The results are in, and you have voted by an OVERWHELMING margin to authorize a strike!

What this vote means moving forward

This vote authorizes your bargaining team to call a strike if we feel that is the only way to get a fair contract and protest unfair labor practices. We are at the negotiating table today. What happens there will influence whether your bargaining team calls a strike or not.

Your vote to authorize a strike gives us more power at the bargaining table. We continue to bargain fiercely to reach a complete tentative agreement we can be proud to bring to you for a vote without having to strike.

If your bargaining team feels a strike is necessary to protect our patients and ensure high quality care, we will work with WSNA’s Labor Executive Council to determine a time and duration. As required by law, we will give the hospital 10 days’ notice so that they (and you) can prepare.

You can find more information, including Strike FAQs, on our local unit webpage.

Here are the big things we’re still fighting for at the bargaining table:

• Improved sick leave so that you can stay home when you’re sick and protect our vulnerable patients.
• Up to three paid days off if you are a injured by workplace violence.
• Better premiums for night-shift nurses to incentivize more experienced nurses to work this shift.
• Break nurses in the Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, where use of the break buddy system is particularly dangerous and demoralizing.
• Incentives for more nurses to get Safety Cares training on how to prevent, de-escalate, and respond to behavioral health crises.
• Wages that are competitive with other West Coast pediatric hospitals and that will allow you to live where you work.

WSNA has filed several unfair labor practice charges against Seattle Children’s for threatening retaliation against union supporters, refusing to allow nurses with children to observe bargaining, unilaterally changing working conditions, withholding annual increases from recently unionized Case Managers, and other actions that potentially break labor law.

We are working hard today and potentially tomorrow to bring you a contract you can proudly ratify. We will report back to you as soon as we can.

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