Labor Relations

Negotiations Recap for July 13, 2015

This recap details the 17th session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and SEIU 1199, which expired as of July 1, 2015. This was the fifth session to be facilitated by State-appointed mediators.

Status of Negotiations

On July 13, the parties exchanged theoretical package proposals, summarized below. UW estimated the cost of the union’s July 13 proposal to be $55.8 million in total, an increase from the estimated cost of its previous proposal.

UW estimated that for the first pay period of July alone, management’s most recent proposal would have provided for an additional $232,000 to SEIU 1199-represented employees, reinforcing that wage increases will only be implemented prospectively and will not be back-dated.

SEIU 1199 “Supposal”

SEIU 1199 delivered a theoretical package proposal that would need to be accepted in its entirety. Provisions included:

Education and Tuition Support

  • Training Fund – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for UW to 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”).

    The union declined UW’s proposal to grant scholarships of up to $10,000 each to up to 11 Harborview nurses for the UW Bothell RN-to-BSN degree program, as well as UW’s proposal to contribute up to an additional $10,000 per year for Harborview nurses to attend other programs to complete their BSN, MSN, or other advanced nursing practice degrees.

  • 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.
  • Education Support Funds – If UW accepted all other terms of this package, SEIU 1199 would withdraw its proposal to increase the annual education support funds for healthcare specialists from $1,800 per FTE (full-time equivalent) to $2,500 per FTE.

Call Back and Prescheduled Standby Assignments

  • 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 an emergency or if the medical center activates its disaster plan.
  • Call Back – SEIU 1199 maintained its rejection of UW’s proposal to clarify that the two and one-half hours of guaranteed premium pay for employees called back only applies once during the same two and one-half hour period of time. SEIU 1199 also maintained its rejection of 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.

Wages and Pay Provisions

  • General Wage Increases – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for 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.
  • Filler Steps – SEIU 1199 maintained its 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.
  • Standby Pay – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to increase the premium for time spent on call to $6 per hour for all eligible employees.

Airlift Northwest

The union added the following provisions specific to Airlift Northwest back onto the table, after omitting them from its previous proposal:

  • Flight Nurse Premium – SEIU 1199 reasserted its proposal for a flight nurse premium of $5 per hour.
  • Juneau-based Flight Nurses – SEIU 1199 proposed a 10 percent wage increase for flight nurses based in Juneau.

Targeted Wage and Class Adjustments

  • 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 maintained its proposal 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.
  • Certification Pay – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to expand eligibility for certification premium pay to include healthcare specialists.
  • END Technologist Job Descriptions and Increases – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for UW to undertake a review of the Electroneurodiagnostic (END) Technologist series job descriptions and 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.
  • 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.

Meal and Break Relief

  • Meal and Rest Breaks – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to expand UW’s meal and rest break proposal for Harborview nurses to apply to SEIU 1199-represented employees across UW.
  • Break Relief Nurses – SEIU 1199 proposed that Harborview provide break relief nurses on the day shift to six acute care units (maintaining in two current units and adding to four units) by June 30, 2016, and to all acute care units by June 30, 2017.

Staffing

  • Charge Nurses and Staffing Concerns – SEIU 1199 put forth slight revisions to its proposal regarding charge nurses and staffing concerns:
    • Staffing Matrices: The union maintained its proposal to allow charge nurses to add staff to matrices, as well as its proposal to use trends related to census, acuity, and ratios that continue for six months as a basis for changing the staffing matrix.
    • Emergent Situations: The union maintained its proposal to allow charge nurses to declare a staffing emergency if a unit is not staffed to the matrix, and to require Harborview to delay elective admissions and surgeries in order to bring the workplace into adherence with the matrix. In this latest proposal the union removed the use of traveler nurses as an option to respond to a staffing alert.
    • Committees and Process: The union maintained its proposal for information to be collected and reviewed on a monthly basis, as well as its proposal for the parties to determine in 2015 a process for the escalation of staffing concerns, a definition for “staffing alert,” and training options for charge nurses related to staffing.
  • Pre-scheduling Overtime Shifts for Nurses – SEIU 1199 proposed language requiring Harborview to offer pre-scheduled overtime after the initial schedule bid is posted and once Harborview has sent out notice for employees interested in taking additional shifts at straight time. Failure to attempt to notify hourly staff of shift cancellation at least two hours in advance would result in the employee being assigned up to two hours of work. A nurse whose shift is cancelled with less than two hours’ advance notice would be entitled to two hours of pay at straight time.

Vacation Leave

  • Vacation Accruals – SEIU 1199 would withdraw its proposed adjustments to vacation leave accruals in favor of the parties maintaining current contract language.

Negotiations for a Successor Contract

  • Paid Release Time – SEIU 1199 proposed that UW provide paid release time for 16 union designated bargaining team members for all sessions during negotiations for the 2017-2019 contract, as well as for two bargaining team members to attend statewide Healthcare Coalition bargaining.

