What happened (or didn’t happen) that made it so we don’t have a deal...

On Monday, December 8, our bargaining team met with the federal mediator and presented two comprehensive proposals to the hospital:

1. Sick leave accrual improvements that included the ability to convert up to $1,500 of retroactive pay to sick leave, plus reintroduction of up to 3 days of administrative leave for nurses who have been assaulted at work (presented under the mediator's guidance)
2. A competitive wage scale that reflects our values and addresses recruitment and retention

We presented these proposals and waited. We met with the mediator again and waited until 9:00 PM. The hospital brought us nothing.

The hospital team had cleared their schedule for Tuesday, December 9th and asked our team to meet again. We made many of our bargaining team members available and had them show up ready to negotiate.

The hospital again brought us nothing. No counter-proposals. No economic response. No movement on any issue.

Instead, they gathered us into a joint session so their attorney could ask us—once again—to justify our strategy around the wage proposal. When we asked if they planned to provide any proposals that day, they said no.

Two full bargaining days. Zero proposals from the hospital.

NEW Workplace Violence Article - Tentatively Agreed

We secured a comprehensive workplace violence prevention and response framework that includes:

Safety Commitments:

• Robust language requiring Seattle Children's to provide a safe environment free from identifiable, preventable, and recognized workplace hazards
• A clear commitment that no nurse should have to endure any act of workplace violence or implied threat of violence

Prevention Plan:

• Maintenance of a comprehensive workplace violence prevention plan
• Security access protocols and prominent notices prohibiting workplace violence
• Required training for new nurses and ongoing training for all staff
• Two dedicated security personnel on PBMU 24/7

Response System:

• Workplace violence response team available to immediately respond to potential incidents, equipped with all necessary equipment
• Prompt investigation of all incidents
• Ability for nurses to escalate if investigations are inadequate
• Mandatory debriefing with impacted nurses
• Comprehensive records maintenance

Ongoing Oversight:

• Workplace violence committee maintained, comprised of at least half employees, four of whom must be nurses
• Nurses will be paid for their time serving on the committee
• Strong non-retaliation language

Important note: Both parties acknowledge that the Union will continue proposing additional sick leave and workplace violence leave in Articles 11 and 13.

Employment Practices Article - Tentatively Agreed

What We Won:

• Expanded non-discrimination protections, including explicit protections based on race and gender identity or expression
• Protection of annual leave if circumstances outside your control prevent 21 days' resignation notice
• Personnel file access in accordance with state law
• Peer evaluation component in nurse evaluations, with peers selected at least in part by the nurse being evaluated
• Notice of rationale when seniority is not the deciding factor in job selection
• Improved process for changes to FTE status

What We Fought Off:

• Hospital proposals to undermine progressive discipline
• Elimination of the right to remove discipline from your file after 2 years
• Removal of parking on campus for nurses with 25+ years of service
• Mandatory arbitration and class action waivers for all employment claims, including discrimination, harassment, and wrongful discharge

Important note: The hospital reserved the right to present arbitration proposals regarding Meal and Rest Breaks only under Article 7. We will continue fighting to protect your right to meal and rest breaks, including your right to go to court collectively when the hospital denies your break rights and fails to pay for missed breaks.

Next Steps to a Fair Contract

The goal is not to go on strike, the goal is to get to a fair contract, but we will do what we must to keep ourselves and our patients safe.

Strike Assessment Update:

We are fully assessed for strike and ready to present our request to take a strike vote to WSNA’s Labor Executive Council (LEC). We are working on scheduling a meeting with WSNA LEC to present our assessment data and discuss why we (and most of the bargaining unit) think that strike is our next essential step.

Upcoming Actions:

We will be holding emergency Strike Captain meetings to discuss the formation of work groups to address the needs and concerns identified by nurses throughout our assessment process. Keep an eye out for the specifics in an upcoming email.

*You don’t have to be a Strike Captain to help! Email SCHstrike@wsna.org if you are interested in helping with the efforts to get us to a fair contract.

Launching regular weekly update meetings:

Every Tuesday evening at 6 PM via Microsoft Teams- link will be sent out ahead of the meetings.

Upcoming bargaining dates in December:

• December 22 and 23 (Tentative)

Shout out to the PACU, NICU, CICU and PICU for providing meals and snacks for our bargaining days this week! Your support makes a difference and is very much appreciated. 💙

Do not hesitate to contact any of the officers if you have questions. All of our contacts are on our WSNA website. https://www.wsna.org/union/seattle-childrens-hospital. Also, utilizing our Instagram @sch_wsna offers quick updates and opportunities for DMs.

In Solidarity and Strength,

Your Bargaining Team

Annika Hoogestraat, Kara Yates, Lindsey Kirsch, Sam Forte, Katie Podobnik, Therese Hill, Kelsey Gellner, AJ Nagal, Emma Gordon, Sarah Munro, Cody Ian, Lauren Lustyk, Regan Halom, Jon McAferty and Anne Marie Fountain

WSNA Nurse Rep Linda Burbank at lburbank@wsna.org