The County AGAIN failed to come to the table with a response to our proposal for expanded longevity at yesterday’s May 15 negotiation session. It has been months since we made our proposal for a 30-step wage scale with annual increases every year, as is standard in the industry and market, back in February. Despite being on session #6, and despite having had over a year to prepare to negotiate over this longevity issue, the County continues to claim that it needs more time and information to analyze our proposal. At our last session, the County said it hoped to provide us with a response in ‘mid-May.’ We believe May 15 is mid-May. It’s time for the County to respond to this top priority issue!

We attended the King County Board of Health meeting virtually during our caucus to deliver an address to the Board, informing them of our fight for a fair contract and engage them for support. 

The County tells us it is hard for them to determine how much our proposal would cost because they don’t know how many years of experience each nurse has (even though they have all this information in employee application files…).

Here is where you can help!

Take the survey of all the King County nurses to tell us how many years of clinical nursing experience you have. This is an easy way to help your team push for industry standard longevity steps.

Next, you can help even more by submitting a statement of support for one of our top negotiations priorities. Pick one and share your thoughts so we can bring more voices to the table. While statements will be shared, names will not. Here are the issues we are focusing on:

1. Industry and market standard wage scale up to 31 steps!
2. Provisions of your rights and protections regarding meal and rest breaks, workplace violence and non-retaliation for raising safety and staffing concerns for the benefit of patient/client care and your professional license.
3. Continuation of reduced parking rates for KCCF nurses at Goat Hill.

One more way you can help support your team 

Wear our “Fair Contract Now!” stickers on all shifts on May 21, when we return to the table again for session #7.

In unity,

Elena Schensted NFP Columbia City PH Center, Chair
Stephen Lee RJC, Vice-Chair
Tami Nesler RJC, Grievance officer
Kiesha Garcia-Stubbs NFP Downtown PH Center, Grievance officer
Carolyn Clark KCCF, Grievance officer

WSNA Nurse Representative: Tara Barnes tbarnes@wsna.org