Your WSNA negotiating team met with Kadlec management on Monday, December 15, and Tuesday, December 16, for the 13th and 14th days of bargaining.

During these sessions, a federal mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) joined the parties to help facilitate more productive communication between the Union and management. Over the two days, we engaged in focused, substantive discussions on two of our top priority proposals: Break Relief RNs and Safety.

As a result of those discussions, WSNA presented revised proposals on the second day of bargaining. These proposals were refined and strengthened based on the dialogue at the table, while remaining firmly grounded in the needs and concerns raised by Kadlec nurses. We anticipate receiving management’s response to these proposals at our next negotiation session in January.

⚠️ Nurses Priority Issues

1. Breaks and Break Relief

• Ensuring nurses will have full, uninterrupted meal and rest breaks remains one of WSNA’s highest priorities at the bargaining table. Prior to the involvement of a mediator, management refused to engage in any meaningful discussion about break relief and repeatedly rejected proposals to add Break Relief RNs. Instead, management insisted on a nine-month review process that would continue to “study” missed breaks, with no commitment to real remedies only the possibility of future recommendations. WSNA has been clear that continued investigation without action does not solve the problem of missed breaks, and we will continue pressing for solutions that actually allow breaks to occur, not just more review.

🕒 Break Relief RN Proposal – What This Means for Nurses

• WSNA has advanced a data-driven Break Relief RN proposal that creates real, enforceable break coverage not buddy systems. Under this proposal, a Break Relief Nurse is a dedicated RN with no patient assignment whose sole role is to fully assume a nurse’s assignment so uninterrupted rest and meal breaks can actually occur.
• If a unit’s break compliance falls below 85%, a Break Relief RN pilot is triggered, requiring the hospital to schedule one Break Relief RN per unit per shift within 30 days. These pilots run 6–12 months and are closely tracked by the Hospital Staffing Committee. If breaks improve, the position becomes permanent; if they don’t, the proposal requires additional staffing solutions, not excuses. The Emergency Department and ICU would begin pilots immediately upon ratification, with a clear pathway for other units to follow.

2. Safety and Workplace Violence 

• WSNA has proposed proactive security measures, including a weapons detection system at key entrances and a consistent, increased security presence, especially in high-risk areas like the Emergency Department. While management has agreed to strengthened Workplace Violence Committee language, they have rejected security enhancements as “extreme and unreasonable.” We strongly disagree. Our position is clear: security measures that prevent violence before it happens are not extreme they are necessary. Current actions by management are largely reactionary, and we continue to push for real, enforceable protections that keep nurses, patients, and visitors safe.

🚨 Safety and Security Proposal – Update

• Our revised safety proposal reinforces a shared commitment to a safe and secure care environment by requiring a consistent security presence in the Emergency Department, including during all hours the ED is open, and clear “No Firearms or Weapons Allowed” signage at all public entrances.
• The proposal also establishes a Weapon Detection pilot program, requiring installation and staffing of a weapons detection system in the Emergency Department and Main Entrance within six months of contract ratification. To ensure transparency and accountability, the proposal requires monthly reporting on weapons and contraband detected, shared directly with the Workplace Violence Subcommittee. At the end of the pilot timeframe, management must make a data-driven decision based on objective workplace violence data on whether to continue or end the weapons detection system and provide a written explanation to the Union.

3. Wages, Economics and Benefits

• Current WSNA wage proposal is: 10% at ratification, 6.25% in the second year. 5.25% in the third year.
• Wages remain a top priority, but progress has been limited. WSNA has made it clear that nurses need meaningful across-the-board increases that keep pace with inflation and cost of living, along with fair and transparent grade progression so experience and years of service are properly recognized. Unfortunately, meaningful bargaining on wages has been virtually nonexistent. Management has repeatedly cited changing cost figures to reject fair grade progression, then turned around and used those same costs to justify limiting overall wage increases. This contradictory approach has stalled progress and fails to address the real financial pressures nurses are facing.

