We would like to give a big shout out and thank you to the ACC for providing our negotiating team with great snacks and beverages for our fifth negotiation session on Oct. 30, 2018. If your unit would like to provide some snacks or lunch at an upcoming session, please contact one of your local unit officers or a member of the negotiation team.

Workplace violence incidents are being investigated. We now have an Industrial Hygienist Compliance Officer assigned to investigate the workplace violence incidents at SJMC as a result of our complaint filed with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) at L&I for allegations of failing to ensure our safety in the workplace, failing to provide adequate training and failing to evaluate workplace violence incidents in order to better protect nurses and other employees from harm. Nurses should not have to come to work with a fear that we will be assaulted during our shift. At our most recent negotiation session, we also presented a proposal to management related to workplace violence.

We need your help. Have you experienced workplace violence at SJMC? We need to hear from you. Let us know if you are willing to speak with the investigator from DOSH.

Staffing remains a priority. We continue to fight to retain and improve staffing language in our contract and we also exchanged a “package” of proposals which the hospital is now considering.

Feel free to drop in at any time during any of these sessions. Team members, our WSNA Nurse Rep and chief negotiator will be on hand to answer your questions. Be involved! Be informed about what is going on and what is at stake in regards to our wages, hours and working conditions. We will also have refreshments available and there will be gift card raffles.

Your negotiation team,

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

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Sara Frey at sfrey@wsna.org.