Labor Management Update

Your WSNA officers met with Spokane Veterans Home for the Labor Management meeting on Friday October 6, 2023. In this quarterly meeting we discuss safety, workplace violence, staffing issues, and nurse practice issues.

We learned on Friday that currently there is no process outside of filing an HR harassment complaint to report nurse to nurse violence. Workplace violence is NOT limited to resident on nurse violence- please reach out if you’re being bullied, harassed, or feel you may be experiencing workplace violence from management or peers.

The administration shared with us they’ve reduced their agency cost by 50% from July to recently and have onboarded new staff. There is still 7+ open FTEs in our facility though and we asked if DVA offers any hire on or referral bonuses for staff and they said not at this time.

COVID Booster Incentive

f you have not already been boosted, the incentive program is still live through December 31, 2023! Here is the language from your contract “MOU-M” on page 213.

“Employees who choose to be boosted, at a location of their choosing, and voluntarily provide their employer with proof of up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination, which must include any boosters recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) at the time proof is provided to the Employer, between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023, shall receive a one thousand dollar ($1,000) one-time lump sum payment. Payments will begin July 1, 2023."

Absenteeism/ Tardiness

In our LMCC meeting, the administration shared that they’ve recently started having conversations with staff about their absenteeism. In January, they state that these conversations will become disciplinary if someone meets the criteria and they will also start tracking tardiness. They have admitted they don’t know how they are going to track tardiness since timecards are paper, but they’d update us.

We advocated that whatever they choose, it needs to be objective and with proof as this can lead to discipline. If you’ve been talked to about your absences or tardiness, please be mindful these conversations can become disciplinary starting in January. If you have been disciplined recently or have questions, please contact your WSNA Nurse Representative.

Nurse Representative Change

Your current WSNA Nurse Representative, Alle Machorro, will be out on maternity leave beginning Wednesday October 11, 2023, through early April 2024. Laurie Robinson will be covering this leave and represents our Walla Walla Veterans Home currently. Laurie’s information is listed below.