Labor Relations

Negotiations Recap for May 28, 2015

This recap details the seventh session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and SEIU 1199.

UW Proposals

Union Delegates – UW proposed increasing the number of Social Work bargaining unit delegates from four to five, and maintained its proposal to increase the number of Respiratory Therapist/Anesthesiology Technician/Electroneurdiagnostic Technologist bargaining unit delegates from four to five. UW also maintained its proposal for the union to send an up-to-date list of union delegates to the Labor Relations office quarterly, rather than once per year.

Delegate Training Hours – Additionally, UW proposed allowing the union to determine how the four slots for Respiratory, Anesthesiology, and Electroneurodiagnostic employees should be allocated, rather than the contract prescribing a number for each group.

Union Shop – UW maintained its proposal to delete language about the employer distributing the application for union membership and union contract.

Contract Distribution – UW maintained its proposal for the parties to utilize the electronic version of the contract rather than printing paper copies, with each department maintaining a paper copy accessible to all employees.

Personnel File – In response to SEIU 1199’s proposal to enable employees to request the removal of personnel file documents after 12 months, UW proposed language establishing that management could agree to remove documents prior to the current three year retention requirement.

Staffing – UW proposed consolidating and incorporating nurse staffing policy as well as the contract’s existing appendix regarding nurse staffing into the body of the contract.

Payroll Errors – UW maintained its proposed language updates regarding the correction of payroll errors to reflect limitations of the payroll system, while acknowledging that payroll errors will be corrected as soon as possible.

SEIU 1199 Proposals

SEIU 1199 delivered some written counter-proposals and several verbal responses to UW’s proposals, including:

Union Delegates – SEIU 1199 declined UW’s proposal for the union to send an up-to-date list of union delegates to the Labor Relations office quarterly, rather than once per year.

Overtime – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for sick leave to count toward the calculation of overtime except in the case of prescheduled overtime during a 40 hour work week.

Work Day – SEIU 1199 proposed language to facilitate the payment of overtime for employees who do not receive a rest period, while rejecting UW’s proposed notion of also informing management in such cases.

Rest Between Shifts – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to expand eligibility for rest period premium pay to include imaging technologists and sonographers, as well as respiratory care and anesthesiology technicians.

Mandatory Education – SEIU 1199 proposed language regarding relieving employees from patient care duties to complete all mandatory education.

Premium Pay – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposed increases to several pay premiums, as well as its proposals related to standby pay practices and mandatory call for nurses.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – SEIU 1199 declined UW’s proposed requirement that employees use a portion of their accrued paid leave for leave under FMLA, but may retain 80 hours of accrued vacation leave.

Faith/Conscience Day — SEIU 1199 proposed slight modifications to UW’s proposed language establishing employees’ rights to leave without pay for up to two workdays per calendar year for reason of faith or conscience.

Committee Work – SEIU 1199 declined UW’s proposed language establishing that time spent on committee work will not be counted toward the calculation of overtime.

Corrective Action: Informal Counseling – SEIU 1199 declined UW’s proposal for union involvement at Step A of the corrective action process to be optional (per the employee) rather that mandatory. The union proposed requiring that all employees be informed of their right to a union delegate before any informal counseling with their supervisor, and that the supervisor declare that the meeting is a Step A counseling.

Corrective Action: Grievability – SEIU 1199 declined UW’s proposal for Step B corrective action to be grievable only through the second step of the grievance procedure.

Dismissal – SEIU 1199 declined UW’s proposed language spelling out an employee’s right to a pre-determination meeting prior to dismissal, in which they could make their case with the union present. Instead the union proposed language requiring that the union be notified of the decision on whether or not to terminate an employee prior to the actual employee being notified.

Layoff – SEIU 1199 accepted elements of UW’s proposed language updates surrounding layoff process, but rejected the notion of establishing an order in which employees subject to layoff may exercise employment options.

Job Posting and Transfer – SEIU 1199 expressed verbal agreement with UW’s proposed updates to language referencing outdated job application mechanisms, instead referring employees to the University’s employment website.

“Retention of Benefits” Language – SEIU 1199 declined UW’s proposal to delete old contract language that ensured continuity of contractual benefits during the period of civil service reform over 10 years ago.

Health Insurance and Pension – SEIU 1199 expressed verbal agreement with UW’s proposal that the parties update the health care benefits provision according to what is determined at the Washington State union health care coalition.

Duration – SEIU 1199 expressed verbal agreement with UW’s proposal for a two-year contract duration, to expire on June 30, 2017.

Job Titles and Classifications – SEIU 1199 expressed verbal agreement with UW’s proposed updates and additions to the job classifications listed in Appendix I.

Meal and Rest Breaks – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to guarantee uninterrupted meal and rest breaks, and that any exceptions result in employees being paid at a rate of time and one-half. The union also maintained its proposals for UW to track and regularly report on meal and rest breaks that are not taken in each department and shift.

Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace – SEIU 1199 declined UW’s proposal to memorialize the expectation that employees report to work unimpaired by alcohol or drugs, and to allow for drug testing in cases where reasonable suspicion exists.

Sign-in Sheet

UW again delivered a sign-in sheet for both bargaining teams to sign, in order to help facilitate payment of release time to employees. For the seventh consecutive session, SEIU 1199 declined to utilize a sign-in sheet.

Next Steps

The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for June 5.