranz, Nancy Serna, Narda Leeming, Kathy Peot, and Kay Langevin

Come and join us in celebrating nurses, enjoy door prizes, time with coworkers and meet your new WSNA executive team.

When: Tuesday, May 8 from 6 to 10 a.m.

Where: Columbia I-III

Chair: Martha Galvez

Vice Chair: Kimberley Cole-Lowry

Secretary: Vanessa Douglas

Treasurer: Joan Guercia

Grievance officers

• Kathy Peot
• Megan Tanke

Membership at Large officers:

• Raquel Johnson
• Jacob Garcia

Some things to be aware of...

Elections

Elections are in full swing. The ballots were mailed out April 3. Please return them postmarked no later than April 17. Only members in good standing will receive a ballot. If you do not receive a ballot by April 9, please contact your WSNA nurse representative, Carmen Garrison, at cgarrison@wsna.org.

Local unit meeting

Join us in a local unit meeting on April 23 from 5 - 8 p.m. in Chinook 1 & 2. Drop in anytime. We want to hear from you as well as update you on upcoming events such as negotiations.

Nurses Day event

We’ll be having our Nurses Day Recognition Breakfast on May 8 from 6 - 10 a.m. in Columbia 1-3. We need help! Please contact your WSNA nurse representative, Carmen Garrison, at cgarrison@wsna.org if you can help in any way with this event.

Leadership Summit

Registration is now open for the WSNA Leadership Summit on September 8, at the Red Lion in Kennewick. All RNs are encouraged to attend. This is free to all RNs who are WSNA members in good standing. You will receive CNEs (Continuing Nursing Education) credit for attending this event.