Negotiations Recap for July 2, 2015
This recap details the 15th session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and SEIU 1199.
UW Proposals
Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace – UW withdrew several elements of its previous proposal. UW maintained its proposed language to memorialize state policy, to allow for the creation of a UW/Harborview policy, and to establish that employees may not use or possess alcohol, marijuana, or illegal drugs in UW vehicles, on agency premises, or on official business.
END Technologist Job Descriptions – UW proposed an expedited timeline for its proposal to undertake the union’s proposed review of the Electroneurodiagnostic (END)Technologist series job descriptions, such that the UW Compensation Office would provide a response within 60 days of the contract’s ratification rather than 90.
Negotiations for a Successor Contract – UW proposed paid release time for up to 15 union designated bargaining team members for the first 10 sessions (for up to eight hours per session) during negotiations for the 2017-2019 contract. After 20 sessions, the union could request that the parties discuss additional paid release time for union team members. UW would provide paid release time for one bargaining team member to attend statewide Healthcare Coalition bargaining.
SEIU 1199 Proposals
General Wage Increases – SEIU 1199 proposed general wage increases of 4.5 percent on July 1, 2015, and another 4.5 percent on July 1, 2016.
New Top Steps – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for two new steps to be added at the top of all applicable pay tables, each one 3 percent greater than the step prior. One step would be added on July 1, 2015, and the next would be added July 1, 2016.
Targeted Wage Increases – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposals for the following wage adjustments specific to individual job class series:
- Anesthesiology Technician Series: 5 percent wage increase.
- Vascular and Cardiac Lead Sonographers: Move from pay range 96 to range 99.
Healthcare Specialist Compensation – SEIU 1199 proposed to merge inpatient and outpatient healthcare specialist pay ranges effective July 1, 2015, such that affected employees would be placed at the same letter step on the new pay range, rather than UW’s proposal for placement on the step that is closest to their current pay without a pay reduction.
Social Work Increases – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal whereby the Social Work Assistant 2, the Social Worker 1, and Social Worker 2 job classifications would receive an 8 percent wage increase effective July 1, 2015. The parties would establish a committee to explore the matter of consolidating the Social Worker 1 and 2 job classifications.
END Technologist Job Descriptions and Increases – SEIU 1199 proposed a further expedited timeline for UW to undertake the union’s proposed review of the END Technologist series job descriptions, such that the UW Compensation Office would provide a response within 45 days of the contract’s ratification. The union proposed that END technologists receive a wage increase of at least 8 percent, regardless of the outcome of the review.
Standby Pay – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to increase the premium for time spent on call to $6 per hour for all eligible employees.
Certification Pay – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to expand eligibility for certification premium pay to include healthcare specialists.
Per Diem Probationary Period – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for up to six months of service as a represented per diem nurse to count toward a nurse’s probationary period in the event they are hired into a permanent position in the same job class without a break in service, rejecting UW’s proposal for such a decision to be at management’s discretion.
Filler Steps – SEIU 1199 proposed pay step adjustments from the previous step for steps that currently do not result in a pay increase, applicable to social workers, healthcare specialists, and various technologist job classifications.
Training Fund – SEIU 1199 proposed that UW pay an amount equaling 0.5 percent of all nurses’ gross pay as a contribution to the SEIU 1199NW Multi-Employer Training and Education Fund (“Training Fund”).
BSN Premium – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposed pay premium for nurses holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree premium as an “all-or-nothing” package with the Training Fund.
Hire-in Rates – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for social work hire-in rates to be based on year-for-year credit for applicable experience, to be developed through the joint labor-management process.
Research/Hall Health Nurse Pay Tables – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for the Research Nurse 1 job class to be placed on the BW pay table such that it aligns with the Hall Health Nurse 2 job class. The union proposed establishing a 6 percent pay differential between the Research Nurse 1 and Research Nurse 2 job classes.
Credit for Past Experience – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for UW to adjust wage rates for the entire Research/Hall Health Nurse bargaining unit to reflect year-for-year credit within 30 days of contract ratification.
Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace – SEIU 1199 maintained its rejection of UW’s proposal to memorialize the expectation that employees report to work unimpaired by alcohol or drugs.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – SEIU 1199 declined UW’s proposal to require that employees use a portion of their accrued paid leave for leave under FMLA, while allowing them to retain 100 hours of accrued vacation leave.
Callback Relief – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to allow employees who have worked on-call within eight hours of their next scheduled shift to call out sick citing fatigue, to which they could apply annual leave, sick leave, or leave without pay. If a staffing need persists after the employee has been off-duty for 12 hours, management could require the employee to work the balance of their shift.
Scheduled Call and Standby Pay – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to limit scheduled call and standby hours in each department to 72 hours per employee per month, and to create on-call staffing committees for every unit and a call oversight committee covering all the units.
Mandatory Call Language – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to add language about no mandatory call for nurses, and that such call be prohibited except in cases where the government declares and emergency or if the medical center activates its disaster plan.
Call Back – SEIU 1199 declined UW’s proposal to clarify that the two and one-half hours of guaranteed premium pay for employees called back, from standby or not, only applies once during the same two and one-half hour period of time. SEIU 1199 also declined UW’s proposal for the minimum callback hours to not apply for employees who are called in from standby prior to their scheduled shift and continue working into their scheduled shift.
Tentative Agreements
The parties reached tentative agreements on the following provisions:
Article 22: Seniority, Layoff Rehire – The parties tentatively agreed to language updates establishing an ordered list of distinct employment options for employees subject to layoff, as follows:
- A funded vacant posted position within the layoff/seniority unit. An employee accepting this option could opt to resign within six weeks of accepting the position and be placed on the rehire list.
- The opportunity to replace the least senior employee in the affected job class within the unit, department, or base and within 0.2 FTE (full-time equivalent).
- The opportunity to replace the least senior employee in their clinical group (per Appendix XII).
- The opportunity to replace the least senior employee within the same department who is in a lower classification in the same series as the employee affected by the layoff and within 0.2 FTE.
Employees may request to be laid off and have the right to be placed on the rehire list instead of accepting one of these employment options.
Memoranda of Understanding – The parties tentatively agreed to delete all existing memoranda of understanding in the main contract except for the “Medical Errors” and “Commitment to Staff Consistent with Approved Plans” MOUs.
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 15th consecutive session, SEIU 1199 declined to utilize a sign-in sheet.
Next Steps
The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for July 6.