Labor Relations

UW & SEIU 925 Negotiations Recap for September 13, 2022

Background

This recap details the eighth virtual session for the 2023-2025 collective bargaining agreement between the UW and SEIU 925. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.

Tentative Agreements

  • Article 26 – Civil/Jury Duty Leave and Bereavement Leave
    • The parties agreed to additional language to include the stillbirth or miscarriage of a child as a form of bereavement time off.
  • New MOU – Donning and Doffing in the Operating Room Montlake Hospital
    • The parties agreed to integrate the mid-cycle bargaining MOU relating to Donning and Doffing into the contract, which states that employees who perform work in the OR at UWMC Montlake and who are required to change in and out of laundered scrub uniforms would be compensated for the time spent donning and doffing.

The parties tentatively agreed to carry over the following unopened articles and their contents from the current SEIU 925 CBA:

  • Article 1 – Union Recognition
  • Article 6 – Grievance Procedure
  • Article 13 – Tuition Exemption Program
  • Article 22 – Child Care/Dependent Care
  • Article 35 – Personnel Files
  • Article 37 – Employee Assistance Program
  • Article 39 – Resignation and Abandonment
  • Article 40 – Mandatory Subjects
  • Article 42 – Union Activities
  • Article 47 – Contracting
  • Article 48 – Staffing Concerns
  • Article 49 – Privacy
  • Article 51 – Travel Pay and Work Time
  • Article 52 – Personal Services
  • Article 54 – Subordination of Agreement
  • Article 55 – Contract Distribution
  • Article 56 – Union Membership1:1
  • Article 57 – Management Rights

The parties tentatively agreed to carry over from the current SEIU 925 CBA the following memoranda of understanding and side letters with some minor edits:

  • MOU – Football Game Overtime
  • MOU – Interpretive Services at UWMC
  • MOU – Leave of Absence SEIU 925 UWMC
  • MOU – Occupational Therapist Certification
  • MOU – Public Records Requests and Privacy
  • MOU – Salary Overpayment Recovery
  • MOU – Standby Guidelines
  • MOU – Surgical Technologists
  • MOU – Transportation Services Video Audio System
  • Side Letter A – City of Seattle Minimum Wage
  • Side Letter B – Contact Center
  • Side Letter C – Diversity and Inclusion
  • Side Letter D – Legislative Briefings
  • Side Letter E – Public Transportation
  • Side Letter F – Regular Temporary Harborview Medical Center Interpreters
  • Side Letter G – Representation
  • Side Letter H – Tracking Discrimination and Bias
  • Side Letter I – U-PASS

The parties tentatively agreed to strike the current SEIU 925 CBA memoranda of understanding listed below based on implementation dates which have passed or general inapplicability:

  • MOU – Anesthesiology Tech R&R
  • MOU – Cardiac Sonographer R&R
  • MOU – Clinical Laboratory R&R
  • MOU – Dental Laboratory Tech R&R
  • MOU – Diagnostic Medical Sonographer R&R
  • MOU – Imaging Tech R&R
  • MOU – Medical Assistant R&R
  • MOU – Medical Interpreters R&R
  • MOU – Patient Services Specialist Supervisor R&R
  • MOU – Peer Counselor R&R
  • MOU – Pharmacy Tech R&R
  • MOU – Polysomnographic Tech R&R
  • MOU – Respiratory R&R
  • MOU – Surgical Tech R&R
  • MOU – Vascular Sonographer R&R

Employer Counter Proposals

Nondiscrimination – In response to the Union’s proposal, the Employer agreed to keep the current contract language separating sexual harassment as its own section with reference to Executive Order 31. The Employer proposed to accept language relating to the bias reporting tool, and proposed language stating that training would be provided as required by law for the purpose of eliminating structural racism and promotion of DEI in the workplace. The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to expand the timeline for filing a grievance under the article from 180 days to 365 days.

Shared Leave – The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to include the term “sick” in relation to a pregnancy related medical condition or miscarriage as being eligible for shared leave. The Employer rejected the Union’s additional changes based on the current language under the RCW.

Workplace Behavior – The Employer proposed language that would allow the employee to choose to report incidents involving alleged bias in the bias reporting tool and accepted the Union’s proposed language that retaliation against employees who make a workplace behavior complaint would be viewed as a separate violation. The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal that sensitivity training would be scheduled for an entire department whenever an incident is reported.

Leave Related to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking – In response to the Union’s proposal, the Employer agreed to include language setting forth the various types of accommodations available to an employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking as set forth in the Administrative Policy Statement.

Inclement Weather and Suspended Operations – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal that employees would be paid straight time for their entire shift if they arrived within an hour of the start of their shift during inclement weather, and that employees working onsite would receive time and a half or double time for all hours worked. The Employer proposed that telework arrangements would be encouraged for those positions which are conducive to telework during inclement weather, campus closure or suspended operations.

New Employees – The Employer proposed language stating that all new employees would be required to attend the appropriate new employee orientation, and clarifying that it would be offered by UW Medicine Organization Development and Training department and/or the Professional and Organizational Development in coordination with Benefits Office.

MOU Former Administrative Assistant B – The Employer proposed to update the MOU to strike language which has already been implemented, and to retain language relating to employees currently in the Administrative Assistant B classification.

New MOU Enterprise Revenue and Health Information (ERHI) Flexible Starting Time – The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to create a new MOU memorializing the existing agreement within ERHI relating to flexible start times, adding language stating that the employee must be meeting productivity and/or quality expectations and not demonstrating work performance issues.

New MOU Notification of Changes to COVID Policies –  The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to create a new MOU relating to notification of changes to COVID-19 health and safety policies, proposing that any such changes would be communicated to all employees by EH&S through the Insider. The Employer also proposed language that monthly communications for COVID-19 updates would continue to be provided at the University wide safety committee meetings, and that the Union representative on the committee would be expected to share the updates with its members.

New MOU Documenting Wellness Rooms – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to create an MOU documenting the location of the wellness rooms throughout the University. The Employer explained that the lactation stations currently listed on the University website encompasses many of the wellness rooms, and that several of these rooms are dual purposed.

New Article XX Disparate Treatment – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to create a new article relating to disparate treatment of classified employees. The Employer explained that Article 2 Non-Discrimination currently prevents discrimination against employees based on Union membership, and that the creation of a new article was unnecessary.

New Article XX Audio Visual Monitoring – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to create a new article expanding the applicability of the existing MOU relating to the Video/Audio System in the Transportation Services office. The Employer explained that given the varying degrees of video and audio recording throughout the University, it would not be practical to create a single article detailing the procedures that would be applicable to each department.

Union Counter Proposals

Hours of Work – In response to the Employer, the Union rejected the proposed language increasing the definition of a temporary schedule changes up to 90 days. The Union also proposed to move the Rest Between Shifts premium language to Article 45.

Employee Training and Development – In addition to the changes previously proposed in this article, the Union proposed additional language stating that employees would not be held responsible for tasks in which they have not received training.

Hiring, Promotions and Transfers – The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal to change the formatting of the section regarding movement between positions within the University, and rejected the Employer’s proposed language that departments would be encouraged to have a transparent process in their hiring practices.

Seniority, Layoff, Rehire – In response to the Employer, the Union withdrew their proposal to include higher positions as possible employment options in the event of a layoff, but reasserted their proposed language that HR would assist employees with three or more years of experience in identifying vacant positions. The Union also accepted the change from calendar to business days for employees determining whether to replace a junior employee in the event of a layoff.

Next Steps

The next UW and SEIU 925 bargaining session is scheduled for September 15 and will be held virtually.