Labor Relations

UW – SEIU 925 Negotiations Recap for September 11 and September 13, 2024

This recap details the tenth and eleventh virtual sessions for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the UW and SEIU 925.

Tentative Agreements

The parties tentatively agreed to the following:

  • Article 6 – Grievance Procedure
    • The parties agreed to add language requiring the written grievance to include a description of events that occurred that results in an alleged violation, as well as the grievant(s) position.
    • The parties agreed to language that will require the Union and the University to begin the arbitration scheduling process and provide availability to the arbitrator within (30) calendar days of the Union advancing a grievance to arbitration.
  • Article 38 – Seniority, Layoff, Rehire
    • The parties agreed to add language around removal from the rehire list, stating that removal from the list will occur if an employee refuses two (2) offers of placement for a position having the same pay, FTE status, and shift as listed in the employee’s option selection form.
    • The parties agreed to adjust language around rehire list crossovers, stating that employees represented by either SEIU 925 or WFSE could be placed on the rehire list for either or both bargaining units.
    • The parties agreed to strike the section on affirmative action.
  • Article 41 – New Employees
    • The parties agreed to add language specifying there are two separate new employee orientations for UW Medicine and UW Campus and that employees whose work location is in Seattle would be required to attend new employee orientation.
    • The parties agreed to new language stating that employees working within a 50-mile radius of the Seattle area would be encouraged to attend new employee orientation in-person and that online orientations be offered to employees in locations or positions that can’t attend in person.
    • The parties agreed to language that will allow Union member presenters to be released for up to one (1) hour for online orientations and up to two (2) hours for in-person orientation, depending on distance traveled.
    • The parties agreed to language requiring the Employer to send the Union a list of all new hires scheduled to attend NEO.
    • The parties agreed to add language stating that the Union may conduct its orientation virtually, and that new hires who do not attend in-person Union orientation will be released for the 30-minute online orientation.
  • Article 46 – Health Care Benefits Amounts
    • The parties agreed to update language in this article to align with the coalition health care benefits agreement reached for the 2025-27 biennium.
  • Article 48 – Staffing and Workload Concerns
    • The parties agreed to change the title of this article to “Staffing and Workload Concerns.”
    • The parties agreed to new language stating that employees assigned to job duties outside of the scope of their class specification or current job description would have the right to meet with their supervisor to discuss the additional duties, which may include expectations and duration of the work, and how to accommodate the additional work.
  • Article 53 – Modality Pay
    • The parties agreed to add the following job classifications to the list of jobs eligible for modality pay:
      • Imaging Technologist Trainee
      • Imaging Technologist – Education/Quality Assurance
  • Article 58 – Duration
    • The parties agreed that the successor CBA shall become effective on July 1, 2025, and remain in force through June 30, 2027.

The parties tentatively agreed to maintain current contract language for the following articles:

  • Preamble and Purpose
  • Article 1 – Union Recognition
  • Article 5 – Affirmative Action
  • Article 7 – Employee Rights
  • Article 8 – Employee Facilities
  • Article 13 – Tuition Exemption Program
  • Article 23 – Shared Leave
  • Article 27 – Leave Related to Domestic Violence
  • Article 30 – Work Related Injury Leave
  • Article 32 – Uniforms Requirement
  • Article 35 – Personnel Files
  • Article 36 – Corrective Action/Dismissal
  • Article 50 – No Strike/Lockout
  • Article 51 – Travel Pay and Work Time
  • Article 52 – Personal Services
  • Article 54 – Subordination of Agreement and Saving Clause
  • Article 55 – Contract Distribution
  • Article 57 – Management Rights and Responsibilities
  • Article 60 – Salary Overpayment Recovery
  • Appendix V – Pay Tables

Union Counter Proposals

Article 26 – Civil/Jury Duty Time Off and Bereavement Time Off – The Union’s counterproposal reasserts the language they proposed on 7/9/2024 regarding the definition of “family member.”

Article 33 – Transportation and Commute Reduction – The Union reasserted its proposal to include the provisions of Side Letter E – Public Transportation Delays in this article, and to expand the application of this language to include delays in an employee’s commute. The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal to strike existing references to telework policies and instead add a link to the University’s general Telework policies. The Union’s counterproposal would add language stating that requests to telework as disability or pregnancy accommodations would be handled through the accommodation process. The Union counter-proposed to increase the amount of time for which the Employer must provide notice for termination of a hybrid or occasional telework agreement from five (5) business days to thirty (30) business days. The Union’s counterproposal would also require the Employer to provide three (3) months’ notice for termination of 100% remote teleworking agreements.

