Labor Relations

UW – SEIU 925 Negotiations Recap of Employer Initial Proposals

Background

This recap details the Employer’s proposals as presented over the fourth and fifth sessions for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and SEIU 925, set to expire on June 30, 2019. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.

Employer Initial Proposals

UW presented initial proposals regarding a series of new and existing provisions, including:

Non-Discrimination & Reasonable Accommodation of Employees with Disabilities – UW proposed to update the relevant articles to comply with University policy edits related to applicable law changes.

Grievance Procedure – UW proposed to extend the length of time the Employer has to respond in writing following a step two grievance from fifteen to thirty calendar days.

UW proposed language that would prohibit formal counseling from being grieved beyond step two.

Work Schedules – UW proposed to eliminate language stating that temporary shift changes within the work week shall not be employed to avoid the accrual of overtime, as this language was relevant before overtime was defined as work in excess of the daily shift.

UW proposed that adjustments to the hours of daily work shifts during the same work week would not constitute a temporary schedule change, and the employer would be able to adjust an overtime-eligible employee’s daily start and/or end time by two hours.

Rest Meal and Clean-up Periods – UW proposed to harmonize language between SEIU 925 and WFSE regarding meal periods, rest period, and reasonable clean-up time at the end of a shift.

Overtime – UW proposed to calculate overtime based only on paid holidays and time worked.  UW proposed to redefine overtime for part-time employees as work in excess of forty hours in one work week.

Fixed Duration Appointments (FDAs) – UW proposed to eliminate language stating that FDAs may only be used to fill leave of absences and/or temporary projects, to allow for more flexibility in the use of FDAs.

Movement between Positions – UW proposed to harmonize language detailing provisions related to the movement between positions within the University.  The proposal is aimed to harmonize language with the WFSE contract.

Trial Service Period – UW proposed to increase the trial service period for transfers to six months to align with the other appointment types (promotion and lateral movement).

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) – The Employer proposed to eliminate the provision stating the Employer cannot require the use of paid leave such that it would result in the employee having fewer than eighty hours of accrued vacation or sick time off upon return to work.

Shared Leave & Leave Related to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking – UW proposed to update the relevant articles to comply with University policy edits related to applicable law changes.

Suspended Operations – UW proposed to eliminate the option of makeup time to count for hours not worked during suspended operations.

Performance Evaluations – UW proposed to eliminate language prescribing the content of evaluation forms to allow for more flexibility in the ways the Employer could conduct evaluations.  The Employer also proposed language to align with current practice in which medical centers are doing performance evaluations in Workday.

Mandatory Subject/Demands to Bargain – UW proposed language that would require a demand to bargain to include at least three available dates and times the Union could meet, in order to be valid.  The Employer proposed to eliminate language stating that the thirty-day clock to bargain after a demand is filed would not be suspended while a related information request is being filled.

Currently the Employer shall approve paid release time for up to four employee representatives during eligible meetings or negotiations and UW proposed to reduce that to two employees.  Holiday credit was added as an additional leave type that could be used if additional representatives were approved to attend.

Use of State Resources – UW proposed new language stating that delegates and SEIU 925 members may use state owned/operated equipment to communicate with the Union and Employer for administering the collective bargaining agreement, and not in a manner prohibited by the Executive Ethics Board.

Information Requests – UW proposed new language regarding information requests detailing the process for submittal and review.  The proposed language states that if a Union submitted a request for information that the Employer believed was unclear or unreasonable, the parties would discuss relevance, necessity, and associated costs.

Salary Overpayment Recovery – UW proposed new language detailing the process for salary overpayment recovery in accordance with relevant state law.

Contracting Out – UW proposed to eliminate the standalone article on contracting and defer to the applicable state laws.

Contract Publication – UW proposed to eliminate language that requires each department or unit to maintain a paper copy of the contract available to all employees and to provide a link to the web contract.  The contract is widely known to be available on both the Union and the Labor Relations respective websites.

MOU Expedited Arbitration Pilot – UW proposed to extend the related MOU allowing the parties to utilize an expedited arbitration format upon mutual agreement.

Scholarship Fund for Medical Center Employees – UW proposed to extend the related MOU that established two scholarship committees, one for $50k at HMC and one for $50k at UWMC, for SEIU 925 and WFSE members to obtain scholarship funds toward a degree or certification required for employment in a healthcare field within the hospital.

Leave of Absence SEIU 925 Officer – UW proposed to extend the related MOU that would allow for an employee accepting a position as a Union Officer to be granted leave without pay for up to thirty-six months.

Public Record Requests and Privacy – UW proposed to extend the related MOU that requires Labor Relations to notify the Union of public records requests for information that directly concern and encompass all SEIU 925’S members.

Contact Center – UW proposed to eliminate language stating that the parties would hold monthly Joint Labor Management (JLM) meetings, held in part to monitor performance metrics.

Tentative Agreements

On July 18, the parties signed tentative agreements to close the following provisions and retain current contract language:

  • Preamble and Purpose
  • Article 1 Union Recognition
  • Article 8 Employee Facilities
  • Article 15 Inter-System Movement
  • Article 22 Child Care/Dependent Care
  • Article 24 Unpaid Holidays for a Reason of Faith or Conscience
  • Article 31 Health and Safety
  • Article 32 Uniform Requirement
  • Article 35 Personnel Files
  • Article 37 Employee Assistance Program
  • Article 39 Resignation and Abandonment
  • Article 43 Joint Union Management Committee
  • Article 44 Classifications and Reclassification
  • Article 50 No Strike/Lockout
  • Article 51 Travel Pay and Work Time
  • Article 54 Subordination of Agreement and Savings Clause
  • Article 57 Management Rights and Responsibilities

Subsequently the parties signed tentative agreements accepting the Employer’s initials proposals on the following:

  • Article 3 Reasonable Accommodation
  • Article 26 Civil/Jury Duty and Bereavement Leave
  • Article 27 Leave Related to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking
  • Article 29 Military Leave
  • Article 30 Work Related Injury Leave
  • Article 58 Duration
  • MOU – Administrative Classification Title Consolidation (eliminate)
  • MOU – Expedited Arbitration Pilot (retain)
  • MOU – Panel of Arbitrators (eliminate)
  • MOU – Pay Table Parity (eliminate)
  • MOU – Scholarship Fund for Medical Center Employees (retain)
  • MOU – Skilled Trade Job Classifications (eliminate)
  • MOU – Student Loan Debt (eliminate)
  • MOU – Transportation: Program and Rate Structures of Faculty/Staff UPASS and Parking at the University of Washington (eliminate)
  • MOU – Animal Tech Wages (eliminate)
  • MOU – Flow Cytometry Technologist (eliminate)
  • MOU – FLSA Changes (eliminate)
  • MOU – Health Care Bargaining Unit Merger (eliminate)
  • MOU – Health Care Technical Titles Bargaining Unit Placement (eliminate)
  • MOU – Instructional Technician Compensation (eliminate)
  • MOU – Leave of Absence SEIU 925 Officer (retain)
  • MOU – Medical Assistant Wages (eliminate)
  • MOU – OTA/PTA Recruitment and Retention (eliminate)
  • MOU – Phlebotomist Compensation (eliminate)
  • Side Letter A – New Contract Joint Communication (eliminate)
  • Side Letter C – Regular Temporary Employees (eliminate)
  • Side Letter H – Patient Financial Services Series Evaluation (eliminate)
  • Side Letter I – Polysomnographic Technologist (eliminate)

Next Steps

The next UW-SEIU 925 bargaining session is scheduled for July 30.