A Major Win and Our Plan to Keep the Momentum Going!

We have important updates to share that highlight our collective power and outline the critical path forward in our fight for a FAIR contract.

First, we celebrate a HUGE arbitration victory!
An Arbitrator has ruled completely in our favor against King County’s attempt to undermine our Union. The decision affirms that the County violated our contract by creating non-nurse “CHSS” positions to replace our licensed “PHSS” roles. This was a direct attack on our professional standards and union strength. Read the decision here.

The Arbitrator ordered the County to:

• Stop creating any further CHSS positions that replace PHSS positions.
• Restore the wrongly created positions to require a nursing license within 120 days.

This win proves that our contract and our willingness to fight grievances are essential tools to protect our jobs and expertise.

Second, our contract bargaining continues.
For over eight months, your bargaining team has been fighting hard at the table to achieve a STRONG contract. But the County has not moved far enough on our top priorities.

Your ongoing participation is what will push us over the finish line. Competition ALERT!

The First (but hopefully last 😐) ‘Show Your Blues Spirit Challenge’

• We wish we could say bargaining with the County was going well, but that is not what is happening.
• The County is not willing to do anything that will close the gap between PH nursing salaries and those of our counterparts in the community.
• We need to regroup and get energized.
• The PHSS / NM WSNA bargaining team is hosting a spirit competition to cheer for our bargaining group during this critical moment of negotiations.
• We are holding a competition to see who can wear their WSNA t-shirt the most at work until the contract is ratified?  Members will be encouraged to wear their WSNA t-shirt at work every day. The top three members who wear their T-shirts the most frequently at work will win a WSNA hoodie.
• A leaderboard will be maintained online during this period of time to allow membership to see which members are in the lead.  You get one point for each day of work you wear your WSNA t-shirt, and you get two points if you wear your t-shirt to work on Wednesdays.
• Your bargaining team will be purchasing one t-shirt for each member of the bargaining unit. If you would like to make any additional purchases, check out the WSNA Store at  wsna.org/store.
• The competition will be in effect until a new and fair contract is ratified.
• P.S. We did consult with our bargaining group attorney, and this activity is not a violation of ethics laws that prohibit engaging in political activity while at work. Wearing your union t-shirt is considered protected union activity under state law.
• This competition will be open to both the PHSS / NM WSNA bargaining unit and the Staff Nurse bargaining unit.
• Supporting your union never goes out of style!

We are escalating our actions and need every one of you to get involved:

• SHARE the public petition -  King County Nurses Deserve Respect.
• WEAR YOUR SUPPORT - Let us know what size WSNA t-shirt you wear (one FREE for each member). Wearing it enters you to win a WSNA hoodie and shows our visible, united front. Please use this link to reserve your shirt.
• SEND PHOTOS of you, your colleagues and others with support placards (wearing your WSNA t-shirt) to Linda Burbank.

We have momentum. Let’s use it. Stay tuned for more ways to take action. Together, we will WIN a contract that recognizes our value and respects our profession.

YOU ARE WSNA!

In Solidarity,

Your Bargaining Team
Christopher Salatka, Annie Roberts, Zerai Asgedom

WSNA Nurse Rep Linda Burbank Lburbank@wsna.org