Labor Relations

UW – WSNA Montlake Negotiations Recap for June 27 and June 30, 2025

This recap details the fourteenth and fifteenth sessions for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) between the UW and WSNA-Montlake and WSNA-Northwest. UW and WSNA Montlake met on June 27 and UW and WSNA Northwest met on June 30.

Tentative Agreements

MONTLAKE CONTRACT –

The parties tentatively agreed to the following Montlake articles:

  • Article 19 – Corrective Action
    • The parties agreed to new language stating that no full- or part-time RN who has completed their probationary period will be subject to corrective action except for just cause.
    • The parties agreed to strike language that allowed the Employer to approve a period of one (1) day of paid time off for an RN failing to follow a final disciplinary counseling action plan for them to consider the consequences of failing to follow the action plan.
    • The parties agreed to new and updated language around resignations. Updated language will require nurses to give written notice of resignation to their manager and the Employer will give consideration to situations that would make such notice by the nurse impossible.
    • The parties agreed to new language around presumptions of resignation and abandonment. New language states that employees who fail to appear for work and report their absences on three (3) consecutive workdays will be deemed to have resigned. Within fourteen (14) days of mailing the separation notice and upon proof that the failure to report their absences couldn’t be avoided, an employee will be allowed to submit a written petition for reinstatement to their supervisor.
  • New Article XX – Salary Overpayment Recovery
    • The parties agreed to move the provisions of MOU – Salary Overpayment Recovery into a new Article, and clarified language around repayment options for active vs. separated employees.

The parties agreed to rollover the following Montlake provisions into the next CBA:

  • MOU – Public Records and Privacy
  • MOU – Voluntary Float Between Montlake and Northwest Campuses
  • Side Letter A – U-PASS

The parties agreed to remove the following expired Montlake MOUs:

  • MOU – Early Recruitment and Retention Wage Increases
  • MOU – Pay Ranges for Registered Nurses
  • MOU – Rest Breaks
  • MOU – Meal and Rest Breaks at UWMC-ML
  • MOU – Intermittent, Nonpermanent, and Represented Temporary Employees

NORTHWEST CONTRACT –

The parties tentatively agreed to the following Northwest articles:

  • Article 2 – Association Membership, Dues Deductions
    • The parties agreed to merge the contents of Article 3 – Association Representatives into this article and update the name to Article 2 – Association Representatives, Dues Deduction, Activities.
    • The parties agreed to a new language in this article that will allow WSNA members to voluntarily deduct funds from their paychecks to contribute to the WSNA Political Action Committee.
    • The parties agreed to remove language around union roster reports and move it into a new appendix.
    • The parties agreed to new language detailing the process for submitting information requests.
  • Article 10 – Holiday and Vacation Time Off
    • The parties agreed to add vacation time off hour accrual rates in addition to accrual rates for vacation days.
  • Article 11 – Sick Time Off
    • The parties agreed to language that allows the use of sick time off for mental or physical illnesses, as well as for cases when the employee or employee’s family member is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
    • The parties agreed to increased allowances of bereavement time off to five (5) days and also to include the loss of pregnancy as an eligible use of bereavement time.
    • The parties agreed to new language detailing the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) to align with changes to WAC 357-31-375, which requires that 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%.
  • Article 16 – Staff Development
    • The parties agreed to new language that will allow nurses to use educational and professional leave to participate in King County Nurses Association educational and professional development events and Community Partnership experiences in accordance with the UWMC Nurse Community Partnership Committee.
    • The parties agreed to increase the amount of education support funds available to nurses to $350 per year. Nurses can use funds over the allowed $350 per year, per nurse, as available, via the pool of funds which was increased to $600 per year.
  • Article 21 – Posting, Transfer, Promotions, Reallocation
    • The parties agreed to redefine promotion as being a movement from an RN2 to an RN3 position.
    • The parties agreed to new language around trial service for movement outside of the bargaining unit. The new language will require nurses who transfer, promote, or voluntarily demote to a position outside the bargaining unit, but within UW Medicine, to serve a six (6) month trial service period. Nurses serving a trial service period will be allowed to voluntarily revert to their former permanent position within six (6) weeks of the appointment if that position hasn’t been filled. Nurses will also be allowed to revert to their prior position after six (6) weeks with Employer approval.
  • Article 23 – Release Time
    • The parties agreed to new language that will not allow time spent in bargaining on paid release time to result in missed meal or rest breaks or the rest between shifts premium.
  • New Article XX – Salary Overpayment Recovery
    • The parties agreed to move the provisions of MOU – Salary Overpayment Recovery into a new Article, and clarified language around repayment options for active vs. separated employees.

