Our most recent bargaining session on August 5 marked our ninth day at the table. We continue to exchange counter proposals, primarily focused on wages. While management has shown some slight movement toward our position, their latest wage offer remains insufficient given the competitive Eastern Washington market and Toppenish’s urgent need to recruit and retain experienced nurses.

Here’s where we stand on some of the key issues:

SANE

• Despite numerous discussions and counter proposals, management insists on requiring certification as a condition for additional compensation for trained nurses performing SANE examinations. However, certification is not a mandatory requirement to perform these exams. This position contradicts the practices of many other facilities that have adopted more inclusive compensation language. We also have existing contract language addressing certification that would be considered if a nurse attained this certification.

Workplace Violence and Safety

• We continue to press for the establishment of a Safety and Workplace Violence Committee. Management’s focus seems to be on limiting the committee’s investigative powers rather than ensuring it can effectively address violence against staff. We plan to respond with counterproposal language that guarantees a transparent, collaborative committee empowered to protect nursing staff.

Break Relief 

At this time the bargaining team members and direct feedback from union members relays an increase in focus by management to ensure nursing staff is able to a break without solely relying on the break buddy system.

What you can do to ensure management’s focus on adequate breaks is not a temporary measure during the negotiation session.

• Whenever you are not completely relieved of your work duties during a meal or rest break, enter it as a missed break in Kronos and fill out an ADO with the reason for the missed break.
• If you cover for another nurse’s break and care for more patients that is contemplated under the staffing plan or feel that the added patient care duties are inappropriate, fill out an ADO.

Tentative Agreements (TA):

• Updated HR contact information posting
• Language to ensure nurses are relieved of work duties when completing required education
• Schedule posting 28 days prior to start
• Increased low census notification to 2hrs
• Increased timeline to file a grievance

Upcoming Negotiation Dates: 

• Sept 3
• TBD

Thank you for your ongoing support and engagement. Together, we continue to advocate for safer, fairer working conditions and better compensation.

Questions? Contact WSNA Nurse Representative Jennifer Jackson (jjackson@wsna.org ).