Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA)
The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) is a labor union that represents nurses and other medical staff within the state of Washington. The union is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the American Nurses Association, and the AFL-CIO labor federation. WSNA is also affiliated with the Washington State Labor Council and the Washington State Nurses Foundation. 1 2 3
Contents
Background and History
The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) was founded in 1908 as the Washington State Graduate Nurses Association (WSGNA). The group was affiliated with the Nurses Associated Alumnae of the United States, which in 1912 was renamed the American Nurses Association. 4 The WSGNA was renamed the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) in 1940. Following this, the union supported the passage of the state’s first Nurse Practice Act in 1909, which set up a licensing program for nurses in the state. 5
In 1961, Washington became the 23rd state to enact legislation requiring mandatory licensure for registered nurses. 6 The union went on strike for the first time in 1976 when over 1,500 nurses at fifteen Seattle-area hospitals participated in a two-month-long strike. 7 In the 1980s, the WSNA experienced its first “union raid” when several union staff members joined rival unions including the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and SEIU 1199 NW, which resulted in the WSNA losing half of its bargaining units and members. 8
Activity
Lobbying
The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) has previously advocated for additional funding towards public health programs as well as tax increases. The union’s 2024 legislative priorities included legislation requiring similar reimbursement rates between nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians. The group also supported legislation lifting the property tax cap ceiling from 1% to 3%, which failed to pass. 3
In 2023 the union supported legislation providing free school meals for all K-4 public school students and expanded workers’ compensation for nurses with PTSD. 9
Endorsements
The Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) operates a political action committee, the WSNA PAC, which makes endorsements for public offices in the state. In 2024, the union endorsed Bob Ferguson (D) for governor and Nick Brown (D) for attorney general. The union endorsed 86 candidates for the state legislature in 2024, including 81 Democrats and 5 Republicans. 2
Financial Statistics
Total Assets
Total Revenue
Total Expenses
Revenue Detail
Employee Compensation
- Number of Employees: 69
Highest Earning Employees
Grant Activity
All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $271,000
- Number of Grants: 10
- Number of Funders: 1
All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:
- Total Grant Value: $76,500
- Number of Grants: 8
- Number of Recipients: 4
Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:
| Amount | Year | Funder | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | 2021 | Washington State Nurses Foundation | OPERATIONAL |
| $7,500 | 2022 | Washington State Public Health Association | OPERATIONAL SUPPORT |
| $5,500 | 2020 | Washington State Public Health Association | Operational support |