The parties agreed to rollover the following Northwest provisions into the next CBA:

  • MOU – BSN Scholarship Program
  • MOU – Open Shifts
  • MOU – Voluntary Float Between UWMC-NW and Montlake Campuses
  • Side Letter A – U-PASS

The parties agreed to remove the following expired Northwest MOUs:

  • MOU – Early Recruitment and Retention Wage Increases
  • MOU – Pay Ranges for Registered Nurses
  • MOU – Meal and Rest Breaks for UWMC-NW

Union Counter Proposals

New MOU – Facilitated Mediation RE: System Wide Float Pool (both contracts) – The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal to create a new MOU in both contracts that would allow both parties to agree to request facilitated mediation from PERC within 90 days of ratification to develop a tiered system wide float pool for clinical staff, with the goal of addressing changes in staffing needs across campuses, including Harborview Medical Center and UWMC Northwest and Montlake.

MONTLAKE CONTRACT –

Article 5 – Association Representatives, Dues Deductions, Activities – The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal to create a new section that would outline the process and policies for completing Information Requests through the Labor Relations office.

Article 7 – Hours of Work and Overtime – The Union proposed to maintain current contract language around work periods and schedules that defines the 28/160 (160 hours within 28 days) rule. The Union accepted the Employer’s proposed language around compensatory time, increased the schedule posting requirements to 23 days, and accepted the Employer’s revised language around meal and rest breaks. Additionally, the Union reasserted is initial proposal to create a break relief nurse assignment.

Article 8 – Educational and Professional Development – In response to the Employer’s proposal for 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, the Union counter-proposed to also include participation in King County Nurses Association educational development events as eligible for use of educational and professional leave. Additionally, the Union counterproposal would allow nurses to use education support funds to cover licensure fee expenses.

Article 11 – Employment Practices – The Union accepted the Employer’s proposal to add new language around the Hospital Staffing Committee but rejected the Employer’s proposal to strike the existing language around the subject. With respect to the Workplace Violence Committee, the Union reasserted its counter-proposal to allow up to four (4) RNs to be appointed to the committee by WSNA. Additionally, the Union counter-proposed new language that would create a Workplace Violence workgroup specific to UWMC-Montlake that would consist of the Montlake RNs that would serve on the larger WPVC, a Montlake campus security representative, and up to two management personnel as determined by the Employer. Under the Union’s proposal, the workgroup would meet monthly on paid time in advance of the larger WPVC meetings, unless the parties agree to not convene.

Article 15 – Other Leaves of Absence – The Union withdrew its prior proposal for language that would allow civil duty hours to count towards a nurse’s FTE, but counter-proposed language that nurses would be paid for that time. The Union also counter-proposed to maintain current contract language that allows nurses to request to work additional hours during a sixty (60)-day period following suspended operations.

Article 20 – Grievance Procedure – The Union accepted the Employer’s proposed language that would require both the Union and the University to begin the arbitration scheduling process within a set amount of time, but counter-proposed language stating that the scheduling process would begin within thirty (30) days of the parties selecting an arbitrator, and that the parties would use best efforts to schedule an arbitration hearing date for a date within six months (180 calendar days) of the date the arbitrator was selected.

Article 21 – Posting, Transfers, Promotions, Reallocations – In response to the Employer’s proposed new language that outlines trial service periods for movement outside the bargaining unit, the Union counter-proposed language that would distinguish that trial service periods for movement outside the bargaining unit are only permitted within the UW Medicine system.

Article 29 – Complete Agreement – The Union proposed to move the contents of Article 26 – Complete Understanding into this article and update the name of Article 29 to “Complete Agreement and Understanding.”

MOU – Release Time – The Union counter-proposed to maintain current contract language that requires Labor Relations or a designee to contact nurses’ managers to request their release.

MOU – UW Medicine Pre-Scheduled Voluntary Double-Time Shift Incentive for Critical Staffing Needs – The Union proposed to rollover this MOU into the successor CBA.

NORTHWEST CONTRACT –

Article 4 – Definitions – The Union proposed to include the definition of a break relief nurse in this article as part of their proposal to create a break relief nurse assignment. The Union rejected the Employer’s counterproposal that would allow an extension of the probationary period by mutual agreement between the employee and the Employer.

Article 5 – Employment Practices – The Union accepted much of the Employer’s proposed changes in this article, but counter-proposed language around the Workplace Violence workgroup at Northwest Hospital to state that the group would meet monthly on paid time and that management personnel would be limited to two (2) attendees.

Article 6 – Seniority – The Union reasserted its proposal to add language that would require the Employer to consider assigning a nurse to serve as a break relief nurse before placing a nurse on low census or standby, as part of its proposal to create a break relief nurse assignment.  The Union accepted part of the Employer’s proposal stating that the Employer would take skill mix into consideration before cancelling nurses due to low census but rejected the Employer’s proposal stating that the Employer would not be required to cancel travelers due to low census in certain circumstances.

Article 17 – Grievance Procedure – In response to the Employer’s proposal to require the Union to contact the Employer to begin the arbitration scheduling process, the Union counterproposal would require both parties to use best efforts to begin the scheduling process within thirty (30) days and to schedule a hearing date within six months (180 calendar days) of the grievance being advanced to arbitration. The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal stating that if the Union failed to do either of these actions, the grievance would be considered withdrawn.

