We had some promising developments from our recent bargaining session with the Hospital's management team. Our third regular bargaining meeting, held in person on September 26, allowed us to engage in productive conversations regarding compensation and staffing – two critical aspects of our negotiations.

In response to our comprehensive proposal submitted on September 20, the Hospital has offered an improved wage package. However, it still falls short of what we see at other hospitals like Swedish Edmonds by the year 2025. While this is progress, we must continue to fight!

During this session, we made significant headway, reaching tentative agreements on more than half of our proposals. This is a testament to our collective strength and determination. Our key priorities remain centered on staffing language that ensures patient safety and competitive wage increases.

As we move forward, there are several critical items still on the table for discussion, including union membership, anniversary increase progression, staffing language, across-the-board increases/wage scale, premiums, internal equity pay, annual reviews of market wages, and recognition for all years of experience. We must stand firm in our commitment to securing the best possible outcomes.

Our public actions and our strike pledge have had a significant impact on PRMCE's willingness to engage in more reasonable proposals. We are making progress, but we will not let up on our actions until we achieve a contract that truly serves our and the community’s best interests.

There’s hope that we may reach a deal on October 10 or 11. But we will not relent until we secure a great contract that honors our dedication, hard work, and commitment to patient care.

Stay united, stay informed, and stay strong! Together, we can achieve the fair contract we deserve.

PRMCE RN Bargaining Team: Trevor Gjendem, Juan Stout, Carrie Rimel, Kelli Johnson, Stephanie Sausman, Julie Bynum, Kristen Crowder