WSNA has heard from SCH RNs that you do not feel SCH is getting it right when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion. We know that SCH has offered Town Halls for employees to be heard, or forums for the BIPOC employees. We hear you when you say that it’s just missing the mark. Maybe you are a BIPOC RN, or maybe you are a white RN who wants to speak up and support your BIPOC colleagues. Either way, we know how hard it is to speak up and to be heard.

WSNA reached out to CNO Bonnie Fryzlewicz asking for SCH to schedule a panel-style listening session for all the SCH RNs. We asked that the WSNA co-chair, Edna Cortez, sit on the panel. We want all SCH RNs to have a truly safe place to speak up and to be heard. Unfortunately, Bonnie declined our request for an RN-specific forum. Instead, she has invited RNs to attend a Town Hall style forum on March 2 and March 4.

Edna plans to attend both of these forums. She wants to ensure that it is made clear that the forums are a safe place for staff to speak up, even if it might not be what Seattle Children’s wants to hear. WSNA has your back and your union encourages everyone to speak up if you have something to say about this most important issue.

We also want to know if you would like WSNA to try to schedule a safe-space forum of our own for nurses. We would invite someone from the Assessment Committee and Andrew Lee, the new VP for anti-racism. We need to hear from you if there is interest in such a meeting and if so, we want to try to make that happen. If you would attend such a meeting, email Edna, ednapcortez722@gmail.com.

Your local unit officers: Edna Cortez, Lindsey Kirsch, Diane Gates, Samantha Forte, Maria Sixto, Doris Taylor and Kara Yates