A huge THANK YOU to all our union nurses who joined us in solidarity at our contract kick-off celebration at Big Barn Brewing in Mead. We passed out our union shirts, negotiation information, and enjoyed each other’s company and families.

Union solidarity refers to the unity and mutual support among members of a labor union, which is critical for collective strength and external pressure as we head into contract bargaining. It empowers our nurses to negotiate better wages, improve their working conditions, and have a voice in their workplace.

Get Involved TODAY

Are you ready to get involved with our union? Nurses can make a difference by just educating themselves on how to be an advocate. Advocacy can look like knowing your contract, so you know when it’s being violated. It can look like helping a new nurse find their contract or union website. Advocacy may be supporting a colleague while they sit with HR. Whatever you want to do- we have a training for you. Sign up for our one-hour training and see where you fit in with our union at Sacred Heart!

Meet Your Bargaining Team 

Each newsletter, we highlight nurses who make up our contract bargaining team. Last week we featured Clint Wallace (2S), Jen Haines (NICU), and Julie Walters (Peds Surg.). See more team members below!

Tim Eckel 2S

I have been a nurse for 16 years, serving primarily in the Army Nurse Corps before transitioning to the civilian sector, where I’ve spent the last four years working on 2S ICU. Outside of work, I’m a proud parent of four children, one of whom has followed in my footsteps and is now a nurse at Sacred Heart Medical Center. I enjoy playing golf and even find peace in the never-ending task of keeping up with my yard. As a nurse, I believe wholeheartedly in the strength and integrity of our profession. While nursing is incredibly rewarding, it can also be demanding and challenging. I’m committed to standing up for what is right and fair ensuring the best possible outcomes for our patients and advocating for the respect and compensation nurses deserve for giving so much of themselves every day.

Teresa Patterson, Wound/Ostomy

I have been proud to call SHMC my work home for my 33-year nursing career. I began on 7N as a baby nurse and spent a decade and a half learning and caring alongside dedicated nurses. Sacred Heart provided me an opportunity to move in to the specialty of Wound and Ostomy care where I have expanded my witness of hardworking nurses throughout the facility. From psych to ED to OR to PICU to med surg I see nurses pursue their passion to care for people under challenging conditions. It is with this unique lens that I intend to fight for a safe and healthy work environment in which we can thrive as we care for our community.

Trisha Thorman, 3S

I’ve been a pediatric nurse since 2011 and at Sacred Heart since 2012. My home unit is 3S Pediatric Med-Surg, but being a supplemental RN I pick up often on the other women & children’s units. I’m a firefighter wife, dog mom, and avid outdoor adventurer & traveler. Together with my husband we have been to the highest point in all 50 states. When I’m not at work you might find me utilizing any number of outdoor adventure mediums—hiking boots, rock climbing shoes, mountaineering boots with crampons, mountain bike, snowboard/splitboard, cross country skis, rock climbing shoes, hiking boots, mountaineering boots with crampons, paddleboard, or canoe. I joined the bargaining committee to be a voice for supplemental nurses who work hard, but sometimes feel we have “taxation without representation” or at times, equitable compensation. I also joined on behalf of the Pediatric units.

Staffing Committee Update

Did you know that our hospital staffing committee members have spent nearly 20 hours in multiple meetings throughout October working on the 2026 staffing plans? These dedicated nurses and CNAs meet monthly with members of management to addressing staffing complaints, review hospital data, and evaluate staffing plans. Did you know that if your unit wants to change any part of their staffing plan, it has to be presented to the Staffing Committee?

Read article 9.16 of our union contract to learn more!

If you see one of these members, give them a shout out and thank you for all their work on your behalf to hold management accountable to safe staffing.

It's time to start!

We are starting our contract bargaining process with management! We have secured our first 3 dates for bargaining; November 20, 25, and December 3.

Please ensure your personal email is up to date so you receive all of our communications!

Questions? Contact your officers or WSNA Nurse Representative Alle Machorro at amachorro@wsna.org