On June 3, 2025, your WSNA bargaining team met with UWMC Management. Both teams agreed to some low-stakes language changes in a handful of articles. More substantively, the Employer has agreed to our language on paid donning and doffing time for those who must wear hospital-provided scrubs to work, which has been inserted into the contract!

Highlights from Tuesday: 

Time Clock Rounding

As we move away from time clock rounding, which will be implemented on November 24, 2025, we discussed the need for grace periods for staff clocking in for work. Questions around grace periods for groups attempting to all clock in right at the start of the shift were discussed. Management informed us that there will be a Kronos app available for staff to use on their devices.

Break Relief

Management is not in agreement with our proposed break shift MOU, which would allow a nurse, before being placed on Low Census, to be offered a 4-hour break relief shift at straight time. This would enable the staff members to already be on site at the end of the 4-hour low-census window, while also providing much-needed break relief to staff. Management sighted that this would cause them to go above the Matrix, and thus not be a “budget-neutral” option. We are working on getting QR codes linked with ADO forms when nurses are required to take a buddy break. This is out of the matrix and can be reported. The same is true when a CNA is pulled from the matrix to act as a patient sitter.

Low Census

Your bargaining team also proposed a change to the Low Census language, so that if a nurse is placed on a 4-hour low census, before being placed on an additional 4-hour low census, they are offered standby instead. We are still pushing for a single 4-hour instance of low census and then the nurse reports to work or is excused, as we try to ensure that our coworkers on the floor are not short-staffed due to short-sightedness.

Education Funds 

The employer showed positive movement in response to some of our initial proposals; increasing annual education funds to $350 from $250 (and increased the annual max up to $600 per RN in the spring with remaining unused funds) These funds are prorated based on FTE.

Sick Time 

The employer has agreed to language changes around sick time off use and will now include the words “mental or physical” illness. Mental health is something that we all feel is important and relevant. The employer has also presented, and we agreed to extend the number of bereavement days from three (3) to five (5). This is to coincide with a wider UW policy change.

Compensatory Time

The employer also proposed adding compensatory time to the NW CBA, it’s currently at ML and we have agreed. This will allows nurses to “bank” up to 40-hours worked in addition to their FTE at the rate it was accrued.

Rest Between Shifts

The employer declined our proposal to extend the RBS premium from eight (8) hours to the full length of the shift (12 hours). The employer again has opted to propose striking the double time article, which allows a person who works 4-hours over their regularly scheduled shift (total of 16 hours) to request their next shift off, or receive pay at the RBS rate for the entirety of their next scheduled shift in 24 hours. We have agreed to extend the time between shift rotations from 24 hours to 48 hours, with a limit of 1 rotation per 28 day schedule.

We cannot do this without you! We are calling on you to take action to secure a strong contract! 

Sign the Petition

It is critical that you sign the petition if you have not yet. Ask any bargaining team member for a petition or print a copy here! You can send petition signatures to WSNA Organizer Zach at zseikel@wsna.org or 206-406-7203. Our team is presenting the petition to management on the June 17 session.

Share the Bargaining Updates

We have a couple scheduled sessions left until your contract expires. Keep your co-workers in the loop, read the email updates and share them on your unit. You can find our socials here. Don’t get WSNA emails updates? Follow this guide to whitelist newsletter@wsna.org.

Wear your “I Support my Bargaining Team” Button

It is crucial that management sees every nurse wearing one to show we are united in solidarity for a strong contract. Need a button? Email your negotiation team at wsna.uwnorthwest@gmail.com

Union Coffee Hours Next Week

Your bargaining team will be hosting coffee hours throughout the week of June 9. Details will come soon via text, stay tuned for exact dates and times.

Negotiation Dates:

April 8**
April 14 NW Team
April 17 NW Team
April 23** at UW Gateway Building
April 25** Virtual at NW Campus
May 8 Montlake Team
May 12**
May 15**
May 22**
May 27 Montlake Team
June 3**
June 17
June 18
June 20

You can contact WSNA Northwest Nurse Representative Stephenie Troftgruben at stroftgruben@wsna.org.