💰 Wage Advancement Update

• The proposal regarding annual wage advancement was not discussed and no changes were presented during these bargaining sessions. However, annual wage advancement remains a key component of WSNA’s overall wage proposal. Our negotiating team remains committed to advancing this issue and anticipates shifting greater focus to wage proposals once progress is made on our priority issues of break relief and safety.

📣 Upcoming Action – Mark Your Calendar

WSNA is planning a critical bargaining unit action on January 26, 2026, from 8–10 a.m. at the Richland Public Library. This date is intentional and important.

If we make sufficient progress at the bargaining table, this gathering will serve as a contract vote. If progress remains limited, the event will move forward as an Informational Picket to publicly educate our community about the issues Kadlec nurses are fighting for safe staffing, real break relief, workplace safety, and fair wages.

Either way, this action matters. Management is watching participation closely, and the level of nurse engagement on January 26 will be a deciding factor in the direction negotiations take from that point forward. Strong turnout strengthens our leverage; low participation weakens it.

We are asking every bargaining unit member to plan now to attend and be involved, regardless of the format. Your presence sends a clear message about how serious nurses are about winning a contract that protects both caregivers and patients.

❓ What Is an Informational Picket?

An informational picket is a lawful, peaceful action where nurses gather outside of work hours to inform the public and community about issues affecting patient care, nurse safety, and working conditions. It is not a strike and nurses continue to work their scheduled shifts but it is a powerful way to make our concerns visible and to show that Kadlec nurses are united and engaged in the fight for a fair contract. By standing together, holding signs, and speaking with the public, nurses send a clear message that these issues matter and that meaningful solutions are needed at the bargaining table.

Call to Action

• 💙 Show Solidarity Every Wednesday! Wear your blue WSNA T-shirts every Wednesday to show management that you stand behind the negotiating team.  (If you need a blue T-shirt reach out to WSNA Organizer Ryan Rosenkranz (rrosenkranz@wsna.org)
• 💪 Join the Contract Action Team (CAT)! at a future negotiation session. Contact any member of the negotiation team or the Nurse Representative to be added to the list.

What CAT Members Do:

          ✅Share updates about negotiations and upcoming actions
          ✅ Listen to coworkers’ concerns and relay feedback to the bargaining team
          ✅ Mobilize participation wear stickers, sign petitions, & show solidarity
          ✅ Help plan and participate in rallies, surveys, and visibility events

• Stay Informed and Share Accurate Information
  Read bargaining updates carefully and help correct misinformation on units. Management’s contradictory messaging thrives when nurses aren’t up to date.
• Attend Local Unit Meetings and Bargaining Actions
  Your presence matters. Turnout directly impacts leverage especially when wages are stalled at the table.
• Be Prepared for Escalation
  Wage progress often comes only when management feels pressure. Staying engaged now ensures we are ready for next steps if needed, including informational pickets or a strike vote.

 Staying Informed

• Stay informed - Read all WSNA communications and status updates from the Employer
• Engage and Participate – Watch for important updates on how to support your bargaining team and fight for a fair contract
• Let your bargaining team know if you wish to be an observer during negotiations.
• Upcoming dates: Bargaining will resume in January
• Follow on social media platforms:
  • Facebook: www.facebook.com/kadlecrns
  • Instagram: @wsna_kadlec
• Make sure you check out your WSNA webpage: Kadlec Regional Medical Center - WSNA

In solidarity, Your WSNA Bargaining Team

Meri Bukovisnky- CDU, WSNA Chair
Crystal Rivera- ED, Member at Large
Milari Romero- ICU, Member at Large
Franklin Alvarez- 7RP
Andrew Blake- Cath Lab
Kelsi Duncan- NICU
Deborah Langston- PACU, Grievance officer
Anita Dennis- PACU, Grievance officer
Jamie White- 9RP, Secretary/Treasurer