Dozens of PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center nurses, supporters and union members picketed outside the Longview hospital Tuesday, calling for a fair contract for nurses amid staffing and safety concerns.
The Washington State Nursing Association (WSNA) bargaining team at St. John decided to hold the informational picket demanding the hospital return to the bargaining table after canceling sessions scheduled for September.
Kathy Arnesen, St. John surgical nurse, told a crowd gathered outside the hospital that over the last several years, nurses have been required to work increasingly difficult and ever changing situations. Nurses are asked to do more with less resources, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated all those problems, she said.
“We deserve safe staffing, to be appropriately compensated ... to be safe at work, to be heard,” Arnesen said. “We deserve a fair contract now.”
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The hospital’s contract with the union, which represents 375 nurses, is set to expire Thursday.
Last year, the union bargaining team agreed to a one-year contract extension because of COVID-19, according to WSNA. The union and PeaceHealth began negotiating a new contract in July, but St. John canceled six of the scheduled contract bargaining sessions set for this month.
“For our nurses, this sudden cancellation was an act of extreme disrespect,” said Ruth Schubert, WSNA spokesperson. “We are demanding that St. John administration resume contract negotiations that will address staffing and safety concerns and do more to retain nurses at the hospital.”
Before the September bargaining sessions began, the hospital was hit by a significant surge, admitting and caring for its highest volume of COVID patients since the start of the pandemic, according to PeaceHealth. The overall hospital census rose to capacity levels and St. John expanded its ICU and opened a previously closed floor to accommodate COVID patients, the hospital stated.
Both parties have agreed to, and scheduled, bargaining sessions in October. PeaceHealth stated it remains committed to bargaining in good faith toward achieving a fair contact.
“PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center highly values and respects our nurses for their dedication and commitment toward our patients and community,” according to a hospital statement. “We especially extend our gratitude for their hard work and resiliency as they continue providing quality care through a pandemic.”
Travis Elmore, WSNA nurse representative, said when the hospital canceled the bargaining sessions, it “ticked off” a lot of nurses who have been under a lot of stress, gotten sick and worked through tight staffing.
Nurses have been caring for more patients than normal, and the patient-to-nurse ratio is not as safe as it should be, Elmore said. The union hopes to come to a long term agreement with the hospital to address safety concerns, he said.
Members of local unions, including SEIU, IWLU and IBEW, picketed with nurses Tuesday.
Tara McElligott, Cowlitz-Wahkiakum Central Labor Council president, said nurses have been going through some of the toughest times and deserve adequate staffing, pay and benefits.
“We support you wholeheartedly,” she said. “We’re sorry you have to be out here. Shame on PeaceHealth.”