Article 22 – Nonpermanent and Intermittent (Formerly Per Diem) Nurses – The Union reasserted its proposal that the 1,872 non-overtime hours for the just cause requirement to apply would include hours worked immediately prior to transitioning from a permanent classified position to a nonpermanent or intermittent position. The Union also reasserted its proposal to align premium figures with their proposed changes in Article 9 and to make nonpermanent and intermittent nurses eligible for the preceptor and charge nurse premiums.

NEW MOU – Cardiac Catheterization (Cath) Lab Standby Premium – The Union reasserted its proposal to create a new MOU that would establish a standby premium for nurses in the cath lab at UWMC-NW.

Employer Counter Proposals

Nonpermanent and Intermittent (Formerly Per Diem) Nurses (Montlake Article 30 & Northwest Article 22) – In response to the Union’s proposal for including hours worked prior to transition from a permanent classified position to a nonpermanent or intermittent position in the 1,872 hour threshold for just cause to apply, the Employer counter-proposed to maintain current contract language around just cause, stating that newly hired nonpermanent or intermittent nurses must work a cumulative 1,872 non-overtime hours for the just cause requirement to apply. Additionally, the Employer proposed to include the $5/hour float pool premium in the list of premiums that nonpermanent and intermittent nurses are eligible for.

Union Roster Reports (Montlake Appendix IV & Northwest New Appendix) – The Employer reasserted its initial proposal for this Appendix, proposing to strike the vacancy report from the list of information provided to the Union on a biweekly basis given Workday’s inability to run this report.

MONTLAKE CONTRACT –

MOU – Parking Citations for Nurses with Valid UW Parking Permits – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposed language stating that nurses would use “best efforts” to contact the parking office, but accepted the Union’s proposal to maintain current language stating that in the case of a parking citation, the nurse may present the citation within seven (7) calendar days to their manager who would arrange for payment by the employer.

MOU – Ground Rules Governing Negotiations for the 2023-2025 Agreement – The Employer accepted much of the Union’s proposed changes in this MOU but proposed to maintain current language that details the process for reaching tentative agreements on unopened articles.

NORTHWEST CONTRACT –

Article 4 – Definitions – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to define a break relief nurse position in this article. The Employer also withdrew its proposed language around probationary period extensions.

Article 5 – Employment Practices – The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to limit management personnel to the proposed Workplace Violence workgroup at Northwest Hospital to two attendees, but counter-proposed language stating that meeting frequency would be determined by the workgroup.

Article 6 – Seniority – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to add language that would require the Employer to consider assigning a nurse to serve as a break relief nurse before placing a nurse on low census or standby. The Employer reasserted its proposal stating that skill mix would be taken into consideration before canceling nurses due to low census but withdrew its proposal to also take shift length into consideration. Additionally, the Employer reasserted its proposal stating that the Employer would not be required to cancel travelers due to low census if the cancellation would exceed what is permitted by the traveler’s contract.

Article 7 – Hours of Work and Overtime – In response to the Union’s proposal to allow nurses to waive their meal period for shifts less than 8 hours in accordance with RCW 49.12.187, the Employer proposed to create a new MOU stating that the Employer would follow the guidelines set forth in Washington State House Bill 1879 (see section on New MOU – House Bill 1879). Additionally, the Employer proposed to maintain current contract language around the rest between shifts premium and double shift provisions. In response to the Union’s proposal to allow nurses a grace period of up to 15 minutes before their scheduled shift start time for donning and doffing of required scrub uniforms, the Employer counter-proposed language to state that employee shifts would be scheduled to start sufficiently in advance to allow time for donning and doffing.

Article 9 – Other Compensation – The Employer counterproposal would allow nurses on call to be offered signal devices. The Employer maintained its proposal to remove the $10/hour incentive shift premium, but counter-proposed new language that would offer pre-scheduled voluntary overtime to nurses, including intermittent and nonpermanent employees. These shifts would be compensated at time and one half (1.5x) the regular rate of pay plus an additional two (2) hours of extra pay at the regular rate of pay. Under this proposal, nurses would receive the premium for a minimum work period of three (3) hours.

Article 17 – Grievance Procedure – The Employer counter-proposed language around arbitration to align with the Union’s proposal in the Montlake contract with language stating that the scheduling process would begin within thirty (30) days of the parties selecting an arbitrator, and that the parties would use best efforts to schedule an arbitration hearing date for a date within six months (180 calendar days) of the arbitrator being selected.

New MOU – House Bill 1879 – The Employer proposed to create a new MOU that will allow the Employer to modify meal and rest break processes to ensure compliance with Washington State House Bill 1879, effective January 1, 2026. The proposed new MOU would also require the Employer to provide WSNA with a copy of the waiver form to ensure agreement prior to 1/1/26.

Next Steps

The next UW and WSNA bargaining session is scheduled for Tuesday, July 15, 2025, and will be held in-person at the UDSB Gateway building. The next session will be held with WSNA-Northwest only.