Eastern State, Nurses Settle Feud Despite Accord, Animosity Lingers Between Hospital Administrators, Staff

After two years of prickly negotiations, picketing, finger-pointing, and even a one-day strike, union and state officials quietly settled a labor feud at Eastern State Hospital.

Both sides got their wishes in a temporary agreement involving schedules for the hospital’s 97 registered nurses.

Nurses, who voted last week to ratify the agreement, get every other weekend off.

Administrators of the state-run psychiatric hospital say the agreement will cut overtime and improve patient care.

Each side compromised. Nurses lost guarantees they’d get Saturday or Sunday off each week, and administrators settled for a weekend rotation contingent on volunteers.

“It’s a win-win for both management and the union,” said Rick Polintan, organizer for the Service Employees International union.

Lyle Quasim, head of the Department of Social and Health Services, the state agency that oversees the 302-bed hospital, stepped into the discord and brokered the agreement during a 14-hour negotiating session last month.

“This is the best that both parties could come to,” said Quasim. “We’ve both come together for the care of the patients.”

The agreement expires June 30, 1999, giving the union and state time to create a more permanent settlement.

Nurses remain under contract. The agreement doesn’t alter their pay or benefits.

Despite the accord, animosity between nurses and managers lingers.

Union members now accuse administrators of retaliating over a one-day strike on Sept. 15.

Nurses who participated in the strike - staged in Olympia to draw the governor’s attention - were docked a day’s pay.

Administrators are considering additional fines of up to two more days’ pay “should misconduct be found,” according to a letter sent to registered nurses from the DSHS.

Nurses accuse management of collecting extra fines to offset the $55,000 bill for 22 replacement workers hired during the Sept. 15 strike.

“I’ll pay for some scab worker over my dead body,” said Dan Gosser, a union representative and registered nurse.

Polintan, the union organizer, said the union is considering its own action. He wouldn’t rule out another one-day strike to protest the discipline.

Gosser said union members plan to file civil suits against the state claiming retaliation.

Jan Gregg, the hospital chief executive, said she’s following standard discipline procedures for nurses absent without notice.

“I have to treat all employees equally,” said Gregg. “I’m treating the individual who didn’t call or show (on Sept. 15) the same as any other who didn’t call or show.”

Gregg says no nurse would be fired.

“I hope things will go back to normal soon,” she said.

Not likely, said one nurse.

“I don’t feel the relationship between nurses and management can ever be mended,” said Kasey Stewart, a union representative and registered nurse.

“I don’t feel confident they can adequately manage the hospital.”

This sidebar appeared with the story: THE AGREEMENT Nurses lost guarantees they’d get Saturday or Sunday off each week, and administrators settled for a weekend rotation contingent on volunteers.