Our most recent bargaining session on Sept. 3 marked our 10th day at the table. We continue to exchange counter proposals, primarily focused on securing acceptable wage increases over the life of the contract and remain competitive with the local market. 

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

Wages

• We are inching closer to an agreement but will keep fighting for a wage increases over the life of the contract that will ensure that Toppenish wages will remain competitive over the life of the contract. We have agreed to wage increases that will vary throughout the steps to ensure that we can attain wages for all that will remain competitive and will assist in recruiting and retaining staff.

Sane

• Again, we have had discussion across the table regarding the community need and benefit to the facility to have SANE trained nurses available and willing to come in for these important exams. Two of our bargaining team members gave information about the statewide practices for staffing and incentivizing completion of these exams and firsthand experiences of delays and staffing deficits in the emergency room to get these exams completed. 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 and currently Toppenish has no ability or plan for nurses within Toppenish to attain a certification.

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
• PTO cash at 100%
• Increased float premium
• Safety Committee review of reported workplace violence

Upcoming Negotiation Dates: 

• Oct 7
• TBD

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

Questions? Contact one of your officers or WSNA Nurse Representative Jennifer Jackson, jjackson@wsna.org.