UWMC has been denied their effort to unilaterally force the combining of ML and NW Collective Bargaining Agreements for WSNA RNs.

This is fantastic news for all of the RNs that spoke up to stop this effort by the employer.

On April 8, 2022, UWMC, in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office, filed a Unit Clarification (UC) with the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) in an effort to combine UWMC Montlake and UWMC Northwest into a single Bargaining Unit.

Why did they want to do this?

WSNA fought vigorously to keep these BUs separate and stop UW’s efforts to impose their goal of being able to float registered nurses from any department in one hospital to any department in the sister hospital.

They also wanted to combine staffing committees as well as others in order to save time and resources for the employer.  WSNA knows that each hospital has their own unique issues and nuances that determine staffing needs.

Had UWMC succeeded in this effort, RNs would have lost their choice to say “No” to having to float, without notice, to a unit and hospital they may not be familiar with.

UWMC and all of the testifying managers and leaders made it abundantly clear that their number one goal was to create a scenario by which a manager could direct an RN to either campus, on any given day, to work in a unit that the employer deemed necessary.

WSNA stood strong in advocating for the continuation of two separate campuses with two separate collective bargaining agreements.  WSNA is acutely aware that such a plan could severely compromise workplace satisfaction, employee retention and ultimately, patient safety.

In the end, the PERC Examiner concluded “The employer fails to show a meaningful change in circumstances that alter or disrupt the communities of interest for the two nurse bargaining units at UWMC”.  This means that they remain two separate campuses, with two separate contracts and cannot be arbitrarily intermingled by the employer.

A big thanks is in order to all of the WSNA RN leaders at UWMC ML and NW who stood up against this effort by the employer and assisted in bringing home this victory for RNs.

UW Northwest and Montlake Union Meeting and Happy Hour

Join your WSNA Officers, Nurse Representatives, and Organizer from both UW Montlake and Northwest for a union meeting and happy hour!

On Thursday June 6, we are coming together to celebrate our recent union victories, and our amazing UWMC nurses. Come grab your Nurses Week gift and learn how you can help strengthen our union. Drop in anytime from 4:30-8:30 pm. Food is on us from Food & Beer Food Truck. Family and pet friendly.

Old Stove Brewing
Ship Canal
600 W Nickerson St
Seattle WA 98119

Please RSVP here: https://forms.office.com/r/v42cp9Bs7M