UW – UWHA Negotiations Recap for August 12, 2019
Background
This recap details the fifth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and UWHA. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.
Union Initial Proposals
Retroactive Wages – UWHA proposed that all wages agreed upon in this contract would be retroactive to July 1, 2019.
Bereavement Leave – UWHA proposed an increase from one to two additional days for significant travel in the event of a death of a resident’s family member.
WA Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) – UWHA proposed that the employer would pay the full PFML premium cost. Additionally, UWHA proposed to have the ability to supplement pay during PFML with sick and/or vacation time off.
Pregnancy Accommodation – UWHA proposed additional language to add consideration of radiation exposure for a resident who is the birth mother during pregnancy and two month post-partum. Additionally, proposed language states that if occupational hazards such at CT radiation exposure should occur during clinical duty, it would be encouraged for the resident to request an accommodation/schedule change.
Holiday Leave – UWHA proposed to add the Resident’s Birthday as an additional paid holiday. The Union proposed language to define a paid holiday as commencing at 12:00 AM on the calendar date for a twenty-four hour consecutive period ending at 12:00 AM the day after the holiday.
UWHA proposed that if a resident does have to work on a holiday, they would receive an additional 1/365th of their annual salary as compensation. The Union proposed that annual unused paid personal holiday credit would be paid out to residents at 1/365th of their annual salary.
Leave Related to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking – UWHA proposed a new section stating that the Employer would provide time off to an employee or an employee assisting a family member who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
Professional Leave – UWHA proposed an increase to residents’ paid professional leave allowance from five to ten days minimum per academic year. Additionally, the Union proposed that unused professional leave days could be rolled over to subsequent years, with a maximum cap of fifteen days in a single academic year.
Licensing Leave – UWHA proposed that residents would receive paid licensing leave separate from professional leave, to take required licensing and/or certification exams.
Sick Leave – UWHA proposed to add language stating that sick time off accumulated and unused should be paid out to residents at the completion of their training program in a lump sum at the rate of 1/365th of their annual salary. The Union proposed to eliminate current language stating that it’s a shared responsibility of faculty and residents to assure coverage during absences, and excessive absenteeism may result in corrective action.
Vacation Leave – UWHA proposed an increase of minimum vacation leave from twenty-one to twenty-eight days total (increasing from fifteen to twenty weekdays, and from six to eight weekend days) at the beginning of each one year appointment period. The Union proposed that unused vacation leave would be paid out in a lump sum at the end of each appointment year at the rate of 1/365th the residents’ annual salary.
UWHA proposed new language stating that if a vacation period is scheduled in such a way that it overlaps with or is adjacent to an unscheduled day(s), the unscheduled day(s) would not be counted as vacation time off used.
Moonlighting – UWHA proposed to incorporate certain definitions from the existing GME policy on working outside of the training program, into the moonlighting contract provision. The Union proposed a revision in the requirements by eliminating language stating that the resident must be performing at or above average in their programs, and instead proposed that the residents be meeting the requirements of their programs.
UWHA proposed that program directors would notify the Union of all extra pay for extra duty and internal moonlighting opportunities, and that the residents would not be arbitrarily denied as long as they are interested and eligible. UWHA proposed that denials of eligibility and assignment would be grievable.
Professional Development – UWHA proposed to increase professional development funds from $350 to $500 per resident, per year. The Union proposed that residents may roll over unused funds to successive training years, up to a total of $2,000. UWHA proposed an increase to the amount of time residents have to submit reimbursements from thirty to sixty days and, proposed that items purchased by the resident would remain the property of the resident.
Licensing – UWHA proposed language stating that residents would be completely reimbursed for full professional license fees, DEA licensure, registration for specialty-specific board exams, one professional organization within the specialty of the resident, all required educational expenses, and all required equipment.
Scheduling – UWHA proposed that residents would receive sixty days’ advance notice of their rotation schedule, to include work hours, days on and off duty and work location.
Bulletin Boards – UWHA proposed that a bulletin board is established at each inpatient work site to display union related information.
Next Steps
The next UW-UWHA bargaining session is scheduled for August 15 during which the Employer will present its initial proposals.