UW – SEIU 1199NW Research/Hall Health Bargaining Unit Negotiations Recap for August 9, 2018
Background
This recap details the third session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and the SEIU 1199NW Research/Hall Health Bargaining Unit, set to expire on June 30, 2019. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.
Tentative Agreements
The parties signed tentative agreements to close the following provisions:
- Article 8 – Educational and Professional Development
- Removed outdated and/or irrelevant language referring to CEARP, otherwise maintained current contract language
- Article 33 – Duration of Agreement
- The contract will be effective July 1, 2019-June 30, 2021
Employer Proposals
Union Delegates – Current contract language recognizes the right of the Union to designate five delegates, but does not prescribe their make-up any further. The Employer proposed that two delegates come from Hall Health and three from Research/School of Medicine, for more equal distribution. The proposed language stated that the Union would not designate more than one delegate per job description from Hall Health.
Preceptor – UW rejected the Union’s proposal to make any changes to preceptor language in the contract. The Union had proposed to eliminate language requiring a Hall Health RN2 or AARNP to complete a preceptor workshop or equivalent documented training before being appointed as a preceptor, but the Employer maintained its interest in retaining that language, and provided examples of suggested trainings that the staff have been offered to satisfy this requirement in the past.
Financial Presentation – Hall Health
Lavelle Brown, Director of Finance for Hall Health, shared data comparing actual numbers from fiscal years 2017 and 2018. In 2017, Hall Health ended the fiscal year with approximately a $2k loss. In FY 2018, Hall Health received approximately $246k less in subsidies from the University’s Services and Activities Fee from the prior year, and ended the year with a loss of approximately $629k. Salaries and other expenses remain on the rise as the number of visits has decreased. Hall Health continues to offer quality patient care, while insurance reimbursement rates continue to decline. Ms. Brown shared that if the current profit and loss patterns continue on trend, Hall Health would deplete its reserves within the next three years. A deficit recovery plan is currently in the review stages by the Office of Planning and Budgeting.
Next Steps
The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for August 29.