Research/Hall Health Nurses

  • 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 maintained its proposal to establish 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.

Per Diem Nurses

  • Per Diem Wage Differential – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for per diem nurses without UW-provided medical benefits to be paid a 12 percent wage differential, and for those with UW-provided medical benefits to receive a 10 percent differential.
  • Per Diem Step Increases – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for per diem nurses to receive annual step increases upon reaching 1,872 hours.
  • Per Diem Hire-in Rates – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for hire-in rates for per diem nurses to be based on year-for-year credit for applicable experience.
  • Per Diem Hours of Work – SEIU 1199 maintained its rejection of UW’s proposed language memorializing that assignment of hours and continuation of employment are at management’s discretion.

  • Per Diem Minimum Work Availability – SEIU 1199 maintained its rejection of UW’s proposal that once a nurse agrees to work a scheduled shift, they must work or find a replacement such that no overtime is incurred.

    The union maintained its proposed requirement for per diem nurses to provide notice of an absence at least two hours prior to the beginning of a shift, and that failure to attempt to notify a per diem nurse of a shift cancellation at least two hours in advance would result in payment for up to two hours of work.

  • Per Diem Seniority and Accruals – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal for seniority to accrue based on all hours worked, though not applying while a nurse is still in per diem status. Upon acquiring regular status, this seniority would be applied to determine the nurse’s benefit accrual rates.
  • Per Diem Classification Review – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposal to enable the union to request to have a per diem nurse’s hours reviewed by the employer if the union believes the nurse has been working regular full- or part-time hours over a 12-month period.
  • Per Diem Training – SEIU 1199 maintained its proposed language establishing that hourly staff are required to schedule and participate in annuals skills validation and selected other pertinent education. Required class time would be compensated at the appropriate rate of pay, and in-house education offered by Harborview would be attended at no cost.

UW “Supposal”

UW delivered a theoretical package proposal that would need to be accepted in its entirety. Provisions included:

Education and Tuition Support

  • Harborview Scholarships – UW maintained its proposal to grant scholarships of up to $10,000 each to up to 11 Harborview nurses accepted into the UW Bothell RN-to-BSN degree program offered on-site at Harborview. In addition to the UW Bothell program, UW would provide up to $10,000 per year (total) for Harborview nurses to attend a program to complete their BSN, MSN, or other advanced nursing practice degrees.
  • Training Fund and BSN Premium – UW maintained its proposal for SEIU 1199 to withdraw its proposal for UW to pay into the SEIU 1199NW Multi-Employer Training and Education Fund (“Training Fund”), including the union’s proposed pay premium for nurses holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
  • Education Support Funds – UW proposed that SEIU 1199 withdraw its proposal to increase the annual education support funds for healthcare specialists from $1,800 per FTE (full-time equivalent) to $2,500 per FTE.

Staffing

  • Charge Nurses and Staffing Concerns – UW maintained its previous proposal, whereby the parties would develop a process for charge nurses to escalate staffing concerns at a joint labor-management meeting within six months. The charge nurse would assess patient and unit needs, and adjust resources as necessary in conjunction with the unit manager or designee and/or nursing supervisor. Trends related to census, acuity, and unit activity that continue for six months would be assessed and discussed at the nurse staffing committee.

  • Pre-scheduling Overtime Shifts for Nurses – UW maintained its proposed memorandum of understanding whereby Harborview could offer pre-scheduled overtime after the initial schedule bid is posted and once Harborview has sent out notice for employees interested in taking additional shifts at straight time.

    UW accepted elements of the union’s language, proposing that notification of absence be required at least two hours before the beginning of a shift, and that failure to attempt to notify staff of shift cancellation within the appropriate time limits would result in the employee being assigned to a unit for two hours.

Call Back and Prescheduled Standby Assignments

  • Mandatory Standby Assignments – UW maintained its proposed language memorializing that the parties follow Washington State law (RCW 49.28.140) regarding mandatory standby assignments.
  • Call Back – UW maintained its proposal clarifying 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. UW also maintained its 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.

Wages and Pay Provisions

  • General Wage Increases – UW maintained its proposal for a 2 percent general wage increase effective the first available pay period after ratification, and a 1 percent general wage increase effective July 1, 2016. As part of this package, SEIU 1199 would withdraw its other economic proposals, including those for several individualized and general adjustments to wage scales and pay premiums.
  • New Top Step – UW supplemented its proposal to create an additional salary step for all non-nurse job classifications, proposing that all nurse job classifications also receive an additional salary step effective July 1, 2016. Upon implementation, non-nurse employees who have been at the top step for more than five years (and nurses at the top step for more than six years) would advance to the new top step on their periodic increment date.
  • Filler Steps – UW proposed that SEIU 1199 withdraw its proposed pay step adjustments from the previous step for steps that currently do not result in a pay increase.

