Labor Relations

UW – SEIU 925 Negotiations Recap July 30 & August 1, 2018

Background

This recap details portions of the sixth and seventh 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.

Tentative Agreements

On August 1, the parties signed tentative agreements to close the following provisions:

  • Article 7 – Employee Rights
    • Maintained current contract language but updated pronouns to be gender neutral (which will be done throughout the CBA)
  • Article 25 – Leave Due to Family Care Emergencies
    • Modified the article from child care to family care in accordance with the relevant laws, and added compensatory time, holiday credit, and personal holiday to the list of allowable leave types that can be used
  • Article 36 – Corrective Action/Dismissal
    • Maintained current contract language
  • Article 40 – Mandatory Subjects
    • Added language stating that a valid request to bargain must include at least three available dates and times to meet

Union Proposals

Hours of Work – The Union maintained its proposal to consider employees working three twelve-hour shifts to be full-time.

SEIU 925 accepted the Employer’s proposed language to harmonize clean-up periods with WFSE, and proposed to retain current language on rest and meal break sections.

The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal that stated adjustments to the hours of daily work shifts during the same work week would not constitute a temporary schedule change, and overtime-eligible employee’s daily start and/or end time could be adjusted by two hours.

Temporary Appointments – SEIU 925 maintained its proposal that would require the Employer to apply months of service in a temporary appointment toward an employee’s probationary period for a permanent position, as long as the movement was to the same position in the unit.

Fixed Duration Appointments (FDA) – SEIU 925 maintained its proposal that the Employer would provide the Union a list of each newly assigned or extended FDA and/or temporary appointment, including a justification for each position, on a monthly basis.

The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal to eliminate language stating that FDAs may only be used to fill leave of absences and/or temporary projects.

Trial Service Period – The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal to increase the trial service period for transfers to six months, which was intended to create a uniform length for all appointment types (including promotion and lateral movement).

Rest Between Shifts – SEIU 925 maintained its proposal to create a rest between shifts premium of one and one half times an employee’s regular rate of pay for eight hours for the following scenarios:

  • Employees working twelve hour shifts who did not receive a rest of at least ten and one-half hours between regularly scheduled shifts
  • Employees working eight or ten hour shifts who did not receive a rest of at least twelve hours between regularly scheduled shifts
  • Employees called back to work, whether or not on standby, if that work did not provide the appropriate rest length before the next scheduled shift, as described above

Tuition Exemption – In response to UW’s proposal to retain current contract language regarding tuition exemption, SEIU 925 withdrew its proposals to expand the program beyond permanent employees and to include fee-based and extension programs.  SEIU 925 maintained its proposal to expand the program to include distance learning, and to include notice of eligibility for tuition exemption in new employee orientation.

Suspended Operations – The Union rejected the Employer’s initial proposal to eliminate the option of makeup time to account for hours not worked during suspended operations.

Performance Evaluations – SEIU 925 proposed to integrate UW’s proposed language memorializing the process for UWMC employees currently doing their evaluations in Workday.  The Union rejected the Employer’s remaining proposals in the article, in favor of current contract language.

Union Activities – In response to the Employer’s proposal to strike the Union business activities article due to redundancy with the Union activities, rights and stewards article, the Union proposed a package.  The proposed package would eliminate the Union business activities article in exchange for:

  • Added language allowing for employees to absent themselves from work in order to work with the Union on a temporary basis, with supervisory approval
  • Use of accrued leave for Union business activities could be used in any order
  • Added language stating that a second steward could be present for training purposes, with no limit on the frequency
  • Maintaining current contract language regarding use of State facilities
  • Modification of the Employer’s proposed language regarding information requests to eliminate any reference to costs associated with a request

UW Proposals

Union Activities – In response to the Union’s package, UW modified its proposal by doing the following:

  • Integrated the Union’s proposed language allowing for employees to absent themselves to work with the Union on a temporary basis, with supervisory approval
  • Modified prior proposal regarding the order an employee could use leave for Union business activities, to state an employee would follow the order unless it would result in the loss of vacation time
  • Added language clarifying that a second steward could be present for training purposes as an observer only, and not paid as a second steward more than once
  • Maintained proposed language stating 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
  • Modification of the Employer’s proposed language regarding information requests stating that if applicable, the parties would discuss any costs associated with a request and the amount the Union may pay for receipt of the information

Personal Services – UW withdrew its proposal to strike the provision stating it is inappropriate and contrary to University policy to assign tasks of a personal nature and proposed to move that provision to a side letter, unchanged as to substance.

Grievance Procedure – UW maintained its proposal to increase the amount of time the University has to respond after a step two hearing from fifteen to thirty days, and withdrew any other proposals in the grievance article.

Vacation – UW maintained its proposal on new language clarifying rules around vacation leave maximums.  The Employer proposed new language stating that either party could suggest new departmental procedures or changes to the existing vacation request process, and that would be an appropriate JLM agenda item.

UW proposed language stating that upon request, the Employer would provide a reason in writing for any vacation denial.

Layoff Seniority Units – In response to the Union’s proposal to consolidate the current list of ninety-four layoff seniority units down to four, UW proposed a list containing thirty-four units.  The Employer’s proposal was largely based on the existing WFSE layoff unit list, and modified slightly to include all areas with SEIU 925 staff.

Workplace Behavior – UW rejected the Union’s proposal to expand the current contract provision on workplace behavior to include specific anti-bullying language, in part because the contract language has only been in place for a partial contract cycle.  Additionally, the Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to allow grievances alleging a violation of the workplace behavior article to be taken further in the grievance process.

Presentation by University Complaint Investigation and Resolution Office (UCIRO)

Ian Meserle, manager of UCIRO, joined the parties on July 30 to discuss their role in investigating complaints that a University employee has violated the University’s non-discrimination and/or non-retaliation policies.  Ian described UCIRO as a neutral place for concerns to be heard.

UCIRO faces challenges as the number of investigations remains on the rise and resources are limited.  Their approach centers around in-person interviews rather than intake forms, and the personalized approach while more thorough, is time consuming.  Investigations are taking longer to complete than the University would like, but UCIRO remains committed to processing them as efficiently and expediently as possible.

Next Steps

The next UW-SEIU 925 bargaining session is scheduled for August 10.