Negotiations are over, hospital executives say; union to weigh steps.
Angela Galloway, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, November 22, 2005

Swedish Medical Center executives said they're finished negotiating with a union representing about 4,000 nurses and other workers - declaring Monday that the talks over proposed benefit changes are at "impasse."

"It doesn't do any good to continue to have discussion on these issues," said Ron Sperling, Swedish's chief financial officer. "We've been at this for six months - 12 bargaining sessions - and we're nowhere." ... Swedish

Cara Solomon, Seattle Times, November 21, 2005

Nurses and other workers at Swedish Medical Center have overwhelmingly rejected what the hospital system has described as its best and final offer on health-care and retirement benefits.

Cheers went up outside Swedish's First Hill hospital Sunday night when the results were announced to union members. The union leadership had recommended rejecting the offer.

The vote followed six months of contentious negotiations between Swedish and the Service Employees International Union 1199NW, which represents nurses, technicians and other support staff. ... Nurses

Package Offers Market-Leading Wages and Benefits (sic).
Swedish Medical Center, November 11, 2005

Seattle - Nurses, service and maintenance employees, and technical staff represented by SEIU 1199NW will vote on Swedish Medical Center's best and final contract offer next week. The voting begins Sunday, Nov. 13 and will conclude on Sunday, Nov. 20. ... Swedish

Kim Armstrong, Seattle Times, October 27, 2005

Registered nurses are first and foremost patient advocates. That's why the Washington State Nurses Association and numerous other nursing organizations are opposing both medical-malpractice initiatives on the ballot this November.

This fall, nurses decided we could not stand by silently and allow patients' interests to come second while doctors and lawyers fulfill their own agendas. ... Nurses

5 groups urge no on I-330 and on I-336.
Angela Galloway, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 19, 2005

Left to choose between a doctors initiative to limit medical malpractice awards and a proposal by lawyers to go after bad health professionals, several major nurses groups have selected none-of-the-above for the November ballot.

Five industry groups representing nurses announced their opposition Tuesday to both medical malpractice initiatives on next month's ballot. ... Election

Washington State Nurses Association, October 18, 2005

Seattle - A broad spectrum of nursing organizations representing 15,000 Washington nurses today gathered to urge the public to vote against the two medical malpractice initiatives on the November ballot, Initiative 330 (I-330) and Initiative 336 (I-336). They were joined by the respective Chairs of the Washington State Senate and House Health Care Committees, Sen. Karen Keiser, Burien, and Rep. Eileen Cody, RN, Seattle, and other nurse legislators including Rep. Dawn Morrell, Puyallup; Rep. Judy Clibborn, Mercer Island; and Rep. Tami Green, Lakewood. ... Nursing

Mirtha Vaca, KING 5 News, August 16, 2005

Seattle - Nurses and hospital workers at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, who are members of the Service Employees International Union, picketed the hospital Tuesday to protest proposed changes in retirement and health care benefits.

Swedish officials say the current pension plan is outdated and expensive. They want to move to a 401k plan where employees choose how much they want to contribute to their retirement. ... Nurses, hospital workers

Mike Dardis, KOMOTV, August 16, 2005

Seattle - Employees of Swedish Hospital were picketing at three of their campuses Tuesday, to show how unhappy they are with their own healthcare.

It's not a strike, but a way to get their side of the story heard. And it's the build-up to an expected larger rally Tuesday afternoon. Nurses said they were going to stage the big rally at 4:30 PM near the First Hill campus.

Meanwhile, about 75 workers were out in front of Swedish's First Hill campus early Tuesday morning to make their statement about their unhappiness with Swedish's proposed changes in their health care and pension plan. ... Dozens Of Nurses

KIROTV.com, August 16, 2005

Seattle - Nurses and caregivers who work at Swedish Medical Center picketed at the hospital's three Seattle campuses Tuesday, followed by 4 PM rally near the main facility on Seattle's First Hill.

The rally site was moved a few blocks on a court order the hospital obtained from a King County Superior Court judge.

While a news release from the employees characterized the court order as an attempt to "block" the rally, the hospital's chief medical officer, Dr. Nancy Auer, said the hospital had been concerned the original location would disturb patients. ... Swedish Nurses

Warren King, Seattle Times, August 11, 2005

Nurses at Virginia Mason Medical Center won't have to choose between getting flu shots or getting fired, a labor arbitrator has ruled.

Eduardo Escamilla, an arbitrator brought into the bitter dispute between nurses and the center, ruled this week that Virginia Mason violated its union contract with its nurses by imposing mandatory flu vaccinations last September without negotiating the issue. ... Virginia Mason

Washington State Nurses Association, August 10, 2005

Seattle - Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA), representing more than 600 registered nurses at Virginia Mason Medical Center (VMMC), won an arbitration decision against VMMC which stops the hospital from forcing RNs to receive flu shots. This matter was moved to arbitration after WSNA filed a petition in Federal Court seeking an injunction to stop the hospital's policy, which made flu shots a condition of employment and threatened to fire anyone who did not comply. ... Nurses Win

Union offers to bring in consultants to help with return
Paul Nyhan, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, August 28, 2004

Workers at Group Health Cooperative wound up their five-day strike at midnight yesterday, with no reported progress on a new contract and the looming threat of future labor actions.

Nurses, therapists, social workers and janitors walked off their jobs early Monday morning, upset over Group Health's proposals that they pay monthly health care premiums and other health care costs. ... Group Health

The New York Times, August 23, 2004

Seattle - About 1,700 nurses and other health care workers formed picket lines Monday to start a five-day strike against Group Health Cooperative - one of the nation's oldest HMOs - over the cost of their own health benefits.

Nurses, medical assistants, therapists and others represented by Service Employees International Union Local 1199 began striking at 18 clinics in western Washington, said union spokesman Carter Wright. ... Workers

Union, cooperative still divided over health care benefit costs
Paul Nyhan, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, August 21, 2004

Group Health Cooperative nurses are poised to report to picket lines instead of their stations Monday morning, planning to strike for five days, barring a last-minute settlement.

In the days before what would be the union's first prolonged strike in 15 years, both sides accused the other of intransigence. By last night, federal mediators apparently didn't yet see enough common ground to call for a new round of meetings. ... Group Health