Nurses At Confluence Health Mares Campus Unionizing

Nurses at Confluence Health Hospital Mares Campus in Wenatchee are unionizing.

The Washington State Nurses Association announced Thursday that the National Labor Relations Board certified the union vote this week.

The Nurses Association will now represent about 100 registered nurses at the hospital.

The union says nurses started to organize over a five month period at a time when they were frustrated over the hospital's handling of matters such as wages, traveling schedules and changes in management.

The COO position of Glenn Adams was eliminated in May.

Current CEO Dr. Andrew Jones replaced Dr. Doug Wilson, who had unexpectedly quit.  Wilson had replaced Dr. Peter Rutherford. Rutherford delayed his retirement in 2021 when his replacement, Douglas Wilson, unexpectedly left the hospital.

Confluence Health has been plagued by staffing shortages reaching into the hundreds in recent years.

It has also been financially challenged, losing as much as $4 million in one-month in 2022.

WSNA says it will now work with the nurses at the Mares Campus to identify bargaining priorities and to form a bargaining team to negotiate a first contract.

The Union notes it has represented 500 nurses at the Confluence Health Hospital for nearly 50 years.

“We welcome Wenatchee Valley Hospital nurses into WSNA,” said David Keepnews, WSNA executive director. “We look forward to working together to get a great contract and to tackling all of the issues facing our profession.”

WSNA says about 70 nurses took part in the vote to unionize.