UW & UAW ASE Negotiations Recap for March 22, 2024
Background
This recap details the sixth session for the negotiation for the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and UAW ASEs. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.
Costing
UW HR Compensation presented the Employer’s costing estimate of $940,520,320 for the amount of new money it would cost UW to implement UAW’s initial proposals over the life of the contract. Currently both parties are proposing a three-year contract duration. The Employer’s estimate includes costing of the following:
- UAW’s initial proposed wage increase to the base rate of 67% + inflation in year one, and 8% + inflation in years two and three.
- UAW’s proposed wage increase to the variable rate of 30% + inflation in year one, and 7% + inflation in years two and three.
- Other costs to the University including guaranteed summer appointments and additional fee waivers.
The Employer has yet to cost the UAW’s initial proposal regarding healthcare which will have additional costs associated. The Employer will present the costing estimate of the Employer’s initial proposals when that becomes available.
UW Initial Proposals
Article 33- Wages
The Employer’s initial compensation proposal included the following:
Effective July 1, 2024:
- The base rate would be increased by 3%.
- The minimum ASE hourly rate would be increased by 3%
Effective July 1, 2025:
- The base rate would be increased by 3%.
- The minimum ASE hourly rate would be increased by 3%
Effective July 1, 2026:
- The base rate would be increased by 3%.
- The minimum ASE hourly rate would be increased by 3%
Article 15- Job Titles and Classifications
The Employer proposed to change the title of the article to “Article 15 – Job Profiles and Classifications” to better align the terminology with Workday, the University’s payroll system. The Employer proposed more housekeeping edits to align with Workday such as changing “title” to “job profile”, changing “occupation code” to “job code”, and changing “salary” to “compensation” throughout the article. The Employer also proposed adding additional job profiles to align with the new language proposed in Article 25- Summer Non-registered Graduate Research Student Assistants.
Article 17- Leaves of Absence
The Employer proposed to update the definition of family member to align with other UAW contracts and include the additional definitions of family member effective January 1, 2025 when HB 5793 goes into effect.
Article 25 – Summer Non-registered Graduate Research Student Assistants
Currently departments may hire non-registered research student assistants during summer quarter only. The Employer is proposing to expand that to non-registered teaching student assistants, staff assistants and predoctoral instructors. The Employer is proposing the creation of a new job profiles for each summer only non-registered title. The Employer proposed to change the title of the article to “Article 25 – Summer Non-registered Graduate ASE Appointments”. The Employer proposed to remove references to the 220 hour quarterly workload expectation to align with the proposal in Article 35- Workload.
Article 29- Union Rights
The Employer proposed to remove references to the 220 hour quarterly workload expectation to align with the proposal in Article 35- Workload. The Employer proposed to meet with UAW later to discuss the contents of the roster reports sent after every pay period to UAW.
Article 32- Vacation
The Employer proposed changes in language to better clarify when eligible ASEs are awarded vacation time off.
Article 35- Workload
The Employer proposed removing reference to the 220 hours per quarter workload expectation throughout the article and instead proposed a workload expectation reference that ASEs with a 50% FTE appointment will not be required to work for more than an average of 20 hours a week. The Employer proposed to add language that if an ASE works more than 20 hours in a given week, they should work with their supervisor to adjust another week. The Employer proposed that the use of paid vacation time off per Article 32 – Vacation would now be included in the 20 hours per week.
Appendix I- GAIP
The Employer proposed ASEs cost share in their GAIP premiums; moving from 100% employer covered premiums to 85% employer premiums, with ASEs paying 15% of their GAIP premiums.
UAW ASE Counter Proposals
Article 33- Wages
UAW’s compensation proposal included the following:
Effective July 1, 2024:
- The base rate would be increased by 60% plus inflation.
- The variable rate would be increased by 25% plus inflation. In the event the adjusted variable rate salary falls below the adjusted base rate salary, ASEs would receive the greater of the increases described above.
- The minimum ASE hourly rate would be increased to 20% more than the minimum wage in Seattle plus inflation.
Effective July 1, 2025:
- The base rate would be increased by 6% plus inflation.
- The variable rate would be increased by 5% plus inflation. In the event the adjusted variable rate salary falls below the adjusted base rate salary, ASEs would receive the greater of the increases described above.
- The minimum ASE hourly rate would be increased by 10% plus inflation. In the event the adjusted hourly rate falls below 20% above the minimum wage in Seattle, ASEs would receive the greater of the increases described above.
Effective July 1, 2026:
- The base rate would be increased by 6% plus inflation.
- The variable rate would be increased by 5% plus inflation. In the event the adjusted variable rate salary falls below the adjusted base rate salary, ASEs would receive the greater of the increases described above.
- The minimum ASE hourly rate would be increased by 10% plus inflation. In the event the adjusted hourly rate falls below 20% above the minimum wage in Seattle, ASEs would receive the greater of the increases described above.
Article 9 – Health and Safety
In response to the Employer, UAW incorporated language proposed by the Employer around adding a new section regarding ergonomics to this article.
Article 17- Leaves of Absence
In response to the Employer, UAW incorporated language proposed by the Employer around updating the definition of family member to align with other UAW contracts. Otherwise, UAW maintained the remainder of their initial proposals.
Article 32- Vacation
In response to the Employer, UAW incorporated language proposed by the Employer around updating the language regarding when eligible ASEs are awarded vacation time.
Appendix I- GAIP
UAW proposed to lower their proposal regarding the amount the Employer would pay for the healthcare premium of child dependents from 100% to 80%. UAW proposed to return to current contract language regarding the amount the Employer would pay for mental health deductibles. UAW proposed to lower the increases they had proposed regarding vision coverage. UAW maintained their proposal for assistive reproductive services coverage as well as their proposal to decrease the out of pocket maximums.
The Union proposed to keep the following article current contract language:
Article 35- Workload
Tentative Agreements
UAW and UW agreed to maintain current contract language on the following articles:
Article 10- Holidays
Article 19- No Strike No Lockouts
Next Steps
The next UW & UAW ASE bargaining session is scheduled for March 26, 2024.