Negotiations Recap for February 15, 2013
This recap details the 18th session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW/Harborview and SEIU 1199, and the ninth session to be facilitated by neutral mediators.
UW/Harborview Counter-Proposals
Harborview Master Contract
UW/Harborview put forth several counter-proposals pertaining to provisions within the master contract, including:
- Floating
- UW/Harborview amended its proposed language to clarify the intent of its original proposal: to allow employees that want to work regularly in more than one area at a regular rate of pay to do so.
- The new language largely echoes the existing floating policy. It emphasizes that such appointments are to be voluntary, memorialized in writing, and that nurses in the designated float pool would not be prevented from receiving float pay.
- Paid Release for Bargaining
- UW/Harborview proposed language that would allow for one additional member of SEIU 1199’s bargaining team to be paid for negotiations, while restoring provisions from past contracts that spell out the collective bargaining processes and expectations.
- Among these, SEIU 1199 team members are to be paid only for the actual time spent in negotiations, up to eight hours per session, and such time does not count toward the calculation of overtime.
Airlift Northwest Addendum
Airlift Northwest management delivered counter-proposals on several provisions specific to its business, including:
- Staff Meetings
- Airlift Northwest management proposed that both parties withdraw their proposals on calling in to staff meetings, in favor of relying on existing policies.
- Official Duty Station
- Airlift Northwest management put forth language affirming its right to implement changes to official duty stations, and to create specialty teams.
- On-Call Shifts
- Airlift Northwest management reiterated that it cannot establish a limit in the contract to the number of on-call shifts that Airlift Northwest may implement.
SEIU 1199 Counter-Proposals
- Paid Release for Bargaining
- SEIU 1199 upheld its proposal for 13 bargaining team members to be paid for negotiations, but declined most of UW/Harborview’s proposed language delineating bargaining procedures.
- Floating
- SEIU 1199 countered with language similar to that which UW/Harborview put forth, and proposed memorializing the notion that management does not intend to require employees to work in multiple units.
Tentative Agreement
- Airlift Northwest Schedule Bidding
- The parties tentatively agreed to maintain current schedule bidding practices for Airlift Northwest, and to discuss any changes at joint labor-management meetings.
Further Dialogue
- Airlift Northwest Preceptor
- SEIU 1199 questioned the need for flight nurses to take a preceptor training course before being eligible to precept emergency medicine residents.
- Airlift Northwest management explained that if flight nurses become eligible for preceptor pay with this new contract, their relationship with such residents must follow a more defined preceptor program, which includes receiving proper training.
- Economics
- Prior to this bargaining session, UW/Harborview presented SEIU 1199 with a cost estimate of the union’s most recent economic proposal. According to this estimate, the union’s proposed increases would cost Harborview nearly $30 million between now and June 30, 2015.
Next Steps
The next UW/Harborview-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for March 25.