Resolution Demanding Seattle Children’s Hospital Restore Its Stated Values of Being an Equitable, Anti-Racist Institution and Stop Its Attack on Workers and Their Union

October 16, 2025

WHEREAS, Seattle Children’s Hospital has demonstrated through its bargaining positions that it has chosen to abandon its stated values on health equity and anti-racism, and embrace anti-worker and anti-union positions that aim to undermine fundamental rights of workers and their union; and

WHEREAS, the existing collective bargaining agreement with WSNA contains language supporting health equity and anti-racism initiatives, acknowledging that racism is a public health crisis, has no place within Seattle Children’s and affects the health of employees, patients, and patients’ families; and

WHEREAS, Seattle Children’s Hospital, rather than embrace and expand on this commitment to support health equity and anti-racism by reaffirming its leadership’s prior statements that achieving the mission of Seattle Children’s Hospital requires an unequivocal commitment to being an anti-racist organization by dismantling systemic racism within healthcare and achieving racially equitable outcomes for every patient and their family, the Hospital has insisted on removing health equity and anti-racism language for political expediency; and

WHEREAS, the position of Seattle Children’s Hospital represents cowardice at a time when institutions and their representatives need to be bold, brave, and unwavering in their support for the public they serve and the workers who provide care to the community; and

WHEREAS, the decision by Seattle Children’s Hospital to retreat from its commitment to health equity and anti-racism is out of step with and an affront to the values of the citizens of Seattle and King County, that are home to Seattle Children’s Hospital; and

WHEREAS, Seattle Children’s Hospital has chosen to abandon decades of amicable labor-management relations that produced collaborative solutions to problems that have benefited the hospital and elevated its recognition as a leader in pediatric care; and

WHEREAS, Seattle Children’s Hospital has instead opted to squander valuable resources by hiring a law firm that does not have its roots in the Pacific Northwest and represents some of the largest anti-union corporations in the U.S. that aggressively attack, thwart and stymie worker and union power; and

WHEREAS, Seattle Children’s Hospital, a non-profit healthcare system with an origin story that is rooted, and remains in the Pacific Northwest, has chosen to attack previously agreed upon core union provisions including: the elimination of union security, dues deduction, the right to strike even after contract expiration, union access to the hospital premises, and the number of union representatives that can engage with the Hospital over nurses’ working conditions, and

WHEREAS,  The attacks on the fundamental rights of workers and their unions, is an expected tactic taken from a page out of the anti-worker, anti-union play book of a union-busting law firm, it is not acceptable behavior for Seattle Children’s Hospital to embrace and advance an agenda that is an insult to the union members who work at the Hospital and  the union members in Seattle, King County and throughout the region whose children receive care at Seattle Children’s Hospital;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that MLK Labor strongly condemns Seattle Children’s Hospital for its decision to retreat on its stated health equity and anti-racism values and its decision to embrace anti-worker and anti-union positions that aim to undermine fundamental rights of workers and their union; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that MLK Labor stands in solidarity with WSNA nurses at Seattle Children’s Hospital and commits to supporting their fight for a fair contract; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the MLK Labor will provide assistance in informing and urging elected officials and community partners to hold Seattle Children’s Hospital accountable to the values of inclusion and the rights of workers that have made Seattle and King County a place where unions and their members thrive.