We are sending this partial update out before our bargaining day ends to ensure we get you final details about the Info Picket tomorrow.

Info Picket Details

Tuesday, Sept. 30.
 📍 Where: 4800 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle
⏰ When: 6–9 a.m. and 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
🎤 Rally at Noon

Join us as we hold the line for nurses, our kids, and our community.

What happened at the bargaining table so far? We passed a number of proposals and a package for consideration to the employer:

• CBA Preamble
• New Article – Workplace Violence Prevention
• Article 4 – Definitions
• Article 6 – Seniority
• Article 8 – Compensation
• Article 9 – Other Compensation

Workplace Violence

We are close to an agreement on increased protections around workplace violence, but there are some key sticking points: 1) our proposal that SCH provide two security personnel assigned to the PBMU 24/7, 2) our proposal that SCH provide paid time off for nurses who have suffered WPV-related injuries, 3) our interest in preserving the Workplace Violence Committee as a subcommittee dedicated exclusively to the important topic of workplace violence protection, and 4) our insistence that nurses have the same just cause protections for allegations they engaged in workplace violence as applies to all other discipline.

Seniority, Reallocation of Staff/Layoffs and More

On Article 6, we explained how our current contract language protects nurses with seniority better than the employer’s proposal.  We are pleased that it seems we have reached agreement on improvements to low census procedures. But because the Hospital has been unwilling to provide pay to nurses subject to mandatory low census, we have pivoted to proposing a cap on mandatory low census hours. We are waiting to hear SCH’s response to this proposal.

Economics

On economics, we maintained a year 1 wage scale that would add $9 to the base wage and fixed increases for each step, on a condensed scale that ensures that nurses will reach top of scale faster. We have proposed a fixed $5 per hour increase across the scale in years 2 and 3. This was a move in the employer’s direction, because we previously had proposed a mixed fixed $ increase plus a cost-of-living adjustment. SCH was not interested in a cost-of-living increase tied to the CPI-W, so we proposed a fixed wage increase in years 2 and 3 that, along with our year 1 adjustment, would bring us to market by the start of the third year of the contract.

We maintained percentage-based premiums for nights and weekends to recruit and retain experienced nurses in those hard to fill roles. Our bargaining team members and an observer shared their experiences and significant concerns regarding safety issues on night shift related to Children’s inability to retain experienced nurses on that shift.

At the time of this update (5 pm) we had not received any proposals/counter proposals from the employer.

We want to hear from you – Meal and Rest Breaks

Feeling the feels around meal and break waivers after this first week of the hospital's rollout? We want to know! Please share your experience in our Meal and Rest Break Pulse Check.

Thank you to all the OBSERVERS that showed up, made signs and brought yummy snacks! Thank you to Urgent Care RN WenPei Ridenour for the fresh baked cookies. 💙.

More info to come on upcoming bargaining dates.

YOU ARE WSNA! 

Do not hesitate to contact any of the officers if you have questions. All of our contacts are on our WSNA website. https://www.wsna.org/union/seattle-childrens-hospital. Also, utilizing our Instagram @sch_wsna offers quick updates and opportunities for DMs.

In solidarity,

Your Bargaining Team
Annika Hoogestraat, Kara Yates, Lindsey Kirsch, Sam Forte, Katie Podobnik, Therese Hill, Kelsey Gellner, AJ Nagal, Emma Gordon, Sarah Munro, Cody Ian, Lauren Lustyk, Regan Halom, Jon McAferty and Anne Marie Fountain

WSNA Nurse Rep Linda Burbank at lburbank@wsna.org