UW – WSNA Montlake/Northwest Joint Negotiations Recap for June 3, 2025
This recap details the eleventh session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the UW and WSNA Montlake & WSNA Northwest.
Tentative Agreements
The parties tentatively agreed to the following articles in the Montlake contract:
- Article 16 – Sick Time Off
- The parties agreed to new language that will allow employees to use sick time off in cases where the employee or a family member of the employee is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, as well as new language that aligns with updated Washington State laws that allows employees to use bereavement time off for the loss of pregnancy.
- The parties agreed to updated language that will require RNs who separate from state service due to retirement or death be compensated for their total unused sick time off at the rate of 25%, and that the Employer will deposit the equivalent funds into a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) through VEBA and compensation will be based on the employee’s salary at the time of separation.
- Article 17 – Conference Committee
- The parties agreed to new language that will require both parties to make their best efforts to provide agenda items at least one week in advance of Conference Committee meetings.
The parties tentatively agreed to minor housekeeping changes in the following articles in the Montlake contract:
- Article 3 – Affirmative Action
- Article 14 – Washington Family Medical Leave
Union Counter Proposals
Article 2 – Association Membership/Dues Deduction (Northwest Contract) – The Union accepted the Employer’s proposal to move the contents of Article 3 – Association Representatives into Article 2, and to move roster information into a new appendix. Additionally, the Union counter-proposed new language that would allow nurses to voluntarily deduct funds from their pay for contributions to the WSNA Political Action Committee (WSNA PAC).
With respect to information requests, the Union rejected the Employer’s proposed language that would require information requests to clearly identify what information is being sought and to include the reason for the request, and that requests would not extend more than 24 months prior to the date of the request.
Article 4 – Definitions (Northwest Contract) – The Union counterproposal would exclude “planning” from the definition of preceptor responsibilities. The Union also counter-proposed to include a definition of a break relief nurse to align with their proposal to create a break relief nurse assignment. Additionally, the Union rejected the Employer’s proposal around probationary periods that would allow the Employer to extend the probationary period for an employee so long as the extension does not cause the total period to exceed (12) months.
Article 5 – Employment Practices (Northwest Contract) – The Union accepted most of the Employer’s proposed language around the corrective action process and the presumption of resignation and abandonment, but counter-proposed a 28-day timeframe for nurses to submit a petition for reinstatement. Additionally, the Union rejected the Employer’s proposed language that would allow the Employer to determine the specific step at which the corrective action process would begin.
With respect to the Workplace Violence Committee, the Union counter-proposed to allow a Northwest subcommittee to convene on a monthly basis that would consist of 2 WNSA-Northwest RNs plus a Northwest campus security representative. The Union also rejected the Employer’s proposed language that would allow RNs to request a separate JLM to discuss workplace violence issues specific to UWMC-Northwest.
Article 6 – Seniority (Northwest Contract) – The Union accepted the Employer’s counter-proposed language around low census that would require the Employer to make a good faith effort to place employees on low census for an entire shift or for a single four-hour increment at the start of end of the nurse’s shift, but further counter-proposed language that would allow nurses the option of voluntary standby in lieu of low census if low census persists. Additionally, the Union rejected the Employer’s proposed language that would require the Employer to take skill mix and shift length into consideration before cancelling nurses due to low census, and that the Employer would not be required to cancel travelers due to low census in certain circumstances.
Employer Counter Proposals
Education (Montlake Article 8 & Northwest Article 16) – In response to the Union’s proposal to add humanitarian work as an eligible use of educational and professional leave for nurses, the Employer counter-proposed new language that would allow nurses to use educational and professional leave to participate in Community Partnership volunteer experiences in accordance with the UWMC Nurse Community Partnership Committee.
In response to the Union’s proposal to require reimbursement of up to $3,000 per year as part of the Tuition Exemption Program for nurses, the Employer counter-proposed to increase the amount of education support funds allocated to each nurse by $100 per year, totaling $350 per year, per nurse. The Employer counterproposal would also increase the amount of funds nurses can use over the allowed $350 per year via the pool of funds by $100, totaling $600 per year, per nurse, as available.
NORTHWEST CONTRACT
In response to the Union’s proposed new language around low census, the Employer counter-proposed language that would require the Employer to make a good faith effort to place employees on low census for an entire shift or for a single four-hour increment at the start of end of the nurse’s shift. The Employer also accepted the Union’s proposal to increase the notice time given to nurses being called off for low census from one-and one-half (1 ½) hours to two (2) hours for all shifts.
Article 7 – Hours of Work and Overtime (Northwest Contract) – In response to the Union’s proposal to extend the time off period for nurses who receive a shift rotation to be 72 hours before and after a shift rotation occurs, the Employer counter-proposed to extend that period to 48 hours before and after a shift rotation occurs. In response to the Union’s proposal to limit the occurrence of shift rotations to no more than 2 per every three-month period, the Employer counter-proposed to limit the occurrence to one per 28-day work schedule.
In response to the Union’s proposal to create a new article around donning and doffing, the Employer proposed to include language in this article stating that nurses would be paid for time spent changing into and out of required and employer-provided scrub uniforms.
Article 11 – Sick Time Off (Northwest Contract) – The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to add clarifying language stating that illness includes both physical and mental distress and that nurses would be able to use sick time in such cases. Additionally, the Employer counterproposal would increase the amount of bereavement days nurses can use from 3 to 5 days. The Employer also proposed to update the definition of family member for bereavement to align with the definition of family member for sick time usage.
MONTLAKE CONTRACT
Article 7 – Hours of Work and Overtime – In response to the Union’s proposal to increase the time period for which work schedules should be posted to twenty-eight (28) days prior to the scheduled period, the Employer counter-proposed to increase the period from sixteen (16) days to twenty-three (23) days.
In response to the Union’s proposal to create a new article around donning and doffing, the Employer proposed to include language in this article stating that nurses would be paid for time spent changing into and out of required and employer-provided scrub uniforms.
Article 15 – Other Leaves of Absence – The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal that would require nurses who are serving civil/jury duty to be released from scheduled work shifts during the 12 hour period immediately before and immediately following the civil/jury duty. Additionally, the Employer proposed to strike language around progression start dates stating that use of time off would not alter nurse’s progression start dates.
With respect to suspended operations, the Employer rejected the Union’s proposal that nurses released would receive pay for the entire duration of their scheduled shift. The Employer counterproposal would allow nurses to use sick time off if all other paid time off is exhausted for those not required to work during the balance of a closure when released after reporting to work. The Employer also rejected the Union’s proposal to maintain current contract language that allows nurses to make up work time lost resulting from suspended operations and language that allows nurses to request to work additional hours during the 60-day period following suspended operations.
Article 19 – Corrective Action (Progressive Discipline) Dismissal and Resignation – The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to maintain current contract language that allows nurses to withdraw a resignation notice within 72 hours of the original submission, but further counter-proposed to maintain additional current contract language that would only allow a nurse to withdraw their resignation if it was submitted at least 14 days in advance.
The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to extend the period of consecutive workdays where a nurse fails to appear for work and report their absence to 5 days before they would be deemed to resign but counter-proposed language to say a nurse would be deemed to have resigned following absences in 3 consecutive work shifts instead of work days. Additionally, the Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to extend the period for a nurse to petition for reinstatement to 28 days.
Article 20 – Grievance Procedure – In response to the Union’s proposal for language stating that the parties would use their best efforts to begin the arbitration scheduling process, the Employer counter-proposed language that would require both the Union and the University to begin the scheduling process within 30 days and that both parties would be required to use best efforts to schedule the arbitration hearing date within 6 months of a grievance being advanced.
Next Steps
The next UW and WSNA bargaining session is scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, 2025, and will be held jointly with both WSNA-Montlake and WSNA-Northwest in-person at the UDSB Gateway building.