UW – SEIU 1199 Negotiations Recap for May 9, 2017
Background
This recap details the 5th session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and SEIU 1199. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.
Tentative Agreements
The parties signed tentative agreements to close the following provisions:
- Article 2 – Nondiscrimination
- Article 4 – Recognition/Employer
- Article 13 – Employment Practices
- Article 19 – Classification
- Article 20 – Reclassification
- Article 29 – Health Insurance and Pension
- Article 31 – Health and Safety
- Article 34 – Duration of Agreement
- New Article – Leave Related to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking
- MOU: Commitment to Staff Consistent with Approved Plans
- MOU: Medical Errors
- MOU: Respiratory Therapists Skills Day
Subcommittee Regarding Standardizing Language Amongst Union Contracts
The subcommittee reconvened to complete discussions regarding language standardization for various leave related provisions.
The subcommittee agreed upon minor language changes to provisions related to the following:
- FMLA and parental Leave
- Leave due to child care emergencies
- Reasonable accommodation of employees with disabilities
- Miscellaneous leave (including leave without pay, educational leave, etc.)
The provision proposals were distributed to both the union and UW for independent review. The proposals will likely be discussed by all at the next bargaining session.
SEIU 1199 Proposals
Nondiscrimination – SEIU 1199 maintained their proposal for the development of non-discrimination related training and UW agreed to separately address that issue with an MOU proposal at a later session. The parties tentatively agreed on the remainder of the aspects of the nondiscrimination provision.
Privacy Rights – In response to UW’s proposal, SEIU 1199 proposed language to require the employer to inform the employee of a public disclosure request for any of their personnel related documents within seven days of receipt of the request.
UW later countered the union’s proposal with a new provision related to privacy rights. The provision proposed language stating that the employer would make a reasonable attempt to notify affected current employees when a public disclosure request, in which they are named, was received for information from their personnel file.
Hours of Work – In response to UW’s proposal, SEIU 1199 maintained their interest in retaining fixed scheduled shifts and hours or adjustable shifts for healthcare specialists and social workers.
In response to UW’s proposal, SEIU 1199 rejected the idea of eliminating fixed scheduled shifts and proposed that required scheduled shift changes would be limited to one per month with at least forty eight hours off between changes.
In response to UW’s proposal, SEIU 1199 maintained their proposal for a twelve hour rest break between shifts. The union proposed that all employees scheduled without the appropriate rest between scheduled shifts would be paid at time and one half for the entirety of the shift.
SEIU proposed that the work schedule provision would apply to pharmacy technicians.
UW Proposals
Committees – In response to SEIU 1199’s proposal, UW proposed an allowance of up to four bargaining unit representatives from different clinical areas for the social worker unit committee and the health care specialist unit committee.
UW maintained their proposal to hold JLM meetings quarterly.
Extended Leave – UW proposed a separate provision to address extended leave, with current contract language.
MOU: Social Work Ad Hoc JLM – In response to SEIU 1199’s proposal, UW presented an MOU that would implement a joint labor management partnership for evaluating social work practice which supports social workers to work at the top of their scope, optimize current resources, and ensure quality patient care.
Next Steps
The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for May 16.