UW & UAW Postdocs Negotiations Recap for October 30, 2024
Background
This recap details the second session of the negotiation for the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and UAW Postdocs. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.
Tentative Agreements
Article 9- Health Care Benefits Amounts
This article details health care. The parties incorporated the agreement reached at the state level healthcare coalition bargaining.
UAW and UW agreed to maintain current contract language on the following articles:
Article 13 – Joint Union Management Committee
UAW Postdocs Initial Proposals
Article 4 – Appointments and Reappointments
The Union proposed to increase the initial appointment duration for Postdoctoral Scholars from one year to three years. The Union proposed that appointments and reappointments for Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellow and Postdoctoral Scholar-Paid Direct’s would be for a minimum duration equal to the duration of the fellowship or extramural funding. The Union proposed new trainings for department HR on the specific Postdoctoral Scholar titles and classifications and the accompanying employment status, compensation, eligibility to serve as instructor of record, and benefits eligibility. The Union proposed that prior to accepting an extramural grant that would result in a change of Postdoctoral Scholar title, the Principal Investigator and Human Resources would offer a meeting with the Postdoctoral Scholar and inform them of the changes in their employment status, compensation, eligibility to serve as instructor of record, and benefits eligibility resulting from the extramural grant’s stipulations.
Article 8 – Health and Safety
The Union proposed to incorporate language from the UAW RSE and UAW ASE contracts regarding: ergonomics, conditions in their workplace that may significantly impact the health and safety of employees, and medical tests, health examinations and surveillance/monitoring as may be required as a condition of employment and/or as a result of regulated hazards encountered after employment.
Article 25 – Titles and Classifications
The Union proposed to add the Postdoctoral Scholar-Paid Direct title to the list of titles defined in this article. Previously this section was in “MOU – Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Direct”.
Article 28 – Travel Pay
The Union proposed to add new contract language that reimbursements would be processed within thirty (30) days of submission of all required reimbursement forms and receipts.
Article 33 – Workspace and Materials
The Union proposed to incorporate language from the UAW RSE and UAW ASE contracts regarding access to facilities, services, texts, and instructional support required for the position. They also proposed to include language regarding reimbursements for work related materials not provided by the employer.
MOU – Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Direct
The Union proposed, for individuals receiving a majority of their stipend or salary directly from a non-University funding source, to increase the stipend they receive that is intended to help defray the costs related to healthcare from $500 to $889.54 per month.
UAW proposed to keep the following articles current contract language:
Article 14 – Layoff
Article 26 – Training
Article 35 – Military Leave
UW Initial Proposals
Article 1 – Purpose and Intent
The Employer proposed to add language stating that all requests for information regarding the bargaining unit by the Union would be submitted in writing to the Office of Labor Relations (laborrel@uw.edu), requests would identify what information is being sought and include the reason for the request, and requests would not normally extend more than twenty-four (24) months prior to the date of the request.
Article 29- Union Rights
The Employer proposed language to better align the contract language with the contents of the roster reports sent after every pay period to the Union.
UW proposed to keep the following articles current contract language:
Article 12- Intellectual Property and Academic Rights
UAW Postdocs Counter Proposals
Article 29- Union Rights
The Union proposed to retain location information in the roster report in response to the Employer’s earlier proposal.
Next Steps
The next UW & UAW Postdocs bargaining session is scheduled for November 13, 2024 and will be held virtually.