Labor Relations

Negotiations Recap for January 6, 2017

This recap summarizes the fifth session to incorporate pharmacy technicians and imaging technologist supervisory employees at Harborview Medical Center into the SEIU 1199 collective bargaining agreement.

Summary of Proposals

Respectful Work Environment – In response to employees’ stated concerns, UW proposed memorializing the parties’ commitment to maintain a respectful work environment and prohibit retaliation against employees who make workplace behavior complaints. UW used language recently agreed to by SEIU 925 and WFSE.

Wages and Premiums

  • Imaging Technologist Education/QA Wages: UW proposed placing imaging technologist education/QA employees onto a bargaining unit pay table at their current rate of pay until their next periodic increment date, at which time they would move to step S.
  • Premiums: UW proposed adding certification pay for qualifying imaging technologist supervisors and education/QA employees, and memorializing existing practices for pharmacy technicians.

Preceptor and Training Programs – In response to pharmacy technicians’ appeal for a more formalized training process, UW proposed committing the parties to meet to formulate a structured training program.

Lateral Movement – UW would accept the union’s proposal to allow pharmacy technicians to transfer between outpatient and inpatient settings, provided that employees performing such a transfer across settings serve a six month trial service period.

Posting Work Schedules – SEIU 1199 proposed to maintain the status quo on posting work schedules for imaging technologist supervisors, and that changes to how schedules are posted would require mutual consent.

Union Representatives – UW accepted SEIU 1199’s proposal for four of pharmacy technician union delegates and one imaging technologist supervisor delegate, and proposed that imaging technologist supervisors and education/QA employees share the same pool of paid hours for delegate training.

Layoff Units – UW was agreeable to the union’s notion of the pharmacy technician series sharing their own layoff unit, and proposed grouping imaging technologist supervisors into their own layoff unit, and grouping imaging technologist education/QA employees with other imaging technologists.

Next Steps

The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for January 10, 2017.