When we organized to get Union representation with Washington State Nurses Association, it was with our group of RN Case Managers working at Tacoma General and Allenmore Hospitals. We told MultiCare we were seeking Union representation as RN Case Managers who work at both Tacoma General and Allenmore Hospitals (under the Tacoma General Hospital license). MultiCare agreed to this unit description in a stipulated election agreement and waived their right to a hearing over any issues with the unit description. We were proud to see MultiCare acknowledge and accept the bargaining unit we fought to build together. We won our election fairly, lawfully, and overwhelmingly as a united group of RN Case Managers.

Then, MultiCare changed course.

Despite the parties’ prior agreement, MultiCare suddenly refused to bargain over the RN Case Managers who work out of Allenmore. After agreeing to our unit, MultiCare is now attempting to exclude part of the very team they already recognized.

Based on MultiCare’s unexpected refusal to bargain, against the parties’ prior agreement, our Union filed a “failure to bargain” unfair labor practice with the National Labor Relations Board to address this refusal. While we await the outcome of that complaint, we still asked MultiCare for bargaining dates in the hope that they would honor their agreement and meet with us in good faith to bargain over all RN Case Managers included in our certified bargaining unit.

Yesterday was our first bargaining session at the table with MultiCare and unfortunately, our hopes for good-faith bargaining were quickly quashed. Our bargaining team presented an opening proposal to MultiCare that would move all Tacoma General and Allenmore RN Case Managers onto the existing wage scale (while preserving full-time and part-time  salary structures), maintain the stipend shift, lock in RN Case Manager differentials, and secure patient ratios to protect quality care and timely discharge planning for our patients.

But instead of engaging in these important issues, MultiCare management informed us they would not meet with us as long as we had Allenmore RN Case Managers in the room.

To be absolutely clear: Allenmore RN Case Managers are members of our bargaining unit. They lawfully voted for our Union as their certified representative. They are certified members of this bargaining unit and they belong at the table. MultiCare’s refusal to bargain with our entire bargaining team is disappointing, divisive, and unacceptable.

What’s Next?

MultiCare made it clear that they will not bargain with us as long as we include RN Case Managers from Allenmore. But we remain united and ready to bargain whenever MultiCare is prepared to honor the agreement they made and respect the bargaining unit they recognized. In the meantime, we are asking that all RN Case Managers and bedside RNs to show their solidarity by wearing WSNA blue on Wednesdays and picking up “Solidarity for Case Managers” stickers from your break room. The fight is bigger than one bargaining session. It’s about standing together, protecting our voice, and making sure MultiCare cannot divide nurses after we democratically chose to stand united.  While we wait for the National Labor Relations Board to act on our complaint, we must continue showing our strength, solidarity, and commitment to one another as MultiCare nurses. We will continue fighting for every RN Case Manager who MultiCare already agreed belongs in this union!

Questions? Contact one of your officers or WSNA Nurse Representative Ryan Silva, rsilva@wsna.org.