The Snohomish Health District and Washington State Nurses Association engaged in collective bargaining for a successor contract to their 2018-2020 labor contract that expired on December 31, 2020. The Health District’s negotiations team met six times with bargaining-unit representatives yielding a tentative agreement (Exhibit A) on March 1, 2021, which was ratified by the membership on March 10, 2021.

A brief summary of the relevant contract changes/elements, including article and page reference, are noted below:

• References to health officer have been replaced with administrative officer to match the District’s current structure.

• Section 6.1. Updated to reflect Janus vs. AFSCME Supreme Court decision stating employees have the option to become members of the Association.

• Section 6.2. Process updated to reflect when the District will begin withholding dues.

• Section 6.3. Section added to explain the process if an employee wishes to cancel their deductions of dues.

• Section 6.7 and 6.8. Notice to the union of new employees will be on the 1^st and 15^th of the month. Association will have the ability to meet with new employees for 30 minutes within 90 days of employment. These meetings may take place either before or after the quarterly new employee orientation.

• Section 8.3. Reference to an old policy was removed. Updated to reflect that if a required immunization(s) are not covered by the employee’s insurance, then employee will be reimbursed the cost with submission of appropriate documentation.

• Section 9.2. Added sentence that employees will be provided orientation, training, and equipment appropriate to their assigned duties.

• Section 10.3. Added language on where new employees are to be placed on the step of the range depending on experience in public health. Also, added for any new employees placed above a Step 1, the District will provide its analysis to the Association within 30 days.

• Section 10.15, Payroll procedures updated to reflect electronic timekeeping and will be paid via direct deposit.

• Section 11, Currently the District pays up to $880/month for dental, vision, and medical insurance for those choosing employee-only coverage for medical. For employees choosing coverage of employees plus dependent, the District will contribute the percentage amount exactly like the other bargaining units and non-represented employees.

• Section 14.1. Changed Day After Thanksgiving to Native American Heritage Day.

• Section 15.5. Added sentence to state sick leave accrual will be at a rate no less than one hour for every 40 hours worked.

• Section 15.7. Replaced dismissal with the word discipline for falsification of sick leave report.

• Section 15.11. Bereavement leave changed to 40 hours from 5 days, which has been the practice of the District. Changed from additional 3 days beyond 500 miles to additional 24 hours may be approved where necessary to address special circumstances.

• Section 15.15. Inclement Weather updated to match MOU signed in 2019, employees can use floating holiday in addition to the 4 hours of leave for inclement leave. Leave can be used for tardiness OR early departure.

• Section 16.2. Removed older Family Medical Leave policy that is outdated. All employees will now reference Family Medical Leave policy included in the Employee Handbook.

• Section 24.1. Term of Agreement: changed the date that agreement is fully executed to December 31, 2022.

• Section 24.3. Updated date to December 31, 2022, for intent to modify next agreement.

• Addendum A. Salary ranges will increase by 2% retroactively to January 1, 2021, for employees in the bargaining unit as of the effective date. And effective January 1, 2022, salary ranges will be increased by 2%.

During the bargaining sessions, the District and Association came to an agreement (Exhibit B) to reclassify the current registered nurses (RN) within the refugee program to public health nurses (PHN) within the tuberculosis and refugee program. The District could use assistance with the tuberculosis program when other PHNs have an increase in workload. The current RNs are qualified to be PHNs as they both have a Bachelor’s Degree of Science, which is a requirement in the PHN classification. The current RNs will need to request the reclassification within 30 days of the agreement being fully ratified. This is a one-time event.

Consistent with Resolution 19-20 and the revised Division of Responsibilities (10/8/19), the Board of Health approved collective bargaining agreements.

MOVE TO approve the agreement (as shown in Exhibit A) and memorandum of understanding (as shown in Exhibit B) between Snohomish Health District and Washington State Nurses Association, effective when fully executed, through December 31, 2022.