Yesterday, 1/12/2026, Mary Bridge NICU nurses showed management exactly who we are.

Dozens of RNs marched on the boss with one clear message: we are united, we are serious, and we are not backing down. When nurses move together, management has no choice but to listen.

Why We Marched

Our march had three clear demands, and we made them unmistakable.

Fair, competitive wages
We are demanding wages that recruit and retain nurses at Mary Bridge, not wages that push experienced nurses out the door to St. Joe’s. Our work has value, and our pay must reflect it.

End CANMs acting as charge nurses.
The practice of Clinical Assistant Nurse Managers working in the charge role must stop. Charge nurses are union nurses, period. This role belongs at the bedside, not in management.

Bring back our ratios and staffing plans.
Our nurse to patient ratios are non-negotiable. We will not give them up, and we reject the false choice that pits ratios against protections for staffing plans in the Hospital Staffing Committee. We demand both.

What We Delivered to Management

We did not just speak. We acted.

• A ten-day notice for an informational picket on 1/23/2026

These steps escalate our campaign and increase pressure. We will continue moving forward until we secure a fair contract.

Get Ready: Picket Sign–Making Party

Before we hit the streets, we are coming together to get ready.

Join your fellow MB and TG nurses for a picket sign–making party at 7 Seas Brewery where we will build the visuals that carry our message to management and the community.

Dates:

1/15/2026 and 1/19/2026

Time:

1400-1700 both days

Location:
 2101 Jefferson Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402

Supplies will be available. Bring your ideas, your creativity, and your coworkers. Kids are welcome as well. This is another opportunity to show up, connect, and build our collective power. You may purchase your own alcohol and food if you would like.

On 1/23, We March on the Streets Together

Management has been formally notified. On Friday, January 23, we will hold an informational picket outside the hospital at MLK Jr. Way and 5th Street.

Picket schedule:

• Morning session: 0600–0900
• Afternoon session: 1200–1400
• Rally: 1300

This picket sends a clear message to management and to the Tacoma community: MB nurses are united, and we are not going away until we win the contract we deserve.

What’s Next

We have bargaining sessions scheduled for 1/14 and 1/22. We hope the pressure of hundreds of nurses preparing to picket moves management to do the right thing.

Hope does not mean hesitation.

We do not blink.
We do not bluff.
We are ready to march together.

Due to space restrictions we will not be having observers on 1/14

If you are interested in observing negotiations in person on 1/22, contact Jared or Sam at:
  jrichardson@wsna.org
  sscholl@wsna.org

What Is an Informational Picket?

An informational picket is not a strike.

Nurses who are scheduled to work must report to work unless sick or otherwise unable. This picket is about visibility, solidarity, and power.

It is our opportunity to stand together and show management and the community what a united nursing workforce looks like.

Bring your family, your friends, your well-behaved pets, and your energy. There will be snacks, coffee, chants, and solidarity. We know what TG can be, and we are ready to show the world.

Want to Know More?

Join us tomorrow, 1/14/26, at 2000 for Rosie’s Roundup to hear all about the picket, negotiations, and ask whatever questions you might have. You can join by following the link below.

Final Word: Solidarity Wins Contracts

Unions do not win contracts by hoping management does the right thing. We win by showing up, by standing together, and by making our collective strength impossible to ignore.

Every nurse who marches, every nurse who pickets, every nurse who speaks with one voice makes us stronger. When we act in solidarity, we protect our patients, our profession, and each other.

This is our hospital.
This is our contract.
And together, we will win.

In solidarity,
Your bargaining team
Crystal Anderson
Randi Neff
Michele Christianson
Rosie Robertson
Erin Pearson
Cameron Warriner

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jared Richardson, jrichardson@wsna.org.