Labor Relations

UW – WFSE Negotiations Recap August 14, 2018

Background

This recap details portions of the tenth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and WFSE, 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 60 – Represented Regular Temporary Employees
    • Maintained current contract language with housekeeping edits
  • MOU – House Bill 2669
    • New MOU stating that the parties will meet and discuss possible amendments to the collective bargaining agreement after civil service rules are amended following the passing of a recent House Bill that removed the exemption of part-time employees from state civil service rules.

UW Proposals

Disability Separation – UW rejected the entirety of WFSE’s proposal to allow employees who are disability separated to have eighteen months to request placement on certain rehire lists.

Trial Service Period – UW maintained its proposal to increase the trial service period for transfers to six months, in order to create a uniform length for all appointment types (including promotion and lateral movement).

Performance Evaluations – UW modified its proposal to state that performance evaluations may include a description of the job related factors currently listed in the article (now required).

New Employees – UW proposed to integrate language from a related MOU to memorialize current orientation practice which is required for new employees from the Seattle main campus.  The Employer proposed language in compliance with a recent law change to allow the Union access to new employees (30 minute minimum) within ninety days of hire, if the new employees did not attend orientation.

Union Proposals

WFSE put forth a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety.  Provisions included:

Double Shifts – WFSE maintained its proposal stating that employees would not be required to work more than sixteen consecutive hours, including rest breaks and lunch periods (a double shift).

Schedule Assignment Notification – WFSE maintained its proposal for the Employer to pay one additional hour if a temporary schedule change is made within less than two days, and if an employee came in and was sent home early, the Employer would pay for half of the hours not worked.

WFSE maintained its proposal to increase the amount of notice required for a permanent shift change from fourteen days to thirty.

Fixed Duration Appointments (FDAs) – WFSE incorporated the Employer’s most recent proposal eliminating language that said FDAs may only be used to fill leave of absences and/or temporary projects, and retained language stating FDAs may not be used to fill permanent positions.

Civil/Jury Duty Leave – WFSE maintained its proposal that employees would not be expected to work the night shift before or after they are to report jury duty, and modified its proposal to state that upon request, the Employer would change the employee’s schedule to accommodate civil duty leave.

Bereavement Leave – WFSE maintained its proposal for the Employer to approve leave requests for up to a total of five days per year in the event of the death of an aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, first cousin, and/or corresponding relatives of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner (not covered by the definition of family member).

Steward Representational Duties –WFSE maintained its proposal that would require the Employer to release members of the Union’s bargaining team for all bargaining sessions.

Joint Union/Management Committees – WFSE modified its proposal on ad hoc JLMs to state that upon request from either party, up to twenty-four meetings for individual departments or specific workplace issues would be scheduled during the contract cycle.  Additional meetings could be scheduled by mutual agreement.

Contracting – WFSE modified its proposal to state the Employer would notify the Union and satisfy its contractual obligations before contracting out bargaining unit work, and in the event of emergencies, would notify the Union as soon as practicable.  The Union proposed that the Employer would provide an annual list of anticipated projects involving historically and customarily contracted out work, and upon request, meet to discuss.

Next Steps

The next UW-WFSE bargaining session has not been scheduled.  Coalition bargaining over economic items with SEIU 925 and SEIU 1199NW Research/Hall Health Bargaining Unit is scheduled to begin on August 15 & 16.