Labor Relations

UW – UAW Negotiations Recap for May 14, 2018

Background

This recap details the nineteenth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and UAW, which expired on April 30, 2018. This was the third session to be facilitated by State-appointed mediators.  Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.

Tentative Agreements

On May 11, the parties met and signed tentative agreements to close the following provisions:

  • Article 8: Grievance Procedure
  • Article 16: Leaves of Absence
  • Article 17: Management Rights (maintain current contract language)
  • Article 18: No Strikes, No Lockouts (maintain current contract language)
  • Article 20: Parking and Transit (maintain current contract language)
  • Article 28: Union Rights
  • Article 29: Union Security (maintain current contract language)
  • MOU: HR/P and Union Security (eliminate MOU)
  • MOU: Job Titles and Classifications (eliminate MOU)
  • MOU: Micro-Aggressions (eliminate MOU and move content to Article 19 Non-Discrimination and Harassment)
  • MOU: Regularly Scheduled Arbitration Hearings Pilot (eliminate MOU and move modified content to Article 8 Grievance Procedure)
  • MOU: GAIP 2015-2018 Implementation (eliminate MOU)
  • New MOU: Paid Family and Medical Leave Premiums

On May 14, the parties signed tentative agreements to close the following provisions:

  • Article 19: Non-Discrimination and Harassment
    • Beginning academic year 2018-19 and every year thereafter, the Union and the University would jointly develop an equity survey for all ASEs focused on ASE-specific concerns. Baseline questions would be jointly developed and used throughout the life of the contract. Any department or hiring unit would be able to create a department specific survey with additional questions, as a voluntary component.  Following the survey, the parties would jointly hold a joint labor management meeting to discuss the results and strategize further steps for promoting equity, inclusion, transparency, and accountability.
  • New MOU: Sexual Harassment and Prevention Training
    • The UW has agreed to pay for two 0.5 ASE employees to partner with SafeCampus to develop and deploy a sexual harassment and prevention training program to address ASE specific issues.

Package Proposals

The parties each presented comprehensive package proposals, in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety.

Insurance Programs

UAW Proposal: UAW proposed 95% coverage for all in-network mental health services, subject to 5% co-insurance and a waived deductible.  The Union maintained its proposal for coverage for trans-affirming services to include procedures currently deemed cosmetic by the insurer.  The insurer could pay for non-covered services after an individual review process.

UAW proposed an 80/20 split for dependent premiums in which the Employer would pay 80% and the ASE would pay 20%.  The Union maintained its proposal that coverage for ASEs would be maintained at its current level of 100%.

UW Proposal: UW proposed to waive the $75 quarterly deductible for unlimited visits to network mental health providers. UW proposed to expand the current coverage for gender reassignment and trans-affirming procedures, providing a more comprehensive coverage than is available to any other PEBB eligible State employee.

UW would continue paying 100% of the premiums for ASEs and 65% of the premiums for dependents.

Childcare

The parties have each proposed to increase the funds from $900 to $1,250 per quarter per eligible ASE for childcare expenses.  UW has proposed to increase the University’s commitment to ASE childcare expenses from $45,000 to $50,000.  UAW maintained its proposal to increase the available childcare funds to $60,000.

Wages

UAW Proposal: UAW maintained its proposal to retain current contract language that ties ASE compensation at UW to the Global Challenge States (GCS).  The Union proposed base pay and hourly rate increases of at least 3% on July 1, 2018, 6% on July 1, 2019, and 6% increase on July 1, 2020.  Variable rates would be increased by at least 3% each year.

UW Proposal: UW maintained its proposal to eliminate language that would tie ASE compensation at UW to the Global Challenge States (GCS), citing that the University is currently paying at the median of the GCS and is in favor of moving toward more predictable salary increases that departments can budget for.  UW maintained its proposed increases at 2% on July 1, 2018, 2% on July 1, 2019, and 2% on July 1, 2020.

Fee Waivers

UAW Proposal: UAW maintained its proposal that the University shall cover all tuition and fees for ASEs with a 50% appointment, and the costs of implementing any part of the collective bargaining agreement would be borne by the central administration, not departments.

UW Proposal: UW maintained its proposal that eligible ASEs would continue to receive a fee waiver for the operating fee, building fee and technology fee, thus fees would be maintained at status quo.

Next Steps

The parties will work with the mediators to determine additional bargaining dates.