Let's Show Management What Happens When Workers Stand Together.

We’re halfway through our SEIU and UAPD coworkers’ five-day strike, but the best is yet to come. Tomorrow we remind management – and Whatcom County – what three unions look like on the picket line, and Friday we return to the bargaining table to tell management it’s time to finish the job.  Here’s what you need to know over the coming days. (And if you couldn’t join us as an observer or at the sip-and-chat this week, read on for a look at what we proposed at our last two sessions.)

Join Us For Back to Back Actions: Info Picket on 5/15 and Bargaining on 5/16

First up: we picket with SEIU and UAPD Thursday afternoon and evening. We need everyone to come out and show PeaceHealth what they risk if they don’t come to the table Friday ready to make a deal. Come to the blue WSNA canopy at 3:30 p.m. to get a WSNA picket sign. [Important reminder: please bring back WSNA signs by 6:30 p.m.! Nurses who are off the clock can stay on the picket line as individuals as long as we want, but WSNA must stick to the times it listed in the notice we gave management ten days ago.]

The details:

Informational Picket 
Thursday, May 15 from 1530-1830 
Mini Rally at approx. 1750 
Meet at Squalicum and Ellis 
RSVP here: https://forms.office.com/r/B9644K8EF2

The next morning, we return to the bargaining table ready to tell management: if they don’t want to see three unions on picket line again soon, they need to make a fair deal. We need nurses to join us as observers; your presence shows PeaceHealth we’re a united front and we’re not backing down. Observers attending our opening session must be in the room by 0915.

The details:

Bargaining  
Friday, May 16 – Arrive by 0915 
Four Points Sheraton  
714 Lakeway Dr, Bellingham

Other events this week:

In person Q&A time  
Wednesday 5/14 1730-1930  
2^nd floor E tower Cardio Center family waiting room.

Join our Sip and Chat every Monday: 4:30-5:30pm 
https://tinyurl.com/stjoesbhamupdate

Answers to Your Wage Proposal Questions

We hear you loud and clear: you want to know what to expect from your wages over the next three years. As our team preps our wage proposal for Friday’s session, we want to share what we proposed to management at our two most recent sessions so everyone is up to speed.

On April 17, we proposed a big change: we asked management to consider moving to a condensed wage scale that maxes out at step 25 rather than Step 34. As we explained to observers and at our sip-and-chat this week, this scale has become the norm in other Puget Sound-area healthcare systems and would help nurses earn higher wages earlier in their careers, allowing us to compete with Seattle and Tacoma-area facilities. Management rejected the proposal last time we met, but we haven’t given up on this idea yet.

On April 18, we proposed a flat dollar-amount increase in year 1 of our contract to help close the gap for nurses at the bottom of our pay scale without leaving tenured nurses behind. In years 2 and 3, we proposed percentage-based increases that would have put every nurse at a wage rate either matched or beat our March TA. This proposal was part of a package deal, and the other conditions we proposed put more money in nurses’ pockets through flat rate annual bonuses. Management would only accept this pay scale if we dropped that bonus plan, so we rejected their counterproposal that evening.

Want to see what we propose Friday in real time and be the first to know if we reach a new TA? Join us as an observer at the Four Points Sheraton! Arrive by 0915 to sit in on our first session.

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In solidarity, 
Your WSNA Bargaining Team 
Laura Bayes, Robin Cully, Jenn Engelhart, Rhonda Tull, Tracy Pullar, Amber Pouley, Jen Hampton, Kristin Malmo, Errin Hull, Kelly Carroll, and Jessica Moran