RFPU – UW Negotiations Recap for Wednesday, June 22, 2022
Background
This recap details the thirteenth 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 1 – Definitions
- The parties agreed to housekeeping edits.
Article 13 – Leave Miscellaneous
- The parties agreed to housekeeping edits and the new section below.
- The parties agreed that for leaves taken under Sections 1 (Parental Leave) and Sections 3 (Family Medical Leave), if an employee has exhausted their vacation and sick time off balances, the Employer will provide paid parental time off to cover the first six weeks of the first approved leave of absence taken. If an employee has exhausted all sick time off and has less than seven days of available vacation time off, at the end of the first six weeks of the first approved leave of absence taken, the Employer will add the difference between the remaining balance and seven days of vacation time off to the employee’s balance. In June 2024, the Employer will provide the Union with data on the number of employees to which this provision has applied. The Union may request a HAC meeting to discuss the data.
Article 14 – Leave Professional
- The parties agreed to including language that would accurately reflect current program policy.
Article 16 – Leave Vacation
- The parties agreed that a vacation day must be one continuous 24 hours period free from all administrative, clinical, and educational activities. When possible, a vacation day will be scheduled as a calendar day off.
Article 17 – Management Rights
- The parties agreed to current contract language.
Article 18 – Working Outside of the Training Program
- The parties agreed to current contract language.
Article 19 – No Strikes/No Lockouts
- The parties agreed to current contract language.
Article 20 – Non-Discrimination
- To increase access, the parties agreed to include the University’s Bias Reporting Tools.
- The parties agreed to language detailing the grievance process related to a violation of this article and outlining the interim measures that could be taken to accommodate.
Article 25 – Union Activities
- The parties agreed to housekeeping edits.
Article 26 – Duration
- The parties agreed to housekeeping edits.
UW Counter Proposals
The Employer proposed a package proposal that included the following:
Article 3 – Childcare
Included in this package proposal is the Employer’s proposal from June 15th.
Article 6 – Fringe Benefits
Included in this package proposal is the Employer’s proposal from June 15th.
Article 8 – Health and Safety
Workplace Violence
The Employer proposed that Residents may request to decline caring for patients who they reasonably believe pose a risk of workplace violence. Programs would make a good faith effort to accommodate Residents who experience workplace violence while considering patient care/safety and training requirements. Additionally, the Employer would provide information and access to health care benefits and the labor and industries claim process. The Employer would cover the cost of counseling if provided through the GME Wellness service.
Article 15 – Sick Leave
Included in this package proposal is the Employer’s proposal from March 23rd.
Article 22 – Salary/Stipend
Housestaff Salary/Allowance
The Employer proposed increasing the annual allowance from $2500 to $6000.
Article 24 – Transportation
Parking During Nights and Weekends
The Employer proposed to incorporate the terms the parties agreed to in a settlement agreement regarding nights and weekend parking for residents at UW facilities.
New Article – Scheduling
Included in this package proposal is the Employer’s proposal from June 15th.
RFPU Counter Proposals
The Union proposed a package proposal that included the following:
Article 3 – Childcare
Childcare Fund
The Union proposed reducing the fund to $300,000.
Lactation Accommodation
The Union proposed accepting the Employer’s language in this section while maintaining that Residents would be permitted to pump breast milk in workrooms and other locations other than pumping rooms.
Article 6 – Fringe Benefits
Meals
The Union proposed that meal reimbursements would apply for every ten hours worked including home call. Residents would receive an additional reimbursement when working on weekends or holidays. Additionally, that meal reimbursements for the first year would be $12 per meal and $13 per meal starting in the second year of this agreement.
Relocation
The Union proposed using the Employer’s language regarding relocation expenses.
Article 8 – Health and Safety
Workplace Violence Prevent
The Union proposed language that included the Employer’s proposal and added that the Employer would ensure employees will have access to medical care at no cost to the Resident.
Article 15 – Sick Leave
Included in this package proposal is the Employer’s proposal from March 23rd.
Article 22 – Salary/Stipend
Housestaff Salary/Allowance
The Union proposed an annual allowance of $10,000 in the first year, $10,500 in the second year, and $11,000 for the third year.
Chief Resident/Fellow Allowance
The Union proposed the chief resident would receive to $225 per month.
Article 24 – Transportation
Included in this package proposal is the Employer’s proposal from earlier in this session.
New Article – Scheduling
Hours
Recognizing that programs would need time to adjust, the Union proposed that Residents would not work beyond 75 hours in any week. Programs would phase in this requirement over the three years of this agreement so that for AY 22-23, the maximal per week hours would be 85. For AY 23-24, the maximum hours per week would be 80 hours. Starting in AY 24-25 the cap would be at 75 hours per week. Finally, that throughout this phase in, programs would remain compliant with ACGME requirements and would be able to offer EPED hours to Residents.
Home Call
The Union proposed that if a Resident was called in from home call, they would be given a minimum of eight hours off between completion of clinical work and the next assigned clinical work or education period and that programs would have one year to adjust their scheduling to comply with this policy and would need to be in compliance by July 1, 2023.
Next Steps
The next RFPU and UW bargaining session is scheduled for Wednesday, June 29 and will be held virtually.