Labor Relations

UW – SEIU 1199 Negotiations Recap for May 7, 2019

Background

This recap details the fourth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and SEIU 1199. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.

Compensation Discussion

Milliman Classified Staff Salary Study – UW HR Compensation presented an analysis of how the compensation for fourteen 1199NW benchmark jobs compares to market. The benchmarks include jobs in nursing, pharmacy, respiratory care, social work as well as technicians in electroneurodiagnostic and anesthesiology. The analysis is based on salary data (actual data) from the published 2019 NW Healthcare Milliman survey.

Philosophy – The UW’s general compensation philosophy for classified staff is to target the median (middle, or 50th percentile) of our relevant labor market. The university’s threshold for market range adjustments for classified positions is 80% of the market median for non-healthcare classifications and 90% of the market median for healthcare classifications, if there are documented recruitment and retention challenges within that classification. The market median (or 50th percentile) is the point at which half of UW’s comparators pay below and half pay above.

Findings – Base pay for all job classes in the salary study is above 90% of the market median, while almost half of the benchmark job classes have base pay above 100% of the market median.

Milliman Survey Analysis: UW Classified Staff Salary Study

Harborview Financial Presentation

Kera Dennis, Associate Administrator for Harborview Finance, delivered a presentation reviewing Harborview’s financial situation and summarizing historical trends, financial health and associated risks, and updates to the Financial Improvement and Transformation (FIT) project. Risks to the financial plan include local risks such as Harborview’s achievement of volume projections and physical plant capacity, as well as global risks such as the current political environment.

The financial presentation is available online.

SEIU 1199 Initial Proposals

Organizational Equity and Inclusion (OEI)

SEIU 1199 presented a multi-pronged proposal regarding organizational equity and inclusion, highlighting the Union’s desire to work with the Employer to enable greater accountability, culture change, prevention, reframing, resourcing and systemic change.  The Union emphasized the importance of a diverse and valued workforce where patients and staff are treated with respect, dignity and equity.  Highlights of the proposal include:

  • JLM – SEIU 1199 proposed a new Joint Labor/Management Committee composed of high level operational leaders and Human Resources from the Employer and Union leadership that would work to achieve a workplace that embraces and demonstrates organizational equity, inclusion and racial justice. The committee would be composed of equal numbers of participants, but no less than fifteen from the Employer and fifteen from the Union.
  • Workshops – SEIU 1199 proposed that all members of the OEI JLM Committee would attend at least two Employer provided all-day (eight hour) workshops on paid time, intended to increase skill and awareness on hidden bias, cultural competency and leadership skills, after which the JLM would create a work plan that includes identification of issues within the workplace. There would be follow-up joint work to address bias and change regarding issues identified and ongoing workshops.
  • Urgent Action Structure – SEIU 1199 proposed to form a Labor and Management OEI Leadership Team to hear and coach labor and management on issues that arise related to organizational equity and inclusion to work towards resolution. This team would be responsible for the intake of complaints, reporting, investigation, resolution and aftercare processes.
  • Data Analysis – SEIU 1199 proposed that the Employer provide the Union with copies of the hospital plan for equity and inclusion, as well as policies and practices for responding to discriminatory patient behavior and/or accusations of discrimination. Additionally, the proposal would require to Employer to provide the Union with ongoing quarterly data for all hospital employees regarding various data points including but not limited to:
    • Race and ethnicity
    • Pay range
    • Employees subject to disciplinary action
    • Employees who applied internally for a promotion and did not receive the position
    • Employee turnover

Multi-union and University-wide Diversity and Inclusion Efforts – SEIU 1199 proposed a side letter agreed to in coalition bargaining with SEIU 925, WFSE and SEIU 1199 Research/Hall Health Bargaining unit, stating that the Employer would provide managers and supervisors information regarding the University’s existing Staff Diversity Hiring Toolkit, and provide the Unions with a list of trainings centered on aspects of diversity, equity and inclusion. The proposal states that the Employer would create a position in the UW Human Resources Recruitment dedicated to designing, developing and implementing innovative outreach programs using diversity and inclusion best practices, and that SEIU 1199 would select one member to be appointed to the University of Washington Diversity Council.

Tracking Discrimination and Bias – SEIU 1199 proposed a side letter agreed to in coalition bargaining with SEIU 925, WFSE, and SEIU 1199 Research/Hall Health Bargaining unit, stating that the Employer would (one time) email bargaining unit employees information regarding the availability and purpose of the University’s bias reporting tool.  Additionally, the Employer would provide the Union with a copy of an annual report quantifying discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as reported to several UW entities.

UW Initial Proposals – Language Clean-up

The UW proposed language clean-up on the following articles. The proposed changes include terminology updates, clarifications to existing language, and edits to reflect current law and policy.

  • Article 3 – Reasonable Accommodation of Employees with Disabilities
  • Article 13 – Tuition Exemption Program
  • Article 16 – Holidays
  • Article 18 – Sick Leave
  • Article 20 – Miscellaneous Leave
  • Article 24 – Unpaid Holidays for a Reason of Faith or Conscience
  • Article 26 – Civil/Jury Duty Leave and Bereavement Leave
  • Article 27 – Leave Related to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking
  • Article 29 – Military Leave
  • Article 30 – Worker’s Compensation Leave
  • Article 42 – Union Activities
  • Article 43 – RN Extended Leave

Tentative Agreements

The Employer proposed to tentatively agree to current contract language in the following unopened articles:

  • Preamble
  • Article 1 – Purpose
  • Article 4 – Recognition/Employer
  • Article 5 – Affirmative Action
  • Article 8 – Employee Facilities
  • Article 12 – Scholarship Fund-RN’s
  • Article 22 – Management Rights & Responsibilities
  • Article 23 – Performance of Duty
  • Article 31 – Health & Safety
  • Article 32 – Subordination of Agreement & Saving Clause
  • Article 33 – Complete Agreement
  • Article 35 – Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace
  • Article 44 – Classifications and Reclassification
  • Article 46 – Privacy
  • Appendix IX: HCS New Hire Wages

The Employer proposed to tentatively agree to eliminate the following memoranda of understanding (MOUs), as proposed by both parties:

  • END Technologist Market Increases
  • Healthcare Specialist Wage Increases
  • Imaging Technologist Supervisor Pay Range Increases
  • JLM Team Members & Union Delegate Training
  • JLM Workgroup Pertaining to Inpatient Social Work
  • Lump Sum Payment
  • New Salary Steps
  • Non-monetary Steps
  • Social Work Assistant 2 Wage Increases
  • Union Roster Reports Post Workday Implementation

Next Steps

The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for May 22.  Airlift Northwest specific sessions will be held on May 9 and 14.