Extra shift incentive MOU

We are aware of the communication that was sent out by Skagit leadership regarding the extra shift incentive MOU (Memorandum Of Understanding) which as you know allows SRH to offer bonus pay for those extra shifts. We recognize how important this has been to staffing. In addition, however, we also know how hard everyone has been working and we have approached leadership concerning this and have asked them to consider increasing the premiums associated with this agreement. We initiated our proposal in December but did not receive a response from them timely enough to implement before the end of the year. The ball is in their court regarding this. However, we did agree to extending the current agreement for 2 weeks while we work out these negotiations. The announcement from your CNO Nina Plata indicated the other unions agreed to extend and WSNA is holding up the process. We are not. To be clear, we let management know we support the incentive pay and asked them to consider additional money for this agreement. These are active negotiations. Management can say no. However, it is important to stress that we are constantly fighting for all of you and are not impeding the process but advocating for better conditions for the nurses.

Staffing

We are aware of severe staffing issues housewide. We have had some department specific meetings and approached leadership with those unit specific concerns and have had some success with this. Your officers will continue to do this work and are relentless in our labor management meetings (Nurse Conference committee- NCC) as well as the staffing committee. Please continue to fill out staffing concern forms to protect your nursing license (law requires all licensed nurses to report unsafe situations). We recognize that completing those forms may feel futile in the moment, but the document protects you and we will act with trends noted and continue to apply pressure to leadership.

Stay tuned!

A complete update newsletter will be coming out shortly this month. Our goal for 2022 is to provide better communication about all the great work your elected officers do constantly on your behalf that you all are likely not even aware of!

In solidarity,

Liz Rainaud, MSN, RN ~ Local Unit Chair
Jessica Googe, RN ~ Local Unit Co-Chair
Miranda Setty, BSN, RN, ENP-C, CCTN~ Local Unit Secretary/Communications Officer
Rachel Yates, RN ~ Local Unit Treasurer
Abubaker Cameron, RN ~ Local Unit Grievance Officer
Cheryl Pedersen, RN ~ Local Unit Grievance Officer
Hannah Guy, BSN, RN ~ Local Unit Co-Membership Officer

Questions? Contract WSNA Nurse Representative Sue Dunlap at sdunlap@wsna.org.