University of Washington Human Resources

WFSE – UW Negotiations Recap for Thursday, August 22, 2024

Background
This recap details the sixth virtual session 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 30 – Work Related Injury Leave
The parties tentatively agreed to increase the number of months where employees would maintain their seniority and progression start date when they are in unpaid status due to a work-related injury from six to nine months.

Article 34 – Performance Evaluation
The parties tentatively agreed that when an employee requests their performance evaluation, the evaluation would include employee rebuttal and/or comments, if any exist.

Article 55 – Contract Publication
The parties tentatively agreed to make housekeeping updates and to adjust the language in the agreement’s link.

Article 59 – Drug Testing
The parties agreed that any drug testing would be conducted in accordance with the UW Medicine Reasonable Suspicion Drug Testing Policy for UW Medicine employees. Additionally, that this provision would be subject to Article 6 – Grievance Procedure.

Appendix III – Overtime Exempt Job Classifications
The parties tentatively agreed to update the language in this appendix so that the titles of each job classifications are accurately reflected.

Appendix V – Pay Tables
The parties tentatively agreed to update the list of pay tables by removing a pay table that was inactive.

Side Letter A – City of Seattle Minimum Wage
The parties tentatively agreed to housekeeping edits in this side letter.

WFSE Initial Proposals

Article 45 – Compensation, Wages, and Other Pay Provisions
45.1
The Union proposed that effective July 1, 2025, all salary ranges would be increased by 25% and these values would be further increased by 25% effective July 1, 2026.
Annual Salary Adjustment
The Union proposed to increase the yearly step increase from two to four steps every twelve months. The union also proposed that after the second such increase, the employee would be moved to the top step of the pay range.
Promotions/Reallocation/Reversion
The Union proposed that when an employee was promoted or reallocated from a position under this agreement to another position under this agreement with a higher range, the employee would be placed on the salary step of the new range which reflected a minimum of a four-step increase.
Work Out of Class
The Union proposed when an employee is temporarily assigned to perform duties of a higher-level position, their TSI would be 10% rather than 5%. Additionally, this TSI would apply even if the work performed was for one hour rather than one working day.
Shift Differential Premium Pay
The Union proposed to increase shift differential premium pay, except for job titles listed in Appendix II, to increase from $1 to $2.50 per hour. Additionally, swing shifts, evening shifts, and night shifts, would have their shift differential increase from $2 to $3.50 per hour. The Union also proposed that employees within Housing and Food Services, Food Services/Nutrition, and Dining who start their shift at 11am would receive $2.50 per hour shift differential. The Union proposed that employees in those same areas who start their shift at 5pm would receive a shift differential of $3.50.
Stand-By Pay (On Call)
The Union proposed that the rate of compensation for standby status for all employees not listed in Appendix II to be increased from $3 per hour to $10 per hour.
Call Back Pay
The Union proposed when an employee has left the grounds and is called to return to work outside of their normal hours, they would receive a minimum of four hours bonus pay plus time worked.
Multilingual/Sign Language/Braille Premium Pay
The Union proposed to increase the premium pay in this section from 5% to 8%.
Assignment Pay
The Union proposed to increase the premium rate of assignment pay from $1.75 to $5 per hour above an employee’s base salary for the time an employee worked in assignments defined under Assignment Pay. In addition, the Union proposed to strike that Assignment Pay for respirator use would not apply to non-trades hospital staff. The Union also proposed that when an employee performed work of less than one hour, the would be compensated for one hour of Assignment Pay and any time exceeding one hour would be paid based on time worked. The Union proposed that Assignment Pay would be administered when an employee is assigned to pick up and/or collect human waste or drug paraphernalia in areas in and around Employer buildings or grounds, as well as when assigned to work in fall zones or flagging areas, and when working with or around chippers and chainsaws.
Preceptor
The Union proposed to rename this section Trainer Premium Pay and proposed that all WFSE represented employees could be trainers and or assigned as trainers. The Union also proposed to increase pay associated with preceptor premium from $1.50 to $2.50 per hour.
Late Payroll Checks
The Union proposed that in situations where the Employer was responsible for delay in receipt of a regular paycheck, the Employer would issue a paper paycheck within one business day and that if this paper pay check was delayed, the Employer would pay the employee $50 per day until the paper check was issued.
Weekend Pay
The Union proposed to increase the weekend pay from $1.50 to $3 per hour and to expand the premium to include all WFSE represented employees.
Field Training Officer
The Union proposed when a HMC Security Officer had been designated as a field training officer for new employees, they would receive a 10%, rather than 7%, increase for all hours providing direct training/instruction.
Custodian Lead Assignment
The Union proposed to strike that management decision to create, modify, or end any lead assignments under this section would not be grievable.
Work From Home
In this new section, the Union proposed that employees who work at home, and are not on standby status, would be compensated for 30 minutes of pay at their normal rate, or actual time worked whichever is greater, every time the employee responded to a phone call or email.
King and Pierce County Premium Pay
In this new section, the Union proposed that employees assigned to permanent positions in King or Pierce County would receive an 8% premium pay on top of base salary.
Float Premium Pay – HMC and Montlake
In this new section, the Union proposed that employees assigned to or required to float to various units would be paid $3.50 per hour float premium pay.
Longevity Premium Pay
In this new section, the Union proposed that employees would receive longevity premium pay, added to base salary, for the following amounts: 5 years would be 1.5%, 10 years would be 3%, 15 years would be 6%, and 20 years would be 10% increase.

