UW – SEIU 1199 Negotiations Recap for April 17, 2017
Background
This recap details the 3rd session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and SEIU 1199. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.
Both parties agreed there would no more new proposals presented.
SEIU 1199 – Additional Initial Proposals
Staffing Practices for Inpatient Social Workers – SEIU 1199 proposed to create an Inpatient Social Work Staffing Committee. The committee would consist of management representatives, social work staff, a labor relations member, and a union staff representative. The main goals of the committee would be to determine staffing practices that may produce a more satisfying work environment, improve the quality of patient care and to optimize recruitment, and retention of staff.
Per Diem RNs – SEIU 1199 proposed to supplement the list of contract articles that are applicable to represented per diem RNs to include the entirety of Article 21 pertaining to corrective action, dismissal, and/or resignation.
UW Initial Proposals
UW presented initial proposals regarding a series of new and existing provisions, including:
Standardizing Language Amongst Union Contracts – UW proposed much needed updates to the legal protections outlined in the contract; for example non-discrimination, FMLA, and Military Leave. The other two collective bargaining agreements for the hospital have already been updated.
Union Activities – UW proposed a new provision to move information related to union activities, including information related to paid release time, use of state resources, and temporary employment with the union from different places in the contract document to one central location. All of the new language comes from existing SEIU 1199NW contracts.
Privacy Rights – UW proposed language to memorialize the privacy rights of union members.
New RN Graduates – UW proposed language to change the time frame that defines a new graduate RN from 6 months of experience to 12 months of experience
Licenses/Certifications – UW proposed language to require employees to notify their appointing authority within twenty four hours if their related license and/or certification has expired, or had been restricted, revoked or suspended.
Certification Pay – UW proposed language that clarifies that certification pay is applicable only for licenses or certifications that exceed minimum qualifications required to perform the job.
Probationary Period – UW proposed language to establish the ability to extend probationary periods for employees.
Preceptor Pay – UW proposed language to distinguish precepting from basic orientation of new employees.
Hours of Work – UW proposed language that more accurately defines a work day to reflect current practices. UW also proposed to eliminate fixed scheduled shifts and hours in favor of adjustable shifts for healthcare specialists and social workers.
UW proposed language to reserve the right to adjust work schedules, including alternative work schedules, in order to maintain an efficient and orderly operation. UW also proposed language to standardize the amount of rest required between shifts regardless of work schedule.
UW proposed language to indicate a missed rest break or meal period would be considered taken if not entered as missed in Kronos.
Overtime – UW proposed language that would redefine overtime to be time paid beyond the typical week of forty hours within one seven day period, or eighty hours within a fourteen day period.
Holidays – UW proposed language to move the holiday provisions to a new article, separate from the vacation provisions. The proposal included language to clarify holiday pay rules in preparation for Workday. Proposed changes are to make contract document more user friendly.
Leaves of Absence – UW proposed language to remove the current leaves of absence provision and create separate new provisions by leave type as follows. This proposal would standardize leave language throughout the hospital for all unions.
- Leave due to child care emergencies
- Civil/jury duty leave and bereavement leave
- Leave related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking
- Family Medical Leave Act and parental leave
- Military leave
- Disability leave
- Unpaid holidays for a reason of faith or conscience
- Miscellaneous leave (including leave without pay, educational leave, etc.)
Committees – UW proposed language that would accurately reflect the current makeup of Joint Labor-Management (JLM) committee memberships. UW also proposed that JLM committee meetings be held quarterly, rather than every other month, and that agenda items be provided at least fourteen days in advance of the meeting to avoid cancellation.
UW proposed language to indicate that committee members will be paid for meeting attendance so long as the employee is scheduled to work during the time of the committee meeting.
Corrective Action – UW proposed to standardize language across various union contracts regarding corrective action procedures and related definitions.
Mandatory Subject – UW proposed language to expedite negotiations related to modifications of existing practices not contained in the collective bargaining agreement but that have a bearing on the quality of working conditions.
Duration – UW proposed a two-year contract duration, to take effect on July 1, 2017 (or upon ratification), and expire on June 30, 2019.
Memoranda of Understanding (MOU)
Workday – UW proposed the addition of a MOU to account for changes to the union roster reporting procedures post implementation of the UW’s new payroll system, Workday, set to go-live mid-2017.
Nursing Scholarships – UW reserved the right to make a proposal during bargaining on the MOU relating to Harborview nursing scholarships, as the MOU has financial impact.
Respiratory Therapists Skills Training – UW proposed language to the MOU related to respiratory therapists skills training to allow for added flexibility in scheduling of said training(s).
Break Relief / Miscellaneous – UW proposed deleting the remainder of the parties’ existing MOUs, explaining that most of them were time-specific and will be completed by their expiration date.
Resignation – UW proposed to move resignation protocols to a new and separate provision. The proposal included language to memorialize the policies and procedures related to a presumption of resignation/abandonment.
Side Letter A – UW proposed to extend the duration of Side Letter A but removed provisions that are no longer accurate or contain waivers that the university no longer wishes to continue.
Next Steps
The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for April 27th. At the next session, the parties may discuss counter-proposals.