St. Elizabeth Hospital nurses authorize ULP strike

Nurses remain laser-focused on reaching a tentative agreement at the bargaining table, reports their union

ENUMCLAW, WA (January 26, 2026) — A supermajority of urses at St. Elizabeth Hospital have voted to authorize a strike, reports their union, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW. No strike date has been set, and nurses are still hoping to reach a fair agreement at the bargaining table. However, if management won’t move on outstanding issues, the nurses’ bargaining team is now empowered to call an open-ended unfair labor practice strike if necessary. Both sides met for another bargaining session on Monday.

Per the union, management proposals fall short of what nurses have said is needed to recruit and retain skilled caregivers. St. Elizabeth’s is a critical access hospital, a designation given to rural hospitals that provide essential, emergency care in areas where there are no other options near by. Without competitive wages, the hospital will lose vital staff, putting patient care and the Enumclaw community at risk, warns SEIU Healthcare 1199NW.

Despite it’s location in King County, St. Elizabeth’s corporate owner CommonSpirit and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health management are proposing wages below those paid to nurses in neighboring Thurston and Kitsap counties. Cost of living in those counties is considerably less than that of King County. This is unacceptable for nurses, whose rallying cry is, “King County nurses deserve King County wages.”

Some of the union nurses at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw. Photo: SEIU Healthcare 1199NW

Differing wage proposals at the bargaining table is only one issue. In a news release, Local 1199NW share that nurses are disturbed by management’s record of changing the terms of nurses’ work without going through the proper bargaining channels. They identify this as a blatant unfair labor practice management that undermines good-faith negotiations, making it harder for an agreement to be reached at the bargaining table.

Per SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, nurses took the strike authorization vote to demonstrate to management their commitment to accountability and quality patient care. If nurses are forced to strike, workers will provide the legally required 10-day notice to the hospital.

“This strike authorization sends a clear message to CommonSpirit: nurses see through your profit-driven agenda and are united and prepared to take action to protect patients, our community, and the caregivers who provide essential care,” said Kelly Patton, RN, and a member of the union bargaining team. “We call on our community to pledge to stand with us on the picket line when and if the time comes. We don’t want to go on strike, but we will if we have to.”

TAKE A STAND: Pledge that you’ll support nurses and join the picket line if nurses are forced to take strike action.