Your bargaining team met with management on July 21 and 22 for bargaining sessions #5 and #6. Our focus was comprehensive economics, equity, safety and the safe use of technology.

Both the hospital and WSNA spent a lot of time working through proposals in our respective groups. We received responses from the hospital to some of our proposals and passed new proposals to them as well.

• Economics

Your team spent a significant amount of time finalizing a strong economic proposal to pass to the hospital at our next bargaining session, in combination with a detailed presentation to explain the rationale and support for our proposals. This proposal is based on substantial data that shows our Seattle Children’s nurses are being paid far less than the market. In an effort to bring our wages up to market and to achieve a contract that will recruit and retain nurses, we are making ambitious proposals for a strong and fair contract.

• Workplace Violence (WPV) 

The hospital responded to our original proposals regarding WPV prevention. In sessions #3 and #4, you may recall, WSNA presented original and new proposals that expanded the language around WPV prevention. In our current contract, there is a single sentence regarding WPV that essentially states the hospital will comply with laws on WPV.

We requested:

• specifics regarding the definition of responsibilities for the WPV Committee
• the installation of a weapons detection system
• paid time off for the rest of a shift if/when a nurse is injured at work due to WPV
• additional paid leave for WPV injuries until a nurse is medically able to return to work
• the presence of two staffed security personnel on the PBMU at all times
• the availability of restraints on units outside the ED and PBMU

The response we received from the hospital was more robust than current contract language. It certainly had more words. Unfortunately, it was mostly limited to an explanation of how they will meet the laws around WPV prevention. The hospital did not agree to the specific requests we made to help protect our patients and staff. Your responses to our pre-negotiation survey showed us how important safety and protection from the trauma of violence are to you, and we will continue to keep those responses in mind when we make our counterproposal. 

• Technology

In prior sessions, we proposed a brand-new article on technology. This proposal was intended to protect the nurses, patients and families from issues that could arise from the use of technology. When it comes to technology, our current contract does not reference its regulation, training, or use. We drew language from other nursing contracts to support the proposals we made to the hospital and to help define the impact on nursing as technology evolves. Included were considerations on the use of virtual nurses as an “icing on the cake” of staffing, not replacing nurses in the staffing plans. The response from the hospital was to acknowledge that technology is evolving, as well as the role of nurse clinical judgment and the use of technology to support high-quality care. Unfortunately, they did not include our recommendation for the Clinical Quality Council’s involvement in the planning and rollout of new technology. Instead, they offered an opportunity to provide feedback, concerns, and recommendations after technology is implemented at our regular union officer meeting with the hospital, Nurse Conference Committee (NCC).

• Healthy Work Environment Council

Our team passed a proposal to ensure the continuation of our Healthy Work Environment Council and its subcommittees, including Ethics, Night Shift, and HEAL. We also requested that budgets be allocated for this vital work, which addresses the heart of nurse retention, work-life balance, ethical care, and health equity. We would like the hospital to continue to commit to the critical work of these committees by solidifying them in the contract.

You have QUESTIONS – We have ANSWERS! Submit your questions to your Bargaining Team/Nurse Rep or DM our Instagram. Join our upcoming Virtual Sip n Chat and WSNA Local Unit Meeting:

• Virtual Sip n Chat

When: Friday, July 25 at 5:30 – 8:30 pm

Where: Virtual

Why: Get your questions answered and connect with the team

Use link below:

Meeting ID: 216 105 324 163 3

Dial in by phone

+1 206-485-2614,,688297260# United States, Seattle

(888) 313-0615,,688297260# United States (Toll-free)

Phone conference ID: 688 297 260#

• RSVP for our in-person WSNA Local Unit Meeting!

Children and family are welcome to attend

Come for the free churros, stay for the important conversations.

When: August 2 from 10 am – 1 pm

Where: Mountaineers (7700 Sandpoint Way NE, Seattle, WA, 98115)

Children and family are welcome to attend. Come for the FREE churros, stay for the important conversations. We’ll review all the contract information and be available to hear from you as we plan our next steps.

ACTION ALERT!!!

Do you believe we all have the right to:

A Safe and Healthy Hospital with a focus on wages that recruit and retain so that well-rested nurses have the resources and time in a safe environment to provide incredible care to every person who comes through our doors?

Healthy Nurses with healthcare benefits and increased access to sick leave that allows us to care for ourselves and our families?

Protection for nurses from harassment, abuse, retaliation, and violence at work?

A Healthy Community in which SCH provides safe and equitable care to EVERYONE, regardless of race, gender identity, or economic status?

Then it is time to stand with the rest of us and sign our petition. Reach out to any of our WSNA Bargaining Team or our Organizer Crystal Doll cdoll@wsna.org to find out how to sign and how you can help.

Grab your popcorn and RSVP for a front-row seat to watch the art of negotiation in action!

• Upcoming bargaining dates for August:

Tuesday, August 5 (Tukwila)

Wednesday, August 6 (Seattle)

Thursday, August 7 (Tukwila)

Do not hesitate to contact any of our 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,

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, Anna Marie Fountain and Bree Casas

Feel free to reach out to your WSNA Nurse Rep Linda Burbank at lburbank@wsna.org if needed