The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Package highlights are outlined below.

  • Article 31 – Health and Safety – The Union accepted the Employer’s proposal to add language stating that the University would follow state and University Environmental Health & Safety workplace safety rules and guidelines for prevention of heat related illness and wildfire smoke. The Union counterproposal adds new language stating that additional mitigation strategies needed to address climate issues in specific worksites would be appropriate topics for Joint Labor-Management meetings.
  • MOU – Donning and Doffing in Hospital and Clinic Settings – As part of the package, the Union reasserted its initial proposal for this MOU as presented during the 8/9/2024 bargaining session.
  • New MOU – Health and Safety in Hospital and Clinic Settings – As part of the package, the Union proposed to withdraw this new MOU.

The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Package highlights are outlined below.

  • Article 34 – Performance Evaluations – The Union accepted the Employer’s proposed changes for this Article, but also proposed to add additional new language stating that evaluations shall be based on performance factors including, but not limited to, quantitative or qualitative measures. Additionally, the Union counterproposal would add language around evaluation forms, stating that employees may provide feedback to their supervisors.
  • Article 47 – Contracting – The Union accepted all the Employer’s proposed changes from its prior counterproposal, except for the notice period. The Union counterproposal amended the proposed notice period for contracting out to sixty (60) days. The Union’s counterproposal also reasserted parts of its initial proposal, including language regarding University recruitment and retention efforts as well as considerations when evaluating the need to subcontract.
  • New Article XX – Artificial Intelligence – In response to the Employer rejecting the Union’s initial proposal for this article, the Union reasserted parts of its initial proposal. The Union’s updated article states that the Union would be entitled to representation in any University committee convened to address development of AI systems, that if AI systems create new work that enhances or modifies bargaining unit work, bargaining unit employees would perform the new or modified work and that the employer would provide bargaining unit employees with training required to utilize the new technology, and that the parties would agree not to synthetically reproduce the voice and/or likeness of a bargaining unit employee for any use unless to the employee consents in writing.
  • New Article XX – Performance Standards – As part of the package, the Union proposed to withdraw this new Article.

The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Package highlights are outlined below.

  • Article 9 – Hours of Work – The Union reasserted its proposal to reduce the number of hours required for an employee to be considered full-time from forty (40) hours to thirty-two (32) hours worked per week for a regular staff employee and from eighty (80) hours to sixty-four (64) hours worked in a fourteen (14) day period for designated hospital personnel.

The Union rejected parts of the Employer’s proposal to replace existing language with new language outlining the meal and rest break requirements under the provisions of RCW 49.12.187, and the Union’s counter proposal limited this new language to employees in health care facilities. With respect to rest periods, the Union counterproposal would require that if the employer did not provide an uninterrupted rest period, the employee would be entitled to compensation for the entire 15-minute rest period.

With respect to unpaid meal periods, the Union counterproposal would require that if the employer did not provide an uninterrupted meal period, the employee would be compensated for the meal period in its entirety or be allowed a 30-minute duty-free meal period.

With respect to combining rest and meal periods, the Union counterproposal would add new language stating that employees may revoke agreements made between them and the employer for combining one meal period with one rest period. The Union’s counterproposal also states that time shall be paid if an employee is required to remain on duty during the combined meal and rest period. For employees released from duty for an uninterrupted combined meal and rest period, the Union’s counterproposal states that the time corresponding to the meal period would be unpaid but that for the rest period should be paid.

The Union counter-proposed adding new language around meal and rest periods for employees in non-health care facilities, stating that if an employee can’t be relieved of duties and can’t eat their meal at the duty station, they should not be penalized for taking their break later than the fifth hour of the shift.

The Union also reasserted its initial proposal around changes in work schedules and shift assignments, maintaining that the minimum time for the Employer to provide an employee notice of a change in their schedule or shift assignment be increased from fourteen (14) to twenty-one (21) day, and for temporary changes, maintaining that the amount of time for the Employer to provide notice be increased from two (2) calendar days to three (3) calendar days.

  • Article 10 – Overtime – The Union reasserted all of its initial proposal for this Article, except for their initial proposal to extend the date for which employees’ unused compensatory balance would be cashed out to September 30.
  • New MOU – Meal and Rest Breaks for Health Care Facility Employees – The Union proposed creating a new MOU that details the meal and rest break policy for employees in healthcare facilities only. This MOU includes all the Union’s proposed provisions from Article 9 – Hours of Work.
  • New Side Letter – Actual Time Reporting – As part of the package, the Union proposed to tentatively agree to the Employer’s initial proposal for this side letter as presented during the 8/9/2024 bargaining session.

