Memorial Day weekend is supposed to be about solemnly honoring the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, spending time with family, and welcoming the start of summer. It is not supposed to be about nurses anxiously watching staffing texts showing we are seven, eight, or nine nurses short every single shift. It is not supposed to be worrying about how our patients, their families, and our coworkers are going to make it through another extremely understaffed weekend.

It did not take a doctorate in nursing administration to predict this crisis. Memorial Day weekend staffing concerns were entirely foreseeable, yet MultiCare management continues to refuse to meaningfully increase incentive pay to bring nurses in. That decision rests squarely on management, and the consequences are being felt at the bedside. Shame on them.

WSNA continues to push MultiCare to use every tool available to provide relief for NICU nurses who are stretched beyond their limits. We are actively pursuing multiple avenues to hold the employer accountable for staffing plan violations, unsafe staffing practices, and failures to meet their contractual obligations.

Keep reading below for updates on upcoming Union meetings, grievance activity, and local unit officer nominations.

Virtual Union Meetings, 5/26 at 0800 and 2000

We will be holding virtual Union meetings on Tuesday, May 26, with both a morning and evening session available. This is your opportunity to speak directly with your Union leadership about the challenges you are facing and help strengthen our efforts to hold MultiCare accountable for this staffing crisis.

We will also review how to properly complete an ADO in the format the Department of Health needs to evaluate staffing plan compliance.

Meeting Details

Morning Session
5/26, 0800-0900
Morning Meeting Link

Evening Session
5/26, 2000-2100
Evening Meeting Link

Grievance Updates

This week we held two grievance meetings.

On Monday, we heard the Step 3 grievance regarding the employer’s failure to properly pay the DELs RN premium. Management stated the premium payments would begin this week. However, WSNA maintains that nurses are entitled to back pay dating to 2/8/2026. Several nurses attended the meeting and directly told management that the delay felt like a slap in the face, especially amid the current staffing crisis.

On Tuesday, we heard a Step 2 grievance regarding the employer’s refusal to allow Union access to the break room. We made it clear to Lori that current staffing conditions are so severe many nurses do not have time to leave the floor, even briefly, to visit the Family Education Room. We demanded the employer stop unreasonably denying Union access to the break room.

Responses for both grievances are due within two weeks of the hearing dates.

Easter Holiday Direct Dealing

Over Easter, management attempted to make side deals with nurses by offering to count picked-up Easter shifts toward holiday requirements. Similar attempts have been made in the past around Halloween and the Taylor Swift concert. Each time, WSNA has made clear that this type of conduct constitutes direct dealing and is unacceptable. It is also inherently unfair to nurses who were already scheduled to work those holidays.

According to HR no nurses accepted the Easter proposal, and the employer has agreed to discontinue the practice. However, we are continuing to explore escalation options, including the potential filing of an unfair labor practice charge.

Please remember that management cannot alter contractual terms or make side agreements with nurses outside of the Union. If you believe the employer may be engaging in direct dealing, contact Nurse Rep Jared at JRichardson@WSNA.org.

Officer Nominations Continue Through 6/5

Local unit officer nominations remain open through June 5. Any member in good standing may nominate another nurse or self-nominate for a position.

Serving as a local unit officer is one of the most impactful ways to shape the future of WSNA at Mary Bridge and strengthen our collective power moving forward.

Nominate a nurse for local unit office today by following the link below.

If you have questions, please contact Nurse Representative Jared Richardson at JRichardson@WSNA.org.