Labor Relations

UW – SEIU 1199 Negotiations Recap for June 4 and 5, 2019

Background

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

Tentative Agreements

The parties tentatively agreed to the following:

  • Article 7 – Union Membership, Dues Deduction, and Status Reports
    • Retained current contract language
  • Article 14 – Employment Practices
    • New language clarifies that confirmed payroll underpayment errors will be corrected on the employee’s subsequent available pay check, unless an on demand check is requested
  • Article 28 – Health Insurance and Pension
    • Incorporated agreement reached through statewide bargaining with the Health Care Authority
  • Article 34 – Duration of Agreement
    • Upon ratification – June 30, 2021
  • Article 40 – Mandatory Subject
    • Added language regarding scheduling of bargaining mandatory subjects, including a timeline of thirty days to begin bargaining, how information requests impact this timeline, and that requests to bargain must include at least three available dates and times to meet
  • MOU: Reporting Hours Worked for Per Diem Nurses
    • Eliminated outdated MOU

The parties tentatively agreed to 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 29 – Military Leave
  • Article 30 – Worker’s Compensation Leave
  • Article 42 – Union Activities
  • Article 43 – RN Extended Leave

SEIU 1199 Counters

Across-the-board wage increase The Union proposed an across-the-board wage increase of 4.5 percent on the first available pay period following ratification, and another 4.5 percent effective July 1, 2020.

Premiums – The Union maintained its proposal to increase the following shift differentials for non-RN titles, but countered with a July 1, 2020 implementation date:

  • Evening Shift – Increase from $1.50 to $2.50 per hour
  • Night Shift – Increase from $2.25 to $4.00 per hour
  • Weekend Shift – Increase from $1.50 to $4.00 per hour

Certification Pay The Union maintained its proposal to increase the certification premium for all eligible job classes from $1.00 to $1.25, but countered with an increase implementation date of July 1, 2020.

Vacation The Union maintained its proposals to increase vacation accrual rates, that management be required to approve vacation requests take place within four weeks of the request’s submission, and that members be allowed to cash out vacation hours if they accrue above the 240 hour cap.

Employer Counters

U-PASS and Parking – The Employer presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety.  Within sixty days upon ratification, the UW proposed that employees with an active permanent appointment equal to or greater than a .5 FTE would not be charge a fee for a U-PASS.  In exchange, the Employer proposed that the Union would retain current contract language allowing the Employer to apply changes in transportation policy, including adjustment to parking, without obligation to bargain with the Union.

Negotiations for Successor Agreement The UW proposed to strike language detailing the number of sessions and when bargaining would begin in favor of the parties coordinating those details.  The Employer maintained its most recent proposal that the Employer would arrange for negotiation rooms and provide paid release time for two bargaining team members to attend Statewide Healthcare Coalition Bargaining.

ALNW Employer Proposals

Nurse replacement – The Employer maintained its proposal to pay for sick leave coverage in accordance with the current hours of work and overtime contract language.

Shift Differentials The Employer maintained its proposal to pay evening and night shift differentials at ALNW in the same manner as is done at HMC.

Certification Pay – The Employer maintained its proposal to provide certification pay in accordance with HMC language, which does not include payment for certifications that are required to perform an employee’s job.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Committee Presentation

Martine Pierre-Louise, co-chair of the Harborview Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, provided an overview of the committee’s work, including the history of its formation, challenges it has faced, needs it has identified, and work being done to address issues of bias and disparity at Harborview Medical Center.

Next Steps

The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for June 12.