Our WSNA bargaining team has reached a tentative agreement!

What does this mean? After 6 sessions of bargaining including presenting information and passing proposals between our union and the Employer, both parties have agreed to mutually acceptable language on many articles in our contract. These accepted proposals and new language agreed to all make up our tentative agreement which is a full body contract with all the language changes.

What did we gain?

Our nurses at Pullman should be extremely proud of the work done by our bargaining in achieving significant improvements to our wages, hours and working conditions, including the following.

• 9% wage increase in Year 1, 3.5% in Year 2, and 3% in Year 3
• $500 ratification bonus, prorated by FTE. Supplementals are credited as 0.2 FTE
• Elimination of the requirement that nurses work at least 1,040 hours in order to get a step increase.  Now nurses will advance to the next step on their anniversary date.
• Increases to many premiums and differentials
  • Charge RN $2.25 à $3.50
  • Evening shift $2.75 à $3.00
  • Night shift $4.00 à $4.50
  • Preceptor $1.50 à$2.00
  • Weekend $3.25 à $3.75
  • Weekday Standby $3.75 à $4.25
  • Weekend Standby $4.50 à $5.00
  • Floating (when providing primary care for a patient) $2.50 à $3.50
• NEW Tasking Premium: $2.50 per hour for all time performing specific task away from your unit and not providing primary care of a patient
• NEW Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner language and premium compensation- $250 for nurses who perform SANE exams in addition to all other pay
• Elimination of mandatory low census
• Part-time nurses now accrue annual leave when they are out sick or on vacation, just like full-time nurses.
• Increased annual leave carryover from 80 hours to 120 hours
• Increase in supplemental premium from 14% to 15% with a modest increase in minimum hours of work (156 hours vs. the current 96 hours per year).

What other changes should I know about?

• Employee 20% Discount

We all know that in January, the Employer discontinued the 20% discount for care at PRH because it was not compliant with IRS regulations. We filed a grievance under the contract and an Unfair Labor Practice with the Public Employee Relations Committee (PERC),which oversees certain disputes between unions and public employers  The problem with the 20% discount was that it was being applied to charges before the nurse met their deductible, which is not allowed for high deductible plans such as the ones offered by Pullman.

Our team tried multiple strategies to either obtain the original discount back or find a comparable solution. We proposed doubling the HSA contributions, but the Employer was not agreeable to that. We also recognize that such a solution would not have benefitted those nurses who do not have medical insurance through Pullman.   In the end, we achieved a three-pronged solution to the issue.  First, we pressed for significant wage increases for everyone to offset the elimination of the 20% discount.  Second, Pullman will cover 100% of all care through PRH once a nurse has met their deductible. Third, PRH must meet and confer with WSNA at least 60 days before the implementation of any changes to the health care plan.  As a result of these measures, the grievance and ULP have been resolved.

• Tasking vs Floating 

In our Floating MOU at the back of our contract there is new language clearly defining what is tasking and what is floating. We recommend our nurses read this, familiarize yourself with it, and always seek clarity if you’re unsure what you’re being floated to do. In short, floating is assuming primary care of a patient.  Tasking is performing specific tasks and not assuming primary care of a patient.  The increased premium for floating is designed to incentivize nurses to be willing to assume primary care of a patient.

• Meal and Rest Periods 

Under WA L&I break standards, 12-hour nurses are entitled to 2, 30-minute unpaid meal periods. Changes in recent laws allow nurses to waive that second meal period so they don’t have to work 13 hours. In publicly owned facilities, we can agree to conditions of meal waivers for nurses permitted by law. There will be new language in our contract that as the standard, waives the second meal period for nurses HOWEVER- there will be language that permits the nurse to opt-in for a second meal period should they choose that.

• Voluntary PAC Contribution 

There will be new language in our contract that allows nurses who voluntarily opt for our political action committee, to have those deductions come from their paycheck. We want to be clear- this language is only for nurses who voluntarily contribute to this committee. Member dues that our nurses pay in Pullman DO NOT go to political campaigns, this is an opt-in system nurses must actively enroll into outside of member dues. 

What happens next?

Our attorneys are working diligently to finalize the agreement for our nurses to review prior to holding a ratification vote. Ratification is the process by which nurses vote YES for their contract to become live. We will send out another update with voting details but here is what you need to know at a minimum.

• Nurses MUST be a member in good standing to vote. This means you must have a membership application on file and be paying your member dues. If you’re unclear of your membership status- text your WSNA Nurse Rep Alle 206-707-2048
• Nurses can join and vote on the same day. We recommend you turn in your application before, but it can be arranged on the same day. Nurses interested in joining can sign up here and it’s a great way to say THANK YOU to the nurses working on your behalf to secure you these wins!
• If you are currently a member, you need to make sure you have an accurate email on file. Please take a moment and submit your most current personal email address here.

Questions about the agreement? Want to join so you can vote on your contract? Contact Alle Machorro WSNA Nurse Representative at amachorro@wsna.org or 206-707-2048.