Quick summary

We continued steady progress at the table, exchanged counterproposals, and reached two Tentative Agreements (TAs) that strengthen staffing structures and clarify compensation for committee work.

What we proposed

• Counterproposal on wages using the condensed wage scale, including merging Home and Community RNs back into Grades 4/5.
• Home and Community Conference Subcommittee: We found a lot of common ground with management and seem to share an interest in making this an effective subcommittee. We made a counterproposal that would allow more flexibility in meeting frequency and who could be invited to attend on paid time, and we think we’re close to reaching an agreement on this new permanent subcommittee.
• CES Incentive Pay: We want to see staffing levels in place that make Extra Shifts the exception that fills last-minute holes in staffing, not the rule. With that in mind,  we opened our discussion of CES with two options for management to consider: (1) a revised, sustainable incentive shift model that builds trust and gives management the tools they need to fill staffing gaps; and (2) a replacement for CES that implements a new premium pay rate for work on a nurse’s scheduled day off, which we think makes more sense in the long term. Management engaged with the conversation and we hope to know more next week.
• Other discussions:
• We continued our discussion on break nurses. Management presented some of their initial vision on implementation of break nurses and expects to have a full counterproposal for us to review when we meet next week. This is a complex topic and we look forward to further discussion on how to fit break nurses into our schedules and FTEs in the future.
• Counterproposal on low census caps: Management responded to our proposal with interest in addressing our desire for a more equitable rotation system and a new low census cap, but they have concerns about the difficulty and time required to implement changes through the central staffing office. We appreciate the movement and anticipate further discussion at the table on how to make this work for everyone.

Tentative Agreements

• Updated Hospital Staffing Committee language that clarifies our role in approving staffing plans.
• Updated language that pays nurses for for time spent attending Conference Committee or official subcommittees (like our Home and Community Conference Subcommittee)

Scheduling Update

• Our 2/4 bargaining date has been rescheduled for 2/3. If you were planning to join us that day, please update your calendars accordingly! Management let us know the opening of the new E.D. on 2/4 created a scheduling conflict for some of the key decision-makers on their team. To ensure the right people are in the room and our conversations at the table remain productive, we agreed to move our bargaining date to 2/3. 
  
  We know nurses plan their schedules (and days off) to attend bargaining, so this switch might be inconvenient for some observers. We agreed to this change because we’re optimistic about what it signals: our conversations at the table are moving the needle, and management wants to make sure their leaders are in the room and get to hear what you have to say. That’s why we need you to join us as an observer on 2/3 – help us reach the finish line by coming to the session! Click here to RSVP to join us!

Upcoming Events

• Join us TODAY 1/21/2026 at 6:30pm for our weekly virtual local unit meeting “Southwest Bargaining Beat” - They’re the place you’ll get updates, discuss the issues, and have bargaining team members available to answer your questions. We will also be going over ADO forms, and how to fill them out. Meeting link
• We are adding a Night Shift edition of  “Southwest Bargaining Beat” -following session 7, next Tuesday January 27, at 4:30 p.m. to get info out in time for night shifters to catch us. Meeting link
• Now we need your help to build momentum in signing our petition to demand a good contract. Reach out to your bargaining team members, officers, or unit reps on your floor for more information.
• Join us for our Seventh session, next Tuesday, January 27. We will be in HEC classroom 3,4. If you RSVP, it is very helpful so we can plan for how many observers we will have, but if you have a last-minute opportunity to join us, please do.

RSVP to join us!

If you are working and cannot join us, make sure to at least wear a WSNA sticker to support the team and, ideally, wear your WSNA blue T-shirt. We will have shirts at bargaining if you’d like to pick one up.

Follow us on Instagram at phsw_nurses

In solidarity,

WSNA PeaceHealth Southwest Bargaining Team:
Alyssa Boswell, Home Hospice 
Dawn Marick, MedSurg 
Duncan Camacho, ICU 
Dustin Weddle, ED 
Jacob Clark, CVICU 
Maria Hosseini, Cathlab 
Sam Golden, IMCU
Sarah Albright, Peri-Op 
Toutu Rekucki, MedSurg

Questions? Contact your WSNA Nurse Representative, Bret Percival, at bpercival@wsna.org.