Negotiations Recap for March 18, 2015
This recap details the 11th session for renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and UAW.
UW Proposals
Grievance Procedure – UW accepted UAW’s proposal to make Step One of the grievance procedure optional, and accepted UAW’s proposed enumeration of required grievance contents.
UW maintained its proposed notion of allowing the parties to request optional grievance mediation if settlement is not reached at Step Two before advancing to arbitration.
Arbitration Hearing Pilot – UW proposed a pilot of the union’s idea to establish standing arbitration hearings, whereby hearings would be scheduled for November of 2015 and March and July of 2016.
UW’s proposal would allow the parties to expedite the proceedings by mutual agreement, and memorialized the parties’ intent to include in each of these hearings any grievance that was moved to arbitration at least 90 days prior to the hearing.
Duration – UW proposed a three-year contract term, to expire on April 30, 2018.
UAW Proposals
Appointment and Reappointment Notification – UAW maintained its proposed expansion of the ASE job description to include a list of required tasks with corresponding time estimates, and the curricular purpose of the assignment when applicable.
Discipline or Dismissal – UAW proposed allowing ASEs who wish to request a conference with their supervisor and the union regarding a corrective action to do so within 21 days of its issuance, and that notice of any corrective action be provided to the union and the affected ASE simultaneously.
UAW also proposed that for ASEs who are placed on administrative leave, an investigation begin within one day of the ASE being notified and conclude within 10 days.
Leaves of Absence – UAW maintained its proposal for ASEs to receive 90 days of paid leave and a guarantee of reinstatement in the same or equivalent position upon return from leaves, and maintained its proposal for to extend such provisions to hourly ASEs.
UAW also proposed allowing for ASEs to request leaves of absence for safety reasons, and withdrew its proposal for ASEs to qualify for up to six months of unpaid leave per year. UAW struck UW’s proposed language outlining that personal holiday must be used in whole day increments.
Micro-aggressions – UAW maintained its original proposal on micro-aggressions and added several new provisions, including a requirement that UW conclude applicable training within 12 months of contract implementation, maintain records of departmental compliance, and advertise available resources.
UAW’s new language would direct grievances related to micro-aggressions to the Graduate School, and require the parties to meet four times per year to evaluate progress on the goal of eliminating micro-aggressions against ASEs.
Bathroom Equity – UAW supplemented its original proposal on bathroom equity with UW’s proposals that the parties meet twice yearly to discuss applicable plans and that the University publish online the location of every all-gender bathroom on campus.
Academic Excellence – UAW maintained its original proposal on academic excellence, and relocated into this provision its proposed requirement that UW publish and provide ASEs with policy statements related to hiring, evaluation, and assignment of work.
Union-Management Committee – UAW maintained UW’s proposed deletions to outdated contract language.
Next Steps
The next UW-UAW bargaining session is scheduled for March 19.