Targeted Wage and Class Adjustments

  • Healthcare Specialist Consolidation and Compensation – UW maintained its proposal to merge the job classes and pay ranges of outpatient and inpatient healthcare specialists, effective July 1, 2016, which would provide for an average wage increase for outpatient healthcare specialists of roughly 2 percent.

    UW maintained its proposal for SEIU 1199 to withdraw its outstanding proposals related to healthcare specialist compensation and consolidation.

  • Certification Pay – UW declined SEIU 1199’s proposal to expand eligibility for certification premium pay to include healthcare specialists.
  • END Technologist Job Descriptions – UW maintained its proposal 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 60 days of the contract’s ratification.

Meal and Break Relief

  • Meal and Rest Breaks – UW maintained its proposal to memorialize the parties’ joint goal of ensuring that nurses at Harborview receive uninterrupted meal and rest breaks, including the responsibility of Harborview to create an environment that allows and encourages uninterrupted breaks, and the responsibility of nurses to take such breaks. UW would accept SEIU 1199’s proposed language committing employees and managers to attend joint training concerning the importance of taking breaks, how to record missed breaks, and non-retaliation policies.
  • Break Relief Nurses – UW maintained its proposal to create break relief nurses on the day shift of all acute care units to relieve nurses with permanent patient assignments for meal and rest breaks. UW maintained its proposed phase-in schedule whereby Harborview would provide break relief nurses on the day shift to five acute care units (maintaining in two current units and adding to three units) by June 30, 2016, and to all acute care units by June 30, 2017.

Research/Hall Health Nurse Bargaining Unit

  • Research/Hall Health Nurse Appendix – UW maintained its previous series of proposals regarding the Research/Hall Health Nurse bargaining unit.

  • Hall Health Nurse Salary Step Analysis – UW maintained its proposal whereby upon ratification the union would provide UW with a list of Hall Health Nurses who it believes are placed on a salary step that does not appropriately reflect their years of experience.

    UW would evaluate the experience and placement of these nurses within 60 days, and for any nurses deemed to be on an improper salary step, UW would provide an additional step increase for their next periodic increment date.

Vacation Leave

  • Vacation Accruals – UW proposed that SEIU 1199 withdraw its proposed adjustments to vacation leave accruals in favor of the parties maintaining current contract language.

Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace

  • Drug and Alcohol Policy – UW further diminished its initial proposal, proposing to memorialize UW’s right to update, develop, and/or implement a policy on a drug and alcohol free workplace, and that UW would provide the union and affected employees with 60 days’ notice prior to taking such action.

Trial Service

  • Trial Service Period – UW’s maintained its last proposal, accepting SEIU 1199’s proposed six month trial service period for permanent employees who transfer into a job class for which they previously have not attained permanent status, as well as the union’s proposal to allow employees to revert to their former position within six weeks, provided that the position had not already been filled or offered.

    Reversion of employees who are unsuccessful during their trial service period would not be subject to grievance. UW also accepted the union’s proposal whereby if an employee’s prior position has been filled with a permanent employee, the employee would be placed on the rehire list.

Per Diem Nurses

  • Per Diem Probationary Period – UW maintained its proposal to enable union-represented per diem nurses to request a meeting to review the determination of hours of credit received for the purposes of calculating probationary period. UW maintained its proposal for up to six months of service as a union-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, as determined by management.
  • Per Diem Minimum Work Availability – UW accepted SEIU 1199’s proposed language regarding the expectation that per diem staff honor their commitments with the exception of illness or serious emergency, and that per diem nurses must provide notice of an absence at least two hours prior to the beginning of a shift. Failure to attempt to notify a per diem nurse of a shift cancellation within appropriate time limits would result in the employee being assigned to a unit for up to two hours.
  • Per Diem Training – UW accepted several elements of SEIU 1199’s proposal establishing that per diem nurses are required to schedule and participate in annuals skills validation and selected other pertinent education. Required class time would be compensated at the appropriate rate of pay, and in-house education offered by Harborview at no cost to classified staff would also be free to per diem nurses.

Tentative Agreements

The parties reached tentative agreements on the following provisions. UW “unbundled” these provisions from previous all-or-nothing package proposals as a gesture to facilitate movement, expressing its hope that SEIU 1199 would do the same.

Article 13: Employment Practices

  • Staffing – The parties tentatively agreed to consolidate and incorporate nurse staffing policy as well as the contract’s existing appendix regarding nurse staffing into the body of the contract.

Article 15: Leaves of Absence

  • Family and Medical Leave Act – The parties tentatively agreed to formatting updates to the article, and UW agreed to withdraw its proposal to require employees to use a portion of their accrued paid leave for leave under FMLA.

New Memorandum of Understanding

  • Skills Day – The parties tentatively agreed to a paid skills day for respiratory therapists comprised of internal education focused on job specific competency training, for which payment will be dictated by contract’s language on mandatory inservice education.

Next Steps

The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for July 27. Since the contract has expired, the previous contract will remain in effect until the parties negotiate a successor agreement.