Labor Relations

Negotiations Recap for April 23, 2015

This recap details the 21st session for renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and UAW.

UW First Package Proposal

UW put forth a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Provisions included:

Job Titles and Classifications – As part of its package, UW proposed that the parties maintain current contract language, provided that the Union-Management Committee meet four times per year in 2016 and 2017 to discuss implementing a step system for UAW-represented employees.

Management Rights – As part of its package, UW proposed that the parties maintain current contract language.

No Strikes/No Lockouts – As part of its package, UW proposed that the parties maintain current contract language.

Duration – As part of its package, UW maintained its proposal for a three-year contract term.

Immigration Status and Work Authorization – As part of its package, UW would accept the union’s proposed side letter to commit the parties to meet four times per year to discuss issues arising from ASE employment as it relates to immigration status and work authorization, specifying that the meetings would occur in 2016 and 2017, and that additional meetings could be added by mutual agreement.

Debt Management – As part of its package, UW proposed language whereby the UW Benefits Office would facilitate six financial education presentations per year in 2016 and again in 2017 by UW’s partner non-profit credit unions, to include the topics of debt management and budgeting.

Bathroom Equity – As part of its package, UW proposed language memorializing the parties’ commitment to ensuring that ASEs have adequate access to all-gender bathrooms. UW proposed that the parties meet twice per year in 2016 and again in 2017 to discuss plans and actions in support of this goal. UW would publish online the location of every all-gender bathroom on campus.

Union Second Package Proposal

The union put forth a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Provisions included:

Job Titles and Classifications – As part of its package, the union proposed that all departments post wage rates and compensation policies for hourly positions online in conspicuous location no later than June 30, 2016. The union incorporated UW’s proposal for the Union-Management Committee to meet four times per year in 2016 and 2017 to discuss implementing a step system for UAW-represented employees.

Debt Management – As part of its package, the union would withdraw its proposal regarding debt management.

Career and Job Placement Services – As part of its package, the union would withdraw its proposal regarding career and job placement services.

UW Second Package Proposal

UW put forth a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Provisions included:

Childcare – As part of its package, UW maintained its proposal to expand the childcare subsidy for each eligible ASE from $700 per quarter to $900, and would increase the annual union-wide usage limit from $40,000 to $45,000.

Intellectual Property – As part of its package, UW maintained its previous proposal to update several outdated policy references and to empower the Union-Management Committee to discuss intellectual property.

Union Security – As part of its package, UW would accept the union’s proposed language updates throughout the article, except its proposed expansions to employee data reported to the union. Instead, UW proposed a memorandum committing the parties to discuss the union’s proposed data reporting expansions once UW’s new HR/payroll system is implemented and its capabilities are more fully understood.

Lactation Support – As part of its package, UW maintained its previous proposal describing ASE rights related to lactation support under the law.

Micro-aggressions – As part of its package, UW proposed a memorandum that would incorporate the union’s definition of micro-aggressions and commit the parties to meet three times per year in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate progress on the goal of eliminating micro-aggressions against ASEs.

Based on the union’s concerns, topics of discussion could include available resources for training as well as the notion of training for new ASEs, current ASEs, supervisors, faculty, and departments.

International Student Fee – As part of its package, UW proposed that the union withdraw its proposal to eliminate the International Student Fee.

Union Third Package Proposal

The union put forth a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Provisions included:

Childcare – As part of its package, the union proposed that UW increase the childcare subsidy for each eligible ASE from $700 per quarter to $1,100 per quarter, and proposed increasing the annual union-wide usage limit from $40,000 to $70,000.

Micro-aggressions – As part of its package, the union maintained its previously-proposed language on micro-aggressions, and incorporated UW’s proposed language committing the parties to meet three times per year in 2016 and 2017 to evaluate progress on the goal of eliminating micro-aggressions against ASEs, with minor modifications to the topics of discussion.

Lactation – As part of its package, the union maintained its proposal that UW maintain a webpage listing lactation stations, access instructions, and equipment availability, and that UW and union meet twice annually to discuss expanding the quantity and accessibility of lactation stations for ASEs.

Bathroom Equity – As part of its package, the union maintained its proposal that UW guarantee that all ASE workplaces have access to all-gender bathrooms as well as equal access to gender-specific bathrooms. The union also maintained its proposals for the parties to meet twice yearly to discuss applicable plans and for the University to publish online the location of every all-gender bathroom on campus.

The union proposed language memorializing that the UW will complete construction of 26 all-gender bathrooms in buildings in the central core of campus.

Union Security – As part of its package, the union would agree to UW’s most recent proposal (delivered as part of a package) whereby a memorandum committing the parties to discuss the union’s proposed data reporting expansions once UW’s new HR/payroll system is implemented and its capabilities are more fully understood.

Immigration Status and Work Authorization – As part of its package, the union would agree to UW’s most recently-proposed revisions (delivered as part of a package) to the union’s proposal regarding ASE employment as it relates to immigration status and work authorization.

Intellectual Property – As part of its package, the union would agree to UW’s proposal to update several outdated policy references and to empower the Union-Management Committee to discuss intellectual property.

Next Steps

The next UW-UAW bargaining session is scheduled for April 24.