Article 62 – Advance Certification/Registration Pay
The Union proposed to increase the hourly premium paid to certain hospital technical employees included in this provision from $1.25 to $3.25 per hour. The Union also proposed including new job profiles of biomedical electronics technicians 1, 2, 3, and leads in the affected titles list.

Appendix II – Differentials
The Union proposed to increase, and add uniformity, to the standby pay values and weekend pay values for all job profiles listed in Appendix II. The standby pay value was increased in all instances to $10 per hour while the weekend pay value was increased in all instances to $3 per hour.

New MOU – Pay Equity Increases
The Union proposed that a number of job profiles, not included in previous recruitment and retention increases, would receive a 25% salary increase on October 1, 2024.

WFSE Counter Proposals

Article 3 – Reasonable Accommodation of Employees with Disabilities
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union removed the reference to Employee Health Services (EHS) and instead stated that in situations where employees were eligible for reasonable accommodations, or if the employee was unable to perform the essential function of their position, the Employer would assist in a University-wide job search.

Article 11 – Training and Professional Development
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union countered that Education Support Funds would remain available to surgical technicians, medical assistants, dental assistants, orthopaedic technicians, laboratory technicians, and hospital central services technicians where the Union had previously proposed these funds would be available to all hospital/medical staff. The Union maintained their proposed dollar values as proposed previously.

Article 12 – Licensure and Certification
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union proposed that the employee would be responsible for maintaining the license and/or certification and that the Employer would reimburse the employee for all renewal costs, including Commercial Driver’s Licenses.

Article 14 – Hiring, Appointments, Promotions, and Transfers
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union proposed increasing the bargaining unit applicant pool per job requisition from one to three employees who possess the essential skills. The Union also proposed to strike that decisions to interview would not be grievable.

Article 16 – Holidays
In response to the Employer, the Union proposed housekeeping edits only.

Article 18 – Sick Time Off
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union proposed that when an employee has used all sick time off, they would be allowed to use vacation time off or compensatory time off for sick time off purposes and this would not need approval in advance by the employee’s supervisor.

Article 28 – Inclement Weather and Suspended Operations
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union proposed modifying the language in 28.1 so that when essential staff are in paid status during the week of an inclement weather event, and are unable to report to work, they would not forfeit their paid holiday. The Union also maintained their previous proposal on making up lost work time due to inclement weather.

Article 36 – Corrective Action/Dismissal
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union proposed to maintain that the Employer would be prohibited from issuing progressive action based upon previously issued coachings or counselings that were not similar in nature to the offense.
Representation
The Union also proposed to reduce their proposed number of business days to find representation from seven to five but maintained that the first day of the period would be the day after notice is issued.
Investigatory Meeting
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union withdrew this previously proposed section.

Article 40 – Mandatory Subject
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union proposed reducing the number of members to participate in bargaining sessions on mandatory subjects from eight to six.

