Are WA RNs Unionized?

[Corvette Guy]

My wife & I will be moving to Tumwater, WA the end of March 2006. My wife has been an ADN RN [TX nursing license] w/+12 yrs exp in cardiac floor & emergency cardiac care nursing. She will be getting her WA RN license via endorsement application.

Question;

• Is WA a Union State in regards to RNs?

More questions, please;

• Anybody have any experience with Providence ST Peters Hospital, Olympia?
  
• If, any WA RNs hear of a Telemetry, or Cardiac ER nursing position available within 30 mile radius of Olympia please let us know.

TIA!

[RN130]

USNU represents St peter and capitol in olympia, also Harrison, Mary bridge,St joseph, good sam, mason general, virginia mason, prov everett, prov centralia, and a bunch of others. SEIU and WSNA also represent WA Hospitals. For the most part in this era of increasing drive for profits on the part of the hospitals, especially the larger "systems" the Union representation is really protective for the nurses in terms of quality of work life and patient safety. And yes, I'll be one of your Union Reps so let me know if you need any thing.

[lindarn]

USNU represents St peter and capitol in olympia, also Harrison, Mary bridge,St joseph, good sam, mason general, virginia mason, prov everett, prov centralia, and a bunch of others. SEIU and WSNA also represent WA Hospitals. For the most part in this era of increasing drive for profits on the part of the hospitals, especially the larger "systems" the Union representation is really protective for the nurses in terms of quality of work life and patient safety. And yes, I'll be one of your Union Reps so let me know if you need any thing.

USNU needs to come over to Spokane. WSNA has been worse than worthless. A couple of years ago, with the last contract at Sacred Heart, the hospital wanted to increase the cost of the medical benefits by 20%. They were only offering a 5% pay increase. WSNA folded, like they always do, after months, told the nurses that this was the best that they could do, and had the nurses vote on the contract. To add insult to unjury, WSNA did not negotiate retroactive pay for the nurses, and they lost more than three months of retroactive pay. As the nurses went to vote on the contract, they put in their paper work to get out of WSNA. Also, a couple of years ago, all of the techs, secretaries, RTs, X-Ray techs, unionized, and got a contract that gave them Seattle/Tacoma area wages and benefits.The RNs get Eastern WA and North Idaho rate wages and benefits. Do the math.

I left bedside nursing 4 years ago, but I still talk to a couple of the nurses there, that is how I know what is going on there.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington