SEIU 1199NW – UW Negotiations Recap for May 21 and May 22, 2025

Background
This recap details the side table for issues pertaining Airlift Northwest for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and the Service Employees International 1199NW (SEIU 1199NW). Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.

SEIU 1199NW Proposals

Article 47 – Airlift Northwest

47.4 Licensed/Certified Employees
The Union proposed including the language from the MOU – Airlift Northwest Certification Pay regarding Certified Flight Registered Nurse credential (CFRN) into the body of 47.4 Licensed/Certified Employees. The parties agreed that ALNW would provide at least one month notice to nurses of required credential expiration dates. Additionally, nurses who failed to maintain the required credential would be placed on leave without pay until their required credentials are current.

47.6 Elective Educational and Professional Leave
The Union proposed that ALNW registered nurses would be granted 80 hours, up from 40 hours, of educational/professional leave per fiscal year.

47.7 Education Support Funds
The Union proposed that unused education support funds would be pooled at the end of each fiscal year and distributed in the following fiscal year on a first come, first served basis.

47.8 Equipment
The Union proposed that boots would need to be replaced every three years. The parties agreed that approved helmets will be provided and the University will work with individual nurses to provide properly fitted helmets. The parties also agreed to include language identifying that the additional allowance of $300 annually applies to items from the approved safety list. Finally, the parties agreed to include language identifying that safety equipment, when approved by management, could be replaced when regular wear and tear indicates a need.

47.9 Mileage and Per Diem
The parties agreed to update retitle this subsection, 47.9 Mileage, Lodging, and Per Diem. The Union proposed that Mandatory training which places an employee in travel status would be allowed lodging and per diem.

47.11 Aircraft out of Service
The parties agreed to add in language from the MOU – Airlift Northwest Reassignment. This agreement would also update the title of this subsection 47.11 Aircraft out of Service and Reassignment. The parties also agreed that if the nurse has already reported to work and assigned to another facility, travel time will be considered duty time and mileage would be paid to the temporary duty station in accordance with University policy. The Union proposed that in the cases where an aircraft were out of service for three or more consecutive days, nurses would not be required to use more than 12 hours of accrued time off. Additionally, this would trigger an emergency JLM to discuss the impacts within two weeks’ time.

47.13 Official Duty Station
The parties agreed to move the language within this subsection that pertained to other subsections.

47.14 Juneau Base Staffing
The parties agreed to retitle this subsection “24 Hour Shifts”. This change would include striking the references to Juneau Base. The Union proposed to strike the language that shift start times would be set based on the needs of the community and flight volume. Additionally, the Union proposed to strike that if management changed a start time, affected RNs would be notified of the change at least 4 weeks prior.

47.15 Nurse Replacement
The parties agreed that open shifts would be offered based upon the desired crew skill mix. Additionally, the parties agreed to include that anyone looking to pick up a shift in lieu of sick time/annual leave would be considered after intermittent and nonpermanent employees. Finally, the Union proposed that in the instance of sick calls received more than 12 hours before shift start, the AOC would give 2 hours for base response. If coverage was needed farther into schedule than 48 hours, the AOC would fill shifts in the order currently described but would wait 24 hours for responses before assigning shifts.

47.17 Change in Working Conditions
The Union proposed that shift start times would be considered a part of working conditions for represented employees.

47.19 Union Delegates
The parties agreed to simplify the language so that the Union would no longer be confined to base-specific delegates. This includes striking the language that delegates would process grievances only at their own bases.

47.2XXX Hardship Flight Leave
The Union proposed a new subsection allowing for 2-3 paid shifts off in alignment with bereavement policy in situations specifically related to flight incidents.

47.22 Joint Labor/Management Committees: Purpose and Membership
The parties agreed that joint labor/management committees were effective places to discuss schedules and agreed to add this to the agreement.

47.27 Certification Pay
The parties were in agreement to identify Senior Flight Nurses as RN3s and Flight Nurses as RN2s. The Union also proposed to strike the word “flight” before nurse so the language would read a nurse with a qualifying certification would be eligible for certification premium pay for all hours paid. The parties agreed to include language that would simplify certification notification procedures.

47.28 Float Pay
The Union proposed to move this subsection to Article 45 – Wages and Other Pay Provisions.

47.29 Premiums
The Union proposed to move this subsection to Article 45 – Wages and Other Pay Provisions.

47.30 Other Provisions
The Union proposed to include the following articles in the list that would apply to the Airlift Northwest Bargaining Unit:

Article 14 – Employment Practices
Article 26 – Civil Duty
Article 31 – Health and Safety
Article 43 – RN Extended Leave
Article 46 – Privacy
Article 48 – Washington Family Medical Leave Program
Article 49 – Salary Overpayment Recovery

47.36 Day Basing
The Union proposed that the Employer would provide private sleep rooms, Wi-Fi, secure appropriate storage for ALNW supplies including narcotics and blood, and a vehicle as appropriate with regards to day basing.

UW Proposals

Article 47 – Airlift Northwest

47.4 Licensed/Certified Employees
The Employer proposed clarifying that employees would be responsible for maintaining their license in the state for which their official duty station was located. Additionally, for ALNW employees required to obtain additional licenses based on the official duty station, Airlift would be responsible for covering the cost. The Employer also proposed including the language from the MOU – Airlift Northwest Certification Pay regarding Certified Flight Registered Nurse credential (CFRN) into the body of 47.4 Licensed/Certified Employees. The Employer also proposed that it would pay for one prep course, practice exam, initial exam, and renewal fee. The parties agreed that ALNW would provide at least one month notice to nurses of required credential expiration dates. Additionally, nurses who failed to maintain the required credential would be placed on leave without pay until their required credentials are current. The Employer proposed additional language that there would also be the expectation that the involved nurse and manager would agree on a detailed plan to become current with their credentials.

47.6 Elective Educational and Professional Leave
The Employer proposed that requests for educational and professional leave would be submitted in writing at least 14 days’ notice before the start of schedule bidding. The Employer also proposed that additional requests could be considered with AOC approval. Finally, the Employer proposed that ALNW registered nurses would beg ranted a minimum of 60 hours, up from 40 hours, of educational/professional leave per fiscal year.

47.X Travel for Mandatory Education
In this new subsection, the Employer proposed that flight nurses would be paid for all time spent in transit for mandatory education.

47.8 Equipment
The Employer proposed that boots may be requested to be replaced, as needed, every three years. Additionally, the Employer proposed that one vest and one jacket would be provided at hiring and replacements could be requested, as needed, every five years. The parties agreed that approved helmets will be provided and the University will work with individual nurses to provide properly fitted helmets. The parties also agreed to include language identifying that the additional allowance of $300 annually applies to items from the approved safety list. Finally, the parties agreed to include language identifying that safety equipment, when approved by management, could be replaced when regular wear and tear indicates a need.

47.9 Mileage and Per Diem
The parties agreed to update retitle this subsection, 47.9 Mileage, Lodging, and Per Diem. The Employer proposed that in addition to reimbursing mileage and meals, the Employer would include lodging while in travel status.

47.10 ALNW Safety Committee
The Employer proposed housekeeping edits only.

47.11 Aircraft out of Service
The parties agreed to add in language from the MOU – Airlift Northwest Reassignment. This agreement would also update the title of this subsection 47.11 Aircraft out of Service and Reassignment. The parties also agreed that if the nurse has already reported to work and assigned to another facility, travel time will be considered duty time and mileage would be paid to the temporary duty station in accordance with University policy. In response to the Union’s proposal, the Employer proposed that in the cases where an aircraft were out of service for three or more consecutive days, an emergency JLM would be scheduled to discuss the impacts as soon as possible.

47.13 Official Duty Station
The parties agreed to move the language within this subsection that pertained to other subsections.

47.14 Juneau Base Staffing
The parties agreed to retitle this subsection “24 Hour Shifts”. This change would include striking the references to Juneau Base. The Employer proposed that if management changed a start time, affected RNs would be notified 6 weeks prior, up from 4 weeks prior, to implementation.

47.16 Hours of Work and Overtime
B. Overtime
The Employer proposed aligning language within this subsection with the Employer’s proposal at the big table regarding cessation of rounding. This proposal strikes the 7 minute grace period language regarding rounding. The Employer also proposed striking language that would allow for the accrual of up to 40 hours of compensatory time calculated on a rolling basis.
C. Compensatory Time Cash Out
The Employer proposed that if an employee’s compensatory time exceeds 240, the excess amount would be cashed out to bring the balance back to 240 hours. Additionally, the Employer clarified that every June 30^th, compensatory time balances would be cashed out to zero including when or if an employee transferred to to a position in their department with a different budget or funding sources.

47.21 Bereavement Leave
The parties agreed to increase bereavement leave up to two and a half shifts, or 60 hours, within a seven day period.

47.2X Committee Work
The Employer proposed housekeeping edits that would effectively list this section as a new subsection.

47.24 Job Posting and Transfer ALNW Bargaining Unit
The Employer proposed to clarify language in this subsection so that it would read that seniority, if multiple nurses were interested in the same position, would be determined by length of unbroken service with ALNW. To align with the Employer’s proposal in 47.25 Service Commitment, the Employer proposed to reduce the number of months of service from 18 to 9 months.

47.25 Service Commitment
The Employer proposed to reduce the minimum service commitment from two years to one year for newly hired nurses who received a relocation allowance before they would be considered for transfer to another base.

47.27 Certification Pay
The parties were in agreement to identify Senior Flight Nurses as RN3s and Flight Nurses as RN2s. The parties agreed to include language that would simplify certification notification procedures.

47.28 Float Pay
The Employer proposed to include this subsection in the Airlift Northwest Premiums table in 47.29 Premiums. The Employer was also in agreement to include this subsection in Article 45 – Wages and Other Pay Provisions.

47.29 Premiums
With respect to the table of Airlift Northwest Premiums, the Employer proposed including the BSN premium of $1.00 per hour, clarifying that the Night Shift Differential is $4.50 per hour, increasing Certification Premium to $1.25 per hour, and including Permanent Float Team at $4.00 per hour and Reassignment Premium at $3.00 per hour. Additionally, the Employer proposed memorializing the 5% Alaska premium for nurses regularly assigned to work at the Juneau Operations Base. The Employer was also in agreement to include this subsection in Article 45 – Wages and Other Pay Provisions.

47.30 Other Provisions
The parties agreed to include Article 26 – Civil Duty in the list of other provisions that would apply to the Airlift Northwest Bargaining Unit while the Employer maintained a placeholder that the parties will still discussing the details of Article 37 – Nonpermanent and Intermittent Employees at the big table.

47.31 Seniority Defined
The Employer proposed to add clarity to the language of this subsection so that it was clear to readers when permanent status was considered for the purpose of layoff.

Next Steps
The next SEIU 119NW and UW bargaining session is scheduled for Thursday, May 29, and will be held in person.