Negotiations Recap for December 19, 2016
This recap summarizes the fourth session to incorporate pharmacy technicians and imaging technologist supervisory employees at Harborview Medical Center into the SEIU 1199 collective bargaining agreement.
Clarification on Imaging Technologist Education/QA Employees
SEIU 1199 rejected UW’s proposal to have the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) clarify confusion over the appropriate bargaining unit for imaging technologist education/QA employees.
UW reiterated that the legal documentation the union is applying to these employees specifically excludes non-supervisors such as the imaging technologist education/QA job class from the unit. UW made clear that it is not contesting the union’s right to represent these employees, but emphasized the importance of correcting this discrepancy to avoid leaving employees in an ambiguous legal situation.
UW explained that the University’s practice of allowing union organizing efforts and representation petitions to proceed without involving third-party hearings and additional legal processes only works when the union is willing to work collaboratively through details and errors.
UW Proposals
UW proposed moving imaging technologist supervisors onto a pay table with step values over 12 percent greater than their current pay table, in a way that would ensure that they are paid the same if not more than before. Most of these employees are currently off-step, and this move would create new room for wage growth through additional pay steps.
UW proposed clarifications to its previous proposal on hours of work and overtime, and that management maintain the status quo regarding educational and professional development for imaging technologist supervisors and pharmacy technicians for the remainder of the current contract.
UW proposed that imaging technologist supervisors and education/QA employees participate in the same joint labor-management (JLM) meetings, and to increase the pharmacy technician representatives during JLM meetings to four.
Next Steps
The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for January 6, 2017.