Labor Relations

Negotiations Recap for August 25, 2014

This recap details the fourth session for the renewal of the UW–WFSE Police Management collective bargaining agreement for the 2015-17 contract term.

UW Proposals

Sick and Bereavement Leave – UW maintained its previous proposal regarding employee use of sick leave for additional bereavement leave.

Rest Periods – UW accepted WFSE’s proposal to increase rest periods from 10 to 15 minutes.

Longevity Pay – UW put forth amended language to clarify its proposal to front-load the existing longevity pay schedule by providing for an increase at three years of service instead of at 25 years.

Special Event Pay – UW maintained its proposal for employees who are assigned the night shift before or after a UW football game be the last to be called for staffing the game.

Overtime Pay for Lieutenants – UW declined WFSE’s proposal for overtime-exempt lieutenants to receive overtime pay for work exceeding their defined work day or 40 hours per week. UW maintained its proposal for lieutenants to receive one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for football games, and to allow such pay for other special events when agreed to in writing beforehand.

WFSE Proposals

Holidays – WFSE withdrew its proposal for an extra personal holiday per year, but maintained its proposal for employees to receive holiday pay according to the length of their shift, as well as its proposal to allow for employees to apply paid leave to the two unpaid days off per year granted by recently enacted legislation.

General Wage Increase – WFSE proposed a 6 percent general wage increase on July 1, 2015, and again on July 1, 2016.

Steps and Differentials – WFSE withdrew its proposal to increase the supervisory differential to 16.5 percent, but maintained its proposal to add a new step to the end of the BP pay scale.

Premiums and Incentives – WFSE withdrew its proposals to create pay premiums for employees performing field training, traffic control, and investigatory duties. WFSE accepted UW’s modifications to its proposed fitness and education incentives.

Tentative Agreements

Sick and Bereavement Leave – The parties tentatively agreed to allow employees to use sick leave for up to three days of additional bereavement leave for time beyond the three day bereavement leave entitlement, as approved by management.

Next Steps

The next UW-WFSE Police Management bargaining session is scheduled for September 10.