Yesterday, 1/12/2026, Tacoma General nurses showed management exactly who we are.

Dozens of TG RNs marched on the boss with one clear message: we are united, we are serious, and we are not backing down. When nurses move together, management has no choice but to listen.

Watch highlights from the march:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DTb6k1-Dk94/

Why We Marched

Our march had three clear demands, and we made them unmistakable.

Fair, competitive wages

We are demanding wages that recruit and retain nurses at Tacoma General, not wages that push experienced nurses out the door to St. Joe’s. Our work has value, and our pay must reflect it.

End CANMs acting as charge nurses

The practice of Clinical Assistant Nurse Managers working in the charge role must stop. Charge nurses are union nurses, period. This role belongs at the bedside, not in management.

Protect our ratios and staffing plans

Our nurse to patient ratios are non-negotiable. We will not give them up, and we reject the false choice that pits ratios against protections for staffing plans in the Hospital Staffing Committee. We demand both.

What We Delivered to Management

We did not just speak. We acted.

• A ten-day notice for an informational picket on 1/23/2026
• A formal letter from WSNA reaffirming our opposition to CANMs in the charge role
• Notice of cancellation of the Hospital Staffing Committee

These steps escalate our campaign and increase pressure. We will continue moving forward until we secure a fair contract.

Get Ready: Picket Sign–Making Party

Before we hit the streets, we are coming together to get ready.

Join your fellow TG nurses for a picket sign–making party at 7 Seas Brewery where we will build the visuals that carry our message to management and the community.

Dates:

1/15/2026 and 1/19/2026

Time:

1400-1700 both days

Location:
2101 Jefferson Ave, Tacoma, WA 98402

Supplies will be available. Bring your ideas, your creativity, and your coworkers. This is another opportunity to show up, connect, and build our collective power. You may purchase your own alcohol and food if you would like. Kids are welcome.

On 1/23, We March on the Streets Together

Management has been formally notified. On Friday, January 23, we will hold an informational picket outside the hospital at MLK Jr. Way and 5th Street.

Picket schedule:

• Morning session: 0600–0900
• Afternoon session: 1200–1400
• Rally: 1300

This picket sends a clear message to management and to the Tacoma community: TG nurses are united, and we are not going away until we win the contract we deserve.

What’s Next

We have bargaining sessions scheduled for 1/16 and 1/22. We hope the pressure of hundreds of nurses preparing to picket moves management to do the right thing.

Hope does not mean hesitation.

We do not blink.
We do not bluff.
We are ready to march together.

If you are interested in observing negotiations in person on 1/16 or 1/22, contact Jared or Maia at:
 jrichardson@wsna.org
 mhepburn@wsna.org

What Is an Informational Picket?

An informational picket is not a strike.

Nurses who are scheduled to work must report to work unless sick or otherwise unable. This picket is about visibility, solidarity, and power.

It is our opportunity to stand together and show management and the community what a united nursing workforce looks like.

Bring your family, your friends, your well-behaved pets, and your energy. There will be snacks, coffee, chants, and solidarity. We know what TG can be, and we are ready to show the world.

Want to Know More?

Join us tonight for Spill the Tea with TJ at 2000. We will cover everything related to the picket, bargaining, and next steps.

Final Word: Solidarity Wins Contracts

Unions do not win contracts by hoping management does the right thing. We win by showing up, by standing together, and by making our collective strength impossible to ignore.

Every nurse who marches, every nurse who pickets, every nurse who speaks with one voice makes us stronger. When we act in solidarity, we protect our patients, our profession, and each other.

This is our hospital.
This is our contract.
And together, we will win.

In Solidarity,
Therese Juntunen, NTICU
Michelle Stevenson, 5/6 MSICU/PCU
Sarah Huber, Emergency Department
Christina Nicholson, Resource RN
George Murray, NTICU
Marc Jebousek, Emergency Department
Anna Vermaire, Pulse Cardiac Short Stay
Anna Glorioso-Kaufmann, Operating Room
Jaime Cary, Labor and Delivery
Rachel Ballou-Church, Medical Oncology

Questions? Contact one of your officers, one of your bargaining team members, or Nurse Rep Jared Richardson (jrichardson@wsna.org).