The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Package highlights are outlined below.

  • Article 2 – Non-Discrimination – As part of the package, the Union proposed to tentatively agree to the Employer’s counter proposal for this article as presented during the 9/6/2024 bargaining session.
  • Article 4 – Workplace Behavior – As part of the package, the Union reasserted its counter proposal for this article as presented during the 9/6/2024 bargaining session.
  • New Article XX – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – The Union counter-proposed to allow the SEIU 925 to select up to four (4) members to be appointed to the UW Diversity Council. The Union counterproposal also adds new language on the Bias Incident Advisory Committee, stating that SEIU 925 would be able to select one (1) member to be appointed to said committee and that employees participating in EDI committee work can do so during regular working hours.

The Union counterproposal would add new language around investigating racial discrimination/bias, stating that human resources would be required to investigate and respond to employee reports of discrimination or bias. Under this proposal, Union members would be allowed to have a Union representative present when speaking with Human Resources in an official or unofficial capacity regarding racial discrimination/bias. Additionally, the Union counterproposal would allow employees union representation or an additional neutral third-party on an advocacy basis when said employees are experiencing discrimination/bias and are in regular, routine work duties with their aggressor.

  • New MOU – Exit Interviews – The Union proposed creating a new MOU that would require the Union be provided copies of the Employer’s exit interview questions, upon request, and that the parties would be required to discuss common trends from exit interviews at Joint Labor-Management meetings at least annually. When an SEIU 925 member self-identifies as BIPOC and participates in an exit interview, this proposal would require that a copy of the de-identified results of the interview would be sent to the Union. In addition, if the employer is implementing a new program on exit interviews, the Union’s proposal would require that the Union be included in the process.
  • New MOU – Diversity Blueprint – As part of the package, the Union proposed to withdraw its proposal to create this new MOU.

The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Package highlights are outlined below.

  • Article 11 – Employee Training and Development – The Union’s counter proposal reasserted parts of its initial proposal for this Article, including and accepted some minor edits from the Employer’s initial proposal.
  • Article 12 – Advance Certification/Registration Pay – The Union’s counterproposal reasserted some language from its initial proposal, including adding a number of job profiles eligible for certification pay. The Union’s counter also accepted the Employer’s proposal to add Respiratory Care Assistants and Surgical Technologist to the list of job profiles eligible for certification pay.
  • Article 14 – Hiring, Promotions, and Transfers – The Union accepted the Employer’s proposed changes from the counter proposal presented by the Employer in the 9/13/2024 bargaining session, and counter-proposed to add additional language stating that if an employee in a nonpermanent fixed duration appointment believes the work becomes ongoing and permanent in nature, they could submit a request to post a regular position to the department director for approval. The Union’s counterproposal would also add new language requiring department applications for a fixed duration position to be processed within fourteen (14) days, when possible, to expedite the process of providing coverage to a department with open positions. Additionally, the Union proposed reinstating language stating that should a senior qualified applicant not accept a position, the Employer would be required to offer the position in seniority order to the other qualified applicants before hiring outside, which the Employer had proposed to strike. The Union amended its proposal regarding the minimum number of bargaining unit applicants granted an interview for a bargaining unit position, from three to two. The Union counterproposal would also add language that would require the Employer, upon request, to provide a list of bargaining unit employees who applied for lateral or promotional opportunities and a record of bargaining unit applicants granted an interview and those denied an interview.
  • Article 59 – Nonpermanent Hourly and Nonpermanent Intermittent Employees – The Union counterproposal would make a handful of additional articles in this CBA applicable to nonpermanent hourly and intermittent employees:
    • Article 25 – Absence Due to Family Care Emergencies
    • Article 26 – Civil/Jury Duty Time Off and Bereavement Time Off
    • Article 28 – Inclement Weather and Suspended Operations
    • Article 33 – Transportation and Commute Reduction
    • Article 41 – New Employees
    • Article 48 – Staffing Concerns

The Union also reasserted language from its initial proposal, stating that when the Union believes an employee classified as intermittent and nonpermanent has been working regular full or part-time hours, the Union or employee can submit a request to post it as a regular position, and all approved positions would need to be posted no later than forty-five (45) days of the Union’s submission. The Union also reasserted language from its initial proposal stating that the nonpermanent hourly or intermittent employee who submitted the request for a regular position to be posted shall have the opportunity to apply to the subsequent position, and that, when possible, department application for a fixed duration position will be processed within fourteen days to expedite the process or providing coverage to a department with open positions.

