University of Washington Human Resources

RFPU – UW Negotiations Recap for Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Background
This recap details the eleventh virtual session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and the Resident and Fellow Physicians Union (RFPU). Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.

Tentative Agreements
The parties tentatively agreed to the following:

Article 9 – Housestaff Advisory Committee

• The parties agreed to current contract language.

Article 10 – Leave Bereavement

• The parties agreed to adjusting the title of this article to Time Off – Bereavement and to include miscarriage or stillbirth as a death of a family member within the parameters of this leave type.

RFPU Counter Proposals
The Union presented a package proposal that included the following:

Article 1: Definitions
Included in this package proposal was the Employer’s proposal from February 16th.

Article 14: Leave Professional
Included in this package proposal was the Employer’s proposal on May 4th.

Article 16: Leave Vacation
Definition
The Union maintains that a vacation day is a calendar day off (12am – 11:59pm) and a vacation day would be requested by the individual Resident and could not be assigned.
Post-Call Day
The Union proposed that the first eight hours after a post-call day would not be considered part of a vacation day for the purposes of providing an adequate rest period for the Resident.

Article 24: Transportation
Parking During Nights and Weekends
The Union proposed maintaining their proposal that nights would be defined as 4pm to 11am the following day.
On-Call Parking
The Union maintained that Residents would have access to parking at no charge when called into any hospital while on home-call.
Emergency/Safe Ride Home Program
The Union proposed removing the qualifier extreme as a descriptor proceeding fatigue.

Article 25: Union Activities
Included in this package proposal was the Employer’s proposal on February 23rd.

Article 26: Duration
Included in this package proposal was the Employer’s proposal on February 16th.

New Article: Scheduling, Hours, Patient Care
Schedule Release
The Union reverted to current contract language regarding when schedules would be provided to Residents.
Hours
The Union reduced their proposed days off per calendar month from six to five. Additionally, for all work beyond 70 hours in one week, Residents proposed reducing the amount of pay from $75 per hour to $17. The Union proposed that in accordance with ACGME requirements, Residents would be given eight hours off between scheduled clinical work and education periods. Residents would also have at least fourteen hours free of clinical work and education after twenty-four continuous hours of in-house call.
Home Call
The Union proposed that if called in from home call, Residents would be given a minimum of fourteen hours off after completion of clinical work and next assigned clinical work or education periods.

UW Counter Proposals
The Employer presented a package proposal that included the articles below:

Article 22: Salary/Stipend
Housestaff Salary/Allowance
The Employer proposed that if ratified before July 10, the UW GME salary scheduled would be recalibrated with a three percent increases effective July 1, 2022. The salary schedule would be increased by an additional two and a half percent on July 1, 2023. On July 1, 2024, the salary schedule would be increased by an additional two percent. Additionally, the annual allowance was increased from $2500 to $5000 per academic year.

Article 3: Childcare
Other than the section below, the Employer’s proposal has not changed from previous versions.
Lactation Accommodation
The Employer proposed that each program, in collaboration with training sites, would create and share a procedure to adjust breastfeeding-mothers’ schedules to protect adequate time for regular milk expression and pumping during the workday.

Article 6: Fringe Benefits
The Employer removed their proposal regarding the relocation fund based on feedback from Union attendees.

Article 8: Health and Safety
Included in this package proposal was the Employer’s Article 8 proposal from May 4th.

Article 14: Leave Professional
Included in this package proposal was the Employer’s proposal from April 6th.

Article 16: Leave Vacation
Vacation Time Off
The Employer proposed that a vacation day would be one continuous twenty-four hour period free from all administrative, clinical, and educational activities. Also that when possible, this vacation day would be scheduled as a calendar day off.

Article 17: Management Rights
Included in this package proposal was the current contract language regarding Article 17.

Article 18: Working Outside of the Training Program
Included in this package proposal was the current contract language regarding Article 18.

Article 19: No Strikes/No Lockouts
Included in this package proposal was the current contract language regarding Article 19.

Article 24: Transportation
Changes to Parking Policies and Rates
The Employer proposed that the University would not make changes to parking rates or policy that would require Residents to pay a higher rate than other classified staff.

Article 25: Union Activities
Included in this package proposal was the Employer’s Article 25 proposal on February 23rd.

Next Steps
The next RFPU and UW bargaining session is scheduled for Wednesday, June 15, 2022 and will be held virtually.