Article 44 – Classifications and Reclassification
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union suggested rewriting the section on Progression Start Dates to be clearer.

Article 47 – Contracting
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union maintained most of their previous proposal but did propose increasing the effective date of Skilled Trades Contracting from September 1, 2024, to January 1, 2025.

Article 56 – Union Membership Dues Deduction and Status Reports
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union proposed to include differentials as a field included in the reports the Employer would send the Union every pay period.

Article 60 – Nonpermanent and Intermittent Employees
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union proposed including the provisions of 45.3, 45.7, and 45.19 as provisions that would apply to all nonpermanent and intermittent employees.

Article 61 – Diversity and Inclusion
In response to the Employer’s proposal, the Union adopted most of the proposed language but maintained that participants would be released with pay from their duties to attend and participate in the Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion workgroup.

MOU – Refrigeration Mechanic, Refrigeration Mechanic Lead and FOMS Trades License Class and Exam
The Union proposed rolling over this MOU so that it would become effective September 1, 2024, and would not expire until June 30, 2027. This MOU expired on June 30, 2024.

On the following provisions, the Union proposed to maintain their previous proposal:

• Article 17 – Vacations
• Article 26 – Civil Duty Time Off and Bereavement Time Off
• Article 33 – Transportation and Commute Trip Reduction
• Appendix VI – Contracting Out Form
• Side Letter E – HMC Hospital Security Officers Compensatory Time
• MOU – UW Medicine Pre-Scheduled Voluntary Double-Time Shift Incentive
• New Attachment B – Contracting Out Flow Chart
• New Article XX – Trades Apprenticeship Program

UW Initial Proposals

New Side Letter – Actual Time Reporting
The Employer proposed that the Employer may begin migrating to an actual time reporting system but the Employer would provide the Union with at least six months’ notice prior to implementation so the parties could bargain the impacts of the change.

UW Counter Proposals

Article 6 – Grievance Procedure
In response to the Union’s proposal, the Employer adopted the Union’s language on describing allegations and delaying scheduling however the Employer proposed that the Union and University would begin the arbitration scheduling process and provide availability to the arbitrator within thirty calendar days of the Union advancing the grievance to arbitration. The Employer also proposed that with regards to release requests, they would still be sent to the supervisor for approval and the Labor Relations Office for awareness.

Article 7 – Employee Rights
In response to the Union’s proposal, the Employer proposed to add that in the cases of virtual meetings scheduled by UW Labor Relations, the Employer would provide the Union with a calendar invite for the meeting and a Zoom link.

Article 9 – Hours of Work and Work Schedules
The Employer proposed striking the existing language in section 9.3 because of the new language pursuant to RCW 49.12.187. This new language details rest periods, meal breaks, and the combing of these two as described in the RCW. The new language proposed on rest periods, unpaid meal periods, paid meal periods, and combining rest and meal periods, details how employees would be required to track any missed instances, and in which instances they would be paid for any interruptions.

Article 10 – Overtime
In response to the Union’s proposal, the Employer could not agree to compensatory time for all WFSE represented employees. Additionally, the Employer could not agree to being able to provide at least four hours advance notice for Hospital Security Officers prior to seeking volunteers or assigning mandatory overtime. Nor could the Employer agree that when an employee was scheduled to work on a Sunday, the would receive two times the regular rate of pay. In section 10.1, the Employer struck the inclusion of part-time employees.

Article 32 – Uniforms and Special Clothing
In response to the Union’s proposal, the Employer proposed that Safety Boot Reimbursement could apply to Bothell, Tacoma, UWMC and HMC Facilities. Additionally, when requested, employees could be provided with protective gloves and safety glasses when required to safely perform their work. Finally, Facilities Operations Maintenance Specialists (FOMS) Trades Staff, could be provided with one load bearing utility belt or vest.

On the following provisions, the Employer proposed to maintain their previous proposal:

• MOU – Trades Apprenticeship Program
• New MOU – Apprenticeship Program Automotive Mechanic Implementation

Next Steps
The next WFSE and UW bargaining session is scheduled for Tuesday, August 27, 2024 and will be held virtually.