Employer Counter Proposals

Article 28 – Inclement Weather and Suspended Operations – The Employer counterproposal would allow non-essential employees to use sick time off if all other paid time off is exhausted for cases in which the University suspends operations of all or any portion of the institution and requires only employees in essential positions.

Additionally, the Employer’s counterproposal would allow the Employer to make adjustments to teleworking employees’ job duties and/or deadlines as appropriate in cases of inclement weather, campus closures, or suspended operations.

Article 45 – Compensation, Wages, and Other Pay Provisions – The Employer’s compensation counterproposal increases from its initial proposal, proposing to increase all salaries by two percent (2%) on July 1, 2025, but maintains from its initial proposal an increase of one percent (1%) on July 1, 2026.

The Employer’s counterproposal would include the HMC Technical bargaining unit in the section on callback pay, making that unit eligible for callback pay provisions. Additionally, the Employer counter-proposed adding an additional hour of bonus callback pay, totaling three (3) hours of bonus pay plus time actually worked.

With respect to standby pay, the Employer counter-proposed to increase the rate of standby pay for non-health care bargaining units from $2/hour to $4/hour and increasing the rate for healthcare bargaining units from $6/hour to $7/hour. The Employer counterproposal would also make the HMC Technical bargaining unit eligible for standby pay provisions for healthcare bargaining units. Additionally, the Employer agreed to the Union’s proposal to increase the minimum work period for standby premium pay from two (2) hours to three (3).

With respect to shift differentials, the Employer’s counterproposal would make the HMC Technical bargaining unit eligible for evening and night shift pay differentials of $1.75 per hour for evening shift and $2.50 per hour for night shift. The Employer also proposed to add provisions for the Research Tech bargaining unit, which would pay employees in that bargaining unit a premium of $1.75 per hour for evening shifts and $2.50 per hour for night shifts.

With respect to weekend pay, the Employer’s counterproposal adds language specifying which bargaining units are eligible for the provisions in the weekend pay section of this article. For non-health care bargaining units, the Employer proposed to increase weekend pay premium to $2/hour, except for certain job titles listed in Appendix II which would receive the applicable rates as listed in the Appendix. The Employer’s counterproposal would also make employees in the HMC Technical bargaining unit eligible for the weekend pay premium of $2.25 per hour. Additionally, the Employer counterproposal adds language to capture existing weekend premiums for those healthcare job titles that receive specific weekend pay premiums, as currently listed in Appendix II.

Appendix II – Differentials – The Employer’s counterproposal for this Appendix would update differentials to align with its counterproposal for Article 45.

The Employer presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Package highlights are outlined below.

  • Article 14 – Hiring, Appointments, Promotions, and Transfers – The Employer’s counter proposal for this article incorporated a revised version of some language from the Union’s counterproposal on Article 47: Contracting, which states that the University would make every effort to recruit and retain a broad base of regular full-time and part-time employees in order to maintain a stable and consistent workforce that meets operational needs as determined by the Employer. The Employer also counter-proposed to create a temporary salary increase on an hour for hour basis for employees who are temporarily assigned duties and responsibilities of a higher-level class for up to one (1) year.
  • Article 34 – Performance Evaluations – In response to the Union’s prior counterproposal, the Employer proposed slightly revised language stating that performance evaluations shall be based on job related performance factors which may include quantitative or qualitative measures. The Employer also accepted language proposed by the Union regarding the performance evaluation form, which states that employees may provide feedback to their supervisor.
  • New Article XX – Performance Standards – As part of the package, the Employer proposed that the Union withdraw this proposed new Article.
  • Article 40 – Mandatory Subjects – As part of the package, the Employer proposed that the parties tentatively agree to the employer’s counter proposal presented during the 8/13/2024 bargaining session.
  • Article 44 – Reclassifications – The Employer aligned its counterproposal with the Union’s prior counterproposal for this article to maintain the notification period for creation, elimination, or modification of class specifications at forty-five (45) days in advance of any proposed implementation date.
  • Article 47 – Contracting – The Employer’s new counterproposal maintained language from its prior counter proposal that referenced RCW 41.06.142. The Employer’s new counter proposal also included current contract language maintaining the notice period for contracting out at thirty (30) calendar days. In response to the Union, the Employer’s counter proposal also added in language stating that the notice period would allow for time to discuss and consider the feasibility of creating and/or implementing alternatives to the contracting that would satisfy customer needs, mitigate impact to bargaining unit employees, and meet business objectives.

Next Steps

The next UW and SEIU 925 bargaining session is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18, 2024 and will be held virtually.