December 3 marked bargaining successes and recognition request

It was an exciting day for 35 clinic nurses who formally requested voluntary recognition to WSNA as their exclusive bargaining representative! This proposal was made by Clinic Nurse Representative Aime Hale. Voluntary recognition bypasses the need for a formal union election, directly leading to the inclusion of the 35 clinic nurses under WSNA representation.

Additionally, and in solidarity with Clinic RNs, bargaining unit Co-Chair Donna McCune proposed a change to the contract’s existing definition of covered employees. Though the contract already covers several groups of nurses who work off campus and in clinic settings, including 4^th Trimester Clinic, Urgent Care Center in Cle Elum, Wound Care, Informatics, and Home Health/Hospice, its definition of covered employees only refers to nurses who work at the hospital. Our proposal updated that language to reflect what both nurses and management have known for years: our work as nurses at KVH isn’t limited to the four walls of the hospital, and caring for our community happens in all kinds of contexts.

On the bargaining front, your bargaining team was able to secure several TAs (Tentative Agreements) as we move forward in a complete contract for the nurses at Kittitas Valley Healthcare.

Work on Day Off

Nurses who work at least a .9 FTE and work an innovative schedule, and those part-time nurses working eighty (80) hours per two-week period, called in on their day off shall be paid at DOUBLE (2x) time for additional hours worked. Regularly scheduled nurses working less than .9 FTE who are called in on their day off shall be paid at time-and -one-half (1 ½) for their hours worked. (That’s right – everyone working part-time will qualify for 1 1/2x rates regardless of their FTE. That’s a huge win for nurses who only qualify for a stipend under the current contract’s language.)

Nurses must work their regularly scheduled shifts during the same work week to qualify, for this premium, but the use of pre- scheduled PTO, protected leave, voluntary low census and pre-approved education hours will count as hours worked under this language.

Any nurse called in on their day off under either of the provisions will receive a minimum of three (3) hours pay at the premium rate.

Per Diem Nurses

After much discussion with management, we agreed to add reasonable minimum work requirements for per diem nurses in our bargaining unit. Starting in January, per diem nurses must work at least forty-eight (48) hours on a rolling three scheduling period basis to retain their status as a per diem employee. For per diems whose units are open over the weekends, those 48 hours must include at least  two weekend shifts. Shifts worked on scheduled call and all low census hours will count toward a nurse’s hours minimum requirement.

We think these standards will make it easier to keep our hospital and clinics fully staffed across the scheduling period without overly burdening per diems by asking them to fill every gap in the schedule.

Education/Professional Leave

Nurses can already receive reimbursement for up to $500 in education expenses each year.

Starting next year, an additional $20,000 will be provided to the Nursing Excellence Committee to distribute for educational purposes as it sees fit. That means nurses will have more access to education opportunities every year moving forward.

Premium Pay increases

Though we’re still negotiating over other aspects of our economic proposal, we’ve reached agreements with management on a handful of increases to premium pay: 

Charge Nurse: Increased to $3.50 per hour

Preceptor Pay: Increased to $2.00 per hour

Stand By:  Increased to $ 5.00 per hour (Holiday will remain at $5.50 per hour)

Degree Premium: BSN- Increased to $2.00 per hour

Next Bargaining Days

The Teams will meet on Tuesday, December 9 and Friday, December 12.  Wear your WSNA T-Shirts, blue scrubs and buttons. If you want to join as an observer at the bargaining table, contact Laurie Robinson or an Officer!

In Solidarity,
Kara Henderson, ED, Chair
Donna McCune, FBP, Co-Chair
Hanni Johnson, ED, Secretary
Erik Berkas, ED, Treasurer
Anji Bryant, Pre-OP, Grievance Officer
Jordan Simon, ED, Membership Officer

Questions/Concernes Contact Laurie Robinson, Nurse Representative, 206-620-4136,  lrobinson@wsna.org.

For more information on how you can get involved contact Jenny Galassi, Nurse Organizer, 206-707-2948, jgalassi@wsna.org.

WSNA Membership

If you are not a WSNA member please consider completing a membership application today! Just click on the link!

https://wsnaonlineapplicationportalwsnaprod.powerappsportals.com/

YOU ARE WSNA

FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM

We have opened a private FB group and Instagram to provide rapid information, answer questions and to connect with other WSNA Bargaining units.

Please join today!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/wsnakvh/

WSNA AT KITTITAS VALLEY HEALTHCARE (@wsna_kvh) • Instagram photos and videos