We concluded our 4^th bargaining session Thursday, April 1. Management responded to our comprehensive financial proposal with disregard and disrespect. We proposed additional steps that recognize longevity, raises that reflect the cost of living and working in Bellevue, and improvements to charge, float, and call differentials. Management declined to respond to any of our economic proposals, except to offer only flat increases that are out of touch with our real-world expenses.

Their response to our good faith efforts to engage in conversation about staffing, breaks and PTO, and wages was to resubmit their initial substandard proposals. They asserted that the Hospital’s current break plans and staffing levels are not only acceptable, but working great. I don’t know about you, but I don’t know a lot of nurses who get their breaks. Best case scenario is they are ignoring our claims of missed breaks and short staffing; worse case, they are gaslighting us or just don’t care. We are worth more and we won’t stand for less - particularly after this last year of hell where we went unprotected, understaffed and undercompensated for our frontline work. I encourage you all to stay engaged with bargaining and ask your managers why they think we are well staffed and getting our breaks. We will be sending out a short survey soon on staffing and breaks to educate management on the realities of working as an Overlake nurse. Let’s stand together as we keep pushing for a fair contract, we bargain again on April 9.

Please see our video testimonies and bargaining updates on our private Facebook group. Contact Zach Seikel, WSNA Organizer, if you need an invitation to join zseikel@wsna.org, all Overlake Nurses are welcome.

In Solidarity,

Janey Moore-Lane RN

The bargaining team:

Chris Birchem, Sharon Sims, Pauline Whitney-Hille, Gemma Aranda, Cassie Bundick, Kathryn Geren

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Sam Scholl at sscholl@wsna.org.