Thank you for your patience as we have navigated what a joined WSNA bargaining unit for Central and Mares could look like.

Our WSNA negotiating team spent almost two years at the bargaining table with Confluence bargaining a contract for Mares. During this struggle, it became clear that Confluence would only extend the retirement benefit package provided to Central RNs to Mares RNs under one condition: Mares RNs joining the bargaining unit at Central.

We are trying to figure out whether there are terms of a joined bargaining unit that both groups would support. For instance, if the Mares RNs joined the Central bargaining unit, the Central contract would apply to the Mares RNs unless there was an agreement for things to apply differently at Mares. Our team has identified the issues that would need to apply differently at Mares. For instance, we have heard that Mares RNs want to be able to keep their vacation scheduling process, which would require separate contract language spelling out the differences that would apply to Mares only. Another example is the need for language that protects Mares RNs from changes made to our weekend scheduling obligations without adequate notice.

WSNA staff have been working with the team at Central to educate nurses on these issues and ensure that there would be support for modifying the existing CBA to address Mares-specific concerns.

The next step in the process is to inform WSNA members across both facilities about what the complications are and what we all stand to gain from one unified bargaining unit. In sharing this information openly with all nurses affected and discussing the long-term impact on our ability to negotiate with Confluence as a whole, we will ensure that there is broad-based support for this next big step.

Next week our bargaining team will come together with WSNA staff and Central WSNA officers to discuss how this would work (including things such as education for all nurses about this process, new union authorization cards, requesting voluntary recognition, and bargaining a Memorandum of Understanding which outlines all the Mares specific issues).

But first things first. Here’s what you can expect in the upcoming weeks:

1. Work session across both teams next week
2. Report from that work session
3. Information meetings to answer questions
4. Ways for you to lend your voice in this exciting opportunity

We understand that this has been a long road and deeply appreciate your continuing solidarity.

Questions or concerns? Please reach out to our WSNA Nurse Rep. 

Laurie Robinson         lrobinson@wsna.org.