A Victory Built on Solidarity
Yesterday, October 14, WSNA reached a Tentative Agreement with Skagit Regional Health to accrete the Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) nurses into the WSNA bargaining unit.
This victory began more than seven months ago when a small group of nurses who were not represented by a union reached out because they recognized the value of standing together. They wanted the protections, voice, and security that come with union representation, and they took action to make it happen.
As these nurses join our bargaining unit, they will receive significant wage increases. More importantly, they will gain many of the rights and protections that union nurses often take for granted each day: just cause protections, enforceable workplace standards, representation, due process, and a collective voice in decisions affecting their work and patients.
Members are sometimes asked, "Where do my dues go?" or "What does WSNA do for me day to day?" This agreement provides a real-world answer.
Every CDI nurse entering the bargaining unit will receive compensation increases that far exceed the annual cost of dues. For the nurses who helped lead and support this effort, many will see gains of more than $10,000 annually after accounting for dues. These improvements did not happen by accident. They happened because nurses stood together, recognized their value, and demanded equity.
We often hear the phrase, "A rising tide lifts all boats." This victory is proof of that principle in action.
It is also a reminder of the importance of the work that so many WSNA members have done over the years and continue to do every day. The benefits secured through collective bargaining do not appear overnight. They are built through the efforts of members who serve as stewards, officers, committee members, bargaining team members, and activists. They are built by nurses who file ADOs, speak up about staffing concerns, challenge contract violations, support their colleagues, and hold employers accountable.
Take a moment to reflect on what this means. If a group of nurses could fall so far behind without union representation, what would happen if we stopped standing together for one another? Conversely, imagine how strong we can be when every nurse recognizes their value and acts collectively to protect it.
While this is a major win for the CDI nurses, it is also a victory for all WSNA members at Skagit Regional Health. Every grievance filed, every committee meeting attended, every staffing concern raised, every contract campaign supported, and every act of solidarity helped create the foundation that made this possible.
This achievement should be a point of pride for every member.
Thank you for your solidarity. Thank you for your commitment to one another. And thank you for the work you do every day to make our union stronger.
We look forward to continuing this work together as we strive to improve wages, working conditions, and patient care for all nurses at Skagit Regional Health.
In Solidarity,
Liz Rainaud, Co-Chair
Kyla Malean, Co-Chair
Kim McCann, Secretary
Rachel Yates, Treasurer
Mackenzie Anderson, Grievance Officer
Crissi Franulovich, Grievance Officer
Robin Cully, WSNA Nurse Representative