Hey team,

Day 1 of MB NICU bargaining is done! 🎊Thank you everyone that showed your support by wearing your WSNA shirts and stickers at work. Today was spent passing a near-comprehensive proposal covering roughly 90% of what we plan to bring to the table this cycle. As expected we did not receive any proposals from MB at this time but are looking forward to their thoughtful responses next Tuesday 10/28. A few of the major topics we are fighting for include:

• Stronger new employee orientation language to ensure every nurse understands their rights and union protections.
• Language to protect us from mandatorily being floated
• Education premiums (BSN, MSN, PhD) included in the definition of “regular rate of pay” so as to be included in OT calculations.
• Expanded definition of family members eligible for bereavement leave and EIT time.
• An end to policies preventing nurses from clocking back in early from meal and rest breaks.
• Automatic removal of discipline from personnel files after one year.
• Increased severance pay.
• Stronger meal and rest break protections.
• 1:1 credit for LPN experience, regardless of where that experience was earned.
• A new premium for the Delivery RN role
• Addition of Juneteenth as a paid holiday.
• Increased education funds to $750 prorated.
• Creation of a Racial Justice Committee.
• Expansion of “Baylor” 24-hour shift positions, with significantly improved pay and PTO structures.
• Clarification that incentive pay is not considered pyramiding.

And that is just the beginning.

We intentionally held back major economic proposals, including wages, to focus on passing strong contract language first. By doing so, management now has a mountain of proposals to respond to, and we can turn our attention to a powerful economic package that reflects the value and expertise MB NICU nurses bring to this hospital. Please join us 10/29 @ 2000 for our very first session of “Rosie’s Round Up” (a Microsoft Teams meeting where we will have candid conversations with you about everything bargaining). Hope to see you all there!

With love,

Your NICU Bargaining Team