University of Washington Human Resources

WFSE – UW Negotiations Recap for Wednesday, September 14, Thursday, September 15, and Friday, September 16, 2022

Background
This recap details the tenth, eleventh, and twelfth virtual sessions for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and WFSE. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.

Tentative Agreements
The parties tentatively agreed to the following:

Article 2 – Non-Discrimination
The parties agreed to language that would more closely align this article with Executive Order 31 on Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action. Employees will also be able to choose to report incidents using multiple bias reporting tools. Additionally, when an employee files a complaint with the University Complaint Investigation and Resolution Office (UCIRO), they would receive an email confirming the complaint has been received.

Article 5 – Affirmative Action
The parties agreed that in conjunction with Federal and State laws, regulations, and Executive Orders, the Employer would develop, implement, monitor, and report on an affirmative action program. The Employer would also develop, implement, monitor, and report on affirmative action goals for hiring or promoting. The parties agreed that groups included in the affirmative action program are the protected classes covered by relevant federal and state regulations. Additionally, the Employer would provide the Union with a current affirmative action report annually.

Article 7 – Employee Rights
The parties clarified that there would be at least three business days for an employee to secure a union representative for an investigatory meeting. The parties also agreed to include that Off Duty Employment would include reference to University of Washington Administrative Policy Statement on Outside Consulting Activities and Part-Time Employment by Profession or Classified Staff Employees.

Article 12 – Licensure and Certification
The parties agreed to current contract language.

Article 13 – Tuition Exemption Program
The parties agreed that supervisors would make a good faith effort to allow the use of flex time for employees who wish to take a class during their scheduled shift. If the supervisor is not able to approve a flexible work arrangement, upon request, the employee would be provided a written explanation for the denial.

Article 16 – Holidays
The parties agreed to housekeeping edits only.

Article 18 – Sick Time Off
The parties agreed to housekeeping edits throughout this article.
Accrual
The parties agreed to housekeeping edits and full-time employees (prorated for part-time) would accrue eight hours of sick time off for each month of regular service. Full-time and part-time employees with unpaid time off exceeding 80 hours in a month (prorated for part-time) would earn a monthly accrual proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Employers working less than a full-time schedule will earn a monthly accrual proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Sick time off accruals must not exceed eight hours in a month and may not be used in advance of the accrual.
Sick Time Off Use
The parties agreed to expand the conditions where an employee could utilize sick time off. The expanded benefits include, caring for members of their household, when using as a supplemental benefit, if the employee or family members is a victim of domestic violence, when an employee needs to be with a spouse or partner who is a member of the armed forces or reserves, or when an employee requests to use sick time off for the purposes of parental leave to bond with a newborn, adoptive, or foster child.
Use of Vacation Time Off or Compensatory Time Off for Sick Time Off Purposes
The parties agreed to include language where an employee would be granted the use of accrued compensatory time to care for spouse, domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, minor/dependent child who has a serious health condition, domestic violence leave, military spouse leave, and when requested as a supplemental benefit.
Sick Time Off Cash Out
The parties agreed that within five years of separation, a re-employed employee would be granted all unused sick time off credits to which they were entitled at the time of separation.

Article 20 – Miscellaneous Leave
The parties agreed to housekeeping edits only.

Article 22 – Child/Dependent Care
The parties agreed partially subsidized backup child care benefits, and where feasible, would consider space and support for childcare centers at UW worksites.

Article 26 – Civil Duty Time Off and Bereavement Time Off
The parties agreed to housekeeping edits throughout the article.
Civil Duty
The parties agreed that employees could keep any compensation received for fulfilling civil duty, such as jury pay or travel reimbursement.
Bereavement Time Off
The parties agreed to expand that bereavement time off could be used for stillbirth or miscarriage.

Article 28 – Inclement Weather
The parties agreed to housekeeping edits throughout the article.
Suspended Operations
The parties agreed that if the University determines that emergency conditions advise to suspend operation, then only employees that are not conducive to telework would be required to report to work. Additionally, non-essential employees who do not work for the balance of the closure during suspended operations could use paid time off in the following order: compensatory time and/or holiday credit, vacation time off, personal holiday, unpaid time off. If unpaid time off was used, employees have up to fifteen calendar days after operations resume to make up work time lost provided the request is made within two working days after operations resume and reasonable work exists. If the request is denied, then the supervisor shall state their reasons for the denial in writing.

Article 36 – Corrective Action/Dismissal
Representation
The parties agreed that the Employer would provide at least three business days to allow an employee to secure a Union representative. If notice is given prior to the midpoint of the scheduled shift or if the employee is on paid administrative time off, the day of notification is the first day.

Article 38 – Seniority, Layoff, Rehire
The parties agreed to housekeeping edits throughout the article.
Employment Option
The parties agreed that the employee affected by a reduction in force would be offered the following employment options: a funded vacant position within the same job classification, FTE, and layoff unit; a funded vacant position within the same job classification within 0.2 FTE status and layoff unit; the opportunity to replace the most junior employee within the layoff/seniority unit in the same classification and in an FTE status within 0.2 FTE; the opportunity to replace the most junior employee in the same classification with a lower FTE status; and the opportunity to replace the most junior employee within the same department who is in a lower classification or within 0.2 FTE of the employee affected by the reduction in force.

Article 39 – Resignation and Abandonment
The parties agreed to current contract language.

Article 41 – New Employees
The parties agreed to add language that new employee orientations could take place virtually.

Article 42 – Union Activities, Rights, and Stewards
Union Stewards
The parties agreed that when the Union requests in advance of an investigatory meeting, fact finding, Step One, or a Step Two hearing, a second steward, or apprentice, could be present for training purposes. Additionally, the Employer may deny requests for a second steward to attend an investigatory meeting or fact finding within the employee’s department.

Article 48 – Staffing Concerns
Departmental Staffing Concerns
The parties agreed that upon request, a departmental Joint Union/Management meeting for staffing concerns will be scheduled for a mutually agreeable date, time, and length. The parties will make a good faith effort to schedule the JLM within thirty days of the request.

Article 55 – Contract Publication
Contract Distribution
The parties agreed the Employer would post the agreement electronically on the Labor Relations website by the effective date of the agreement (July 1, 2023) or within 60 days of legislative approval, whichever is later. Additionally, to include language where translated versions of the Agreement could be found.

MOU – Intermittent Nonpermanent and Represented Regular Temporary Employees
The parties agreed to carry this MOU forward into the successor agreement.

MOU – Multi-Campus Voluntary Standby Pool
The parties agreed to carry this MOU forward into the successor agreement.

MOU – Scholarship Fund for Medical Center Employees
The parties agreed to housekeeping edits and increased the annual pool from $100,000 to $150,000 (at a maximum of $5,000 per employee) for WFSE-represented employees at Harborview Medical Center and UW Medical Center to obtain a degree or certification required for employment within the hospital where the employee works.

Next Steps
An additional bargaining day has been added, the next WFSE and UW bargaining session is scheduled for Monday, September 19, 2022 and will be held virtually.