We met on Wednesday, Oct. 25 for our third session. Management came to the table with their wage proposal, which included a 2% cost of living increase OR a limited step adjustment in the first year, with 2% in years 2 and 3 (2024 and 2025) with no option of a true-up. They are proposing a new wage scale that would eliminate all steps above step 13. After that, there would be no further annual wage increases. This means management would not be giving cost-of-living salary increases to nurses who were already earning the maximum salary associated with step 13. Management's offer would also continue to allow newly hired nurses to get paid more than nurses who have dedicated years of experience  to Kindred.

This proposal is extremely disappointing and only serves to put Kindred nurses even further behind the area market.

We now have a petition demanding better wages. You are worth more!!!  Please sign the petition. We want to send management a clear and loud message that you deserve competitive and fair compensation for the work you perform.

What can you do to support your team and advocate for a fair contract?

• Join us for bargaining, next session Monday, Oct 30 at 12 p.m. Contact Sam via text or phone call for details: 425-606-7036.
• Sign and circulate the petition demanding fair wages launching. Take picture with pen in hand and send those to Sam too - 425-606-7036
• Sticker up and file an ADO, tell them in writing when your unit is not safely staffed. Please fill out an ADO every time you don’t have the staffing you need, you miss breaks or meals, etc. Here is the link to the online ADO form and more information about ADOs.  https://www.wsna.org/union/ado
• Attend or join Staffing Committee to help ensure bad, unsafe staffing plans don’t get adopted. Members of the committee must be relieved from work, and it is paid time. Please contact Sam via the number above or your Nurse Representative Sara Frey for more information or if you are turned away when trying to attend a meeting. sfrey@wsna.org

Your bargaining team - Mary Onyango, Shonsherryer Holland and Thandi Bilik