We, your negotiation team, met with management on Oct. 9, 2018 for our fourth negotiation session. During previous sessions, we made proposals of basic staffing standards including adequate staffing to allow nurses to utilize their PTO. SJMC management responded by attempting to strip the contract of all staffing language in section 6.11 and 6.12. At this most recent session, management renewed their proposal to eliminate the safe staffing language from the contract, including language that protects the nurses from retaliation for raising staffing concerns.

The Medical Center is also continuing to try to condense clinical groupings and float individuals more broadly. This includes attempting to fold ACC into Med Surg. SJMC is also not willing at this time to separate Walters from the main OR despite both management and nurses raising concerns. We have significant concerns about the ability to maintain competency of the nurses who are floated and the safety of the patients and have a proposal related to floating.

Recently, some of our team members played roles in this video depicting why floating of nurses anywhere is not always the right thing to do.

The Medical Center gave us their economic proposal and we are far apart on wages. We are working hard to assure the Medical Center is able to retain and attract nurses to care for our patients.

What’s next? Come talk to us, your negotiation team, and get the latest on negotiations. Drop in, get the scoop, be involved, know what’s going on!

Local unit meeting – negotiations update

Date: Nov. 7, 2018
Time: 1-2:30 p.m., 3:30-5 p.m., 6-8:30 p.m.
Location: The People’s Community Center - 1602 M.L.K. Jr Way, Tacoma, WA

WSNA Happy Hour

Spend some time with your peers and membership officer, Rachael DeSouza (please note the Happy Hour that was scheduled on 11/7 is canceled due to the above negotiation meetings).

When: Wednesday, Dec. 5 from 5-7 p.m.
Where: 7 Seas Brewery in Tacoma

Your negotiation team,

Crystal Brooten, Dian Davis, Francine Gumina, Janet Stewart, John Gustafson, Katie Miller, Linda Burbank, Melissa Garcia, Rachael DeSouza and Tiffany Repar