Many of you voiced concerns about the lack of access to PPE, communications that change day to day and difficulty finding information about COVID. Because of the concerns about PPE, WSNA made the difficult decision to file a complaint with the Department of Safety and Occupational Health (DOSH). We believe the hospital and WSNA have mutual interests to continue to advocate with local, state and federal leaders to provide swift and immediate access to necessary equipment and PPE to protect health-care workers.

The DOSH industrial hygienist will be conducting interviews with nurses. Are you interested? Do you have information to share that might be helpful? As a union member, you have the right to have union representation at the interview, which will take place over the phone due to restrictions on visitors.

Your safety is our primary concern

Your WSNA Local Unit Officers, WSNA Nurse Representative and SEIU 1199NW have been coalition building. We are working together to negotiate a memorandum of agreement with hospital administration regarding COVID-19. We want to ensure that you have protections in place that address your wages and working conditions during this pandemic. We will continue to update you as this progresses.

Please note, the NATIONAL DISASTER declaration may give the employer some flexibility in decision making, such as mandatory overtime. Remember that your safety and patient safety are important! If you are mandated to work overtime and you are too fatigued, alert your chain of command that you must be relieved ASAP. Then complete a Staffing Concern Form (SCF) and a Staffing Complaint/ADO form on the WSNA website: https://www.wsna.org/union/ado. Both sets of forms go to the Nurse Staffing Committee Co-Chairs, your Local Unit Chair and your WSNA Nurse Rep.

If you experience difficulty with COVID-19 in your work environment, you feel you have been exposed, or you are sent home on quarantine, we also want to hear from you. We are working to track all instances. Please email all issues and inquiries to hwelander@wsna.org.

Check out the resource links!

WSNA staff are observing social distancing. Therefore, we are working at home and the office is closed. We are doing our best to address and respond to your concerns that are rapidly coming in. Please continue to keep us posted so that we know what you are experiencing at work. We need to keep each other informed and safe so we can continue to care for the people who desperately need us. The best way to reach your Nurse Rep is to use email.

Hanna Welander, BSN RN can be reached at hwelander@wsna.org (206) 575-7979, Ext. 3035