RFPU-CIR: UW Negotiations Recap for May 6, 2025
Background
This recap details the sixth virtual session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and the Resident and Fellow Physician Union-Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU (RFPU-CIR). Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.
Tentative Agreements
The parties tentatively agreed to maintain current contract language in the following articles:
- Article 2: Committee Memberships and Hospital Committee
- Article 8: Health and Safety
- Article 14: Leave – Professional
- Article 18: Working Outside of the Training Program
- Article 19: No Strikes/No Lockouts
- Article 23: Subordination of Agreement and Authority
- Article 25: Union Activities
The parties tentatively agreed to housekeeping edits in the following articles:
- Article 11: Washington Family Medical Leave (PFML)
- Article 20: Non-Discrimination
The parties also reached tentative agreements on the articles below.
Article 7: Grievance Procedure
The parties agreed to remove the committee process from the Step 3 grievance procedure. In the tentative agreement, both parties must mutually agree to the new Step 3 process, which is mediation with PERC. The parties agree that if Step 3 was skipped, the Union would have thirty (30) days to move the grievance to Step 4, arbitration. Finally, the parties agreed that, in cases where a grievance is moved to arbitration and Step 3 was skipped, either party may request a pre-arbitration settlement conference. These conferences would not delay the arbitration process.
Article 9: Housestaff Advisory Committee
The parties agreed to rename this article and Committee to “Joint Labor Management” Committee. The parties agreed that the Committee would meet six times per year, which is an increase from current contract language which says that the Committee will meet “periodically.” The parties agreed that the meetings would be scheduled at the beginning of the academic year. The Union and Employer also tentatively agree that if neither party has suggested agenda items seven (7) days in advance of the meeting, the meeting may be cancelled and that both parties may invite guests, subject matter experts, or additional bargaining unit employees to the meeting.
NEW MOU: Negotiations for the 2028-2031 Agreement
The parties agreed to a new MOU regarding negotiations for the 2028-2031 Agreement. The Union and Employer agree that there will be two full days of bargaining (9am to 5pm) and all other bargaining will be scheduled from 5pm to 7pm. These sessions will be held over Zoom. The Employer and Union will provide the names of the negotiating team members prior to the first bargaining session, and the Employer will notify programs of the names of the members who need to be released for bargaining. The parties agree that observers from the bargaining unit may participate in non-speaking roles, unless otherwise agreed upon. Observers would be required to display their full names when bargaining is over Zoom, and the Union will correct an observer’s name who is not displayed. The parties agreed that each will maintain separate caucus rooms, and will each return to their respective rooms during a caucus. The Union will assist with moving observers to the Union’s caucus room. Bargaining sessions will remain closed to the public and press.
UW Counter Proposals
Article 5: Dues Deduction and RFPU Membership
The Employer proposed new language in response to the Union maintaining its proposal on being allotted 60 minutes at program/department orientations in addition to the 60 minutes that are currently allotted during the GME orientation. The Employer proposed that if a new Resident does not attend the GME orientation, the Union may request access to the employee during the employee’s regular work hours to present information about the Union within ninety (90) days of the employee’s start date. In this proposal, the Employer would provide the Union this access at the employee’s regular worksite or virtually, and will be for no less than thirty (30) minutes.
Article 13: Leave Miscellaneous
The Employer incorporated the Union’s proposed language in this proposal, which states that a resident may choose to include their Program Director on an accommodation request to the DSO. The Employer rejected the Union’s new proposal to create timelines for receiving accommodations, including the Union’s proposal which would require the Employer to provide three day’s notice of an accommodation before the Employer could implement a requested accommodation.
Article 26: Duration
In response to the Union’s proposal to move the expiration date of the contract up by three months, with the goal that bargaining would be completed by the time of the GME orientation, the Employer proposed that the parties would start bargaining no later than January 7, 2028. The Employer rejected the proposal to change the effective date of the contract off the academic year cycle.
Employer Package Proposal
In response to the Union’s package proposal from earlier in the session, the Employer proposed a package in which all aspects of the proposal would need to be accepted as written in its entirety.
In this package, the Employer proposed:
- Article 10: Time Off Bereavement: In this package, the Employer would incorporate the Union’s proposed language that the Employer would grant 5 days of paid bereavement leave “at the Resident’s discretion.” The Employer would also withdraw its proposal to create a separate definition of family member for bereavement time off and sick time off.
- Article 15: Time Off Sick: In this package, the Employer reasserts its proposal for Sick Time Off from the April 22, 2025
Union Counter Proposals
Union Package Proposal
The Union proposed a package in which all aspects of the proposal would need to be accepted as written in its entirety.
In this package, the Union proposed:
- Article 10 Time Off Bereavement: In this proposal, the Union incorporates the Employer’s counter proposal to increase the number of paid bereavement days off up to five, which would be up to the Resident’s (not the program’s) discretion as to how many days of bereavement time off to take. The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal to create a separate definition of family member for bereavement time off and sick time off.
- Article 15 Time Off Sick: In this package, the Union reasserts its proposal for Sick Time Off from the February 25, 2025
- NEW Article Leave General Provisions: In this package proposal, the Union would withdraw its proposal regarding inclement weather in this new article.
Next Steps
The next RFPU-CIR and UW bargaining session will be May 13, 2025. The parties agreed the next session will be held virtually.