As we have walked through our Q+A sessions with our members, some have asked for us to share our examples related to the healthcare premiums and provide further detail. We are happy to expand where we can. Here are some answers to some questions that were raised during our Q+A sessions on Thursday March 26, 2026.

Nurses can view the FULL contract with all the changes noted in red on our local union homepage now! 

Wages/Compensation

BSN/MSN and Certifications- 

• A NEW BSN premium will go into effect the first full pay period following October 1, 2026. Nurses will be responsible for uploading verification of their education to receive $1.25/ hour.
• MSN/ DNP or equivalent premium increased to $1.75/ hour will go into effect the first full pay period following October 1, 2026.
• Nurses will be permitted to stack one education premium with one certification premium for a max premium of $2/ hour. This will begin the first full pay period following October 1, 2026.

When do the premiums in Article 7 go into effect? 

Except for the new BSN and Wound/Ostomy premium, all article 7 premiums will be effective the second full pay period after ratification which should be April 19, 2026. Nurses should see these reflected on their paychecks on May 8, 2026. These dates are contingent upon our contract ratifying April 4, 2026.

When do the Article 6 across the board raises go into effect?

Our 5% adjustment should be effective in the third full pay period following ratification which would be May 3, 2026. Nurses should see these reflected on their paychecks May 22, 2026. These dates are contingent upon our contract ratifying April 4, 2026.

Who qualifies for the ratification bonus and when will we receive it?

Nurses hired as of March 18, 2026, qualify to receive the ratification bonus of $1,250.00 in the second pay period following ratification.

Break Relief Program 

How will units be chosen for participation? 

While we don’t know for sure, we largely suspect that the data being reported for missed meals and rest period will drive which units are chosen for the pilot. Nurses need to accurately record their timekeeping when they do not receive their meal and rest periods.

If management asks to speak with you about time management and you reasonably believe that what you say could be used for discipline, you have the right to say “I’m sorry but I believe this conversation could lead to discipline and I request my union rep be present for me to answer question”. Nurses only have to say this maybe once or twice before management gets the picture.

What does it mean for the program to be eliminated?

Management was very clear at the negotiation table that elimination of the break relief program could mean permanently adopting it. The good news in our language is that the Medical Center does not have unilateral authority to terminate the program. All decisions are made in the Hospital Staffing Committee.

Workplace Violence

Is the paid administrative leave just for physical injuries?

No! Management made it clear in our table discussions that serious workplace violence incidents can absolutely be inclusive of verbal assaults. In short- if a nurse feels they cannot perform their duties to a serious workplace violence incident, they can receive paid administrative leave for the remainder of their shift.

Health Insurance 

What is a blended average premium as described in our contract?

Every health plan has tiers typically including employee only, employee + dependent, and employee + family coverage. When our contract talks about not raising premiums more than a blended average of 7%, it means that between all three tiers, those premiums won’t raise more than a combined total of 7%.

This could mean a 7% to Employee and child plan only with no changes to the other tiers. It could also mean roughly 2% increases across all three tiers of plan offered to no more than 7% total.

Why did our premiums increase?

Our team made the decision to fight off harmful takeaways related to nurses paying on average 50% of their dental premiums AND language that forces higher medical premiums and strips health incentive funding for nurses earning 200K gross annually- it was a small dollar amount to raise the premiums. This higher earner language is already in place at Providence for groups not represented by a union.

One of our officers shared their example:

• On an Employee and child plan through HRA they pay roughly $36.45 per paycheck. At the current 7% rate (which is the lowest of our WSNA Providence contracts), she could pay $2.55 more per paycheck. At 8% it increases by thirty-seven cents to $2.92.

Our team felt that for these relatively small increases, less than a dollar, it was worthy exchange to not be stuck with the dental costs and high earner language which would be much more harmful in the long run.

Why did Kaiser go up more than the other plans?

A fraction of our nurses utilizes the Kaiser plan which makes the plan more costly to administer. Less than 10% of our nurses utilize the Kaiser plan. We also felt for the same reasons listed above, fighting off the dental and high earner language in exchange for a rise in premium was a worthy exchange.

Electronic Voting

What does ratification mean?

When all the tentative agreements have been put together into a tentative contract, the union members will vote on whether to make it legally binding. This process is called ratification. A ratification vote will pass if 50% plus 1 vote of the dues-paying union members who vote for the contract vote “yes”.

Where can I read the full contract?

The contract with all changes noted in red is now available on our local union homepage. A full copy of this document will also be attached to your electronic ballot and can be reviewed in the voting software when you cast your vote.

Where do I get my ballot?

Every nurse with a current email on file will receive an electronic ballot from Election Buddy- NOT from WSNA. We encourage nurses to check their regular folders and junk or spam. If you cannot identify a ballot from Election Buddy, please contact our WSNA Nurse Representative at amachorro@wsna.org.

Can I forward a ballot to a colleague who didn’t get one?

No. Electronic ballots are individually sent and tied to your WSNA member identifier. The link will only work for the nurse who it is designated for.

When will we know the results?

We will know immediately after the vote closes on Saturday April 4, 2026, at 10am if our contract has been ratified. Our union will send out a communication letting our nurses know. Important note- once the contract is ratified, it is LIVE. Nurses should reference the redline after the ratification date as that is the contract the Employer is bound by.

Questions? Reach out to a member of our bargaining team or our WSNA Nurse Representative Alle Machorro at amachorro@wsna.org with any questions!