CNA Bargaining Update – Jan. 22, 2024

Negotiations reconvened between WHHS and CNA for a new 4-year Memorandum of Understanding on January 22, 2024, the parties’ first meeting since their last bargaining session on December 14, 2023. Despite proposals continuing to be passed across the table by both parties and the Hospital explicitly advising that it has not yet extended a Last, Best, and Final Offer, CNA and the Nurses’ Bargaining Committee threatened a strike vote before the parties’ next bargaining session, which is scheduled for February 15, 2024.

CNA and WHHS’ efforts to schedule bargaining dates did not move as quickly as hoped. This set sessions behind despite continued movement by WHHS on key proposals, including across the board wage increases. During the January 22 bargaining session, CNA made a comprehensive counter proposal addressing all outstanding items that have been put on the table by either party to date, and which included, in particular:

• A counter proposal on across the board (“ATB”) wage increases of 7% in year 1, 6% in year 2, 6% in year 3, and 4% in year 4 of the MOU.
• This is a 0.5% total reduction from their last ATB wage proposal, which the union made over two months ago on November 10, 2023.

The other items that CNA provided movement on are to:

• Withdraw their proposal seeking to extend paid sick leave benefits to per diems,
• Withdraw of their proposal seeking to increase the minimum number of nurses that must be allowed off per week on vacation in certain units, and to
• Increase the Charge Nurse Relief differential from current $4.25 to $8.00 (a decrease by $1.00 from CNA’s last proposal).

CNA held on their position on all other outstanding items.

On January 22, it was important for WHHS management to at least respond on across the board increases to show continued movement on wages, which the union has identified as one of its priority economic items. As such, WHHS countered with the following across the board wage increases:

• 5% in year 1,
• 4.5% in year 2,
• 4% in year 3, and
• 4% in year 4 (a total increase of 1.5% from its last proposal).

WHHS further expressed that it plans to respond to a number of the other outstanding items at the parties’ February 15 bargaining session and is hopeful that a contract settlement can be reached on that date.

Finally, WHHS strongly conveyed to CNA that any strike vote at this point would be premature given WHHS’s continued efforts to bargain in good faith and move the negotiations forward, CNA’s repeated acknowledgement of how respectful the negotiations have been to date, and the fact that the WHHS has not yet given a last, best and final offer.

WHHS further emphasized the importance for the organization of implementing the new health plan and how competitive it is in the market. Healthcare System staff can view the proposed 2024 Healthcare Benefit Plans by visiting the My WHHSIntranet homepage using the WHHS network. Staff can view the December 20, 2023, Forum recording presentation, and download the following information: 

• WHHS Core Choice 2024-1, 
• FAQs – 2024 Benefit Plans, and 
• Washington Hospital Healthcare System Benefit Program FAQs.

Local 20 Bargaining Update – Jan. 17, 2024

Washington Hospital Healthcare System (WHHS) is also pleased to provide an update on the progress of our labor negotiations with ESC/IFPTE Local 20 (“Local 20”).

Negotiations continue between WHHS and Local 20 for a new Memorandum of Understanding. We have been negotiating for a new contract since November. Notable progress has been made since then in a number of areas. Our last bargaining session was on January 17, 2024 and the next bargaining session will be on January 31, 2024.

To date, we have reached tentative agreements on the following non-economic items:

• Updated language to provide meal and rest breaks
• Updated union membership language
• Revised language for employee representatives (stewards) to provide for more uniformity of representation across the represented departments.

At the parties’ next bargaining session on January 31, WHHS is preparing to make its opening proposal on economics, which will include WHHS’s opening offer on across the board wage increases, in response to the comprehensive and extensive economic proposals made by Local 20 on November 15, 2023. WHHS is then planning to make a presentation on a newly proposed health plan that it has worked diligently to design at the parties’ bargaining session on February 14, 2024, which is the next scheduled session after January 31.

In addition to the January 31 and February 14 dates, the parties are also scheduled to meet on February 28, March 5, March 13, March 20, and March 27. WHHS values our dedicated Local 20 staff and looks forward to continuing to work towards a new Memorandum of Understanding with Local 20 over the coming months.