Labor Relations

UW – WSNA Montlake Negotiations Recap for July 21, 2025

This recap details the twentieth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the UW and WSNA, which was held with WSNA-ML only.

Tentative Agreements

The parties tentatively agreed to the following:

  • Article 5 – Association Representatives, Dues Deductions, Activities
    • The parties agreed to strike language in Section 5.4 regarding Union roster reports and instead reference Appendix IV for information on Union roster reports.
    • The parties agreed to new language detailing the process for the Union submitting information requests, stating that all requests must be submitted to the Office of Labor Relations and must clearly identify what information is being sought.
  • Article 7 – Hours of Work and Overtime
    • The parties agreed to updated language around usage and cash out of compensatory time off, stating that compensatory time will need to be used or paid by June 30thof each fiscal year, and that a nurse’s unused compensatory time balance will be cashed out every June 30th or when the nurse leaves University employment. Additionally, the updated language will allow nurses to cash out their compensatory time balance when they transfer within their department to a position with different funding sources or when transferring to a position in another department.
    • The parties agreed to incorporate language from the MOUs on meal and rest breaks into this Article and added additional language around uninterrupted breaks and the ability to waive meal and rest breaks.
    • The parties agreed to new language around donning and doffing, stating that nurses will be paid for time spent donning and doffing and will have a grace period of up to ten (10) minutes during their regularly scheduled shift for donning at the beginning of their shift and ten (10) minutes for doffing at the end of their shift.
  • Article 8 – Educational and Professional 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 events, and Community Partnership volunteer experiences via the UWMC Nurse Community Partnership Committee intranet.
    • The parties agreed to increase the amount of education support funds allocated to each nurse by $100 per year, totaling $350 per year, per nurse. Additionally, the parties agreed to 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.
  • Article 11 – Employment Practices
    • The parties agreed to new language around the Hospital Staffing Committee, including language around the composition of the committee as well as the voting practices for the committee for approval of all hospital staffing plans.
    • The parties agreed to allow WSNA to select an additional RN to participate in the Workplace Violence Prevention Committee, totaling two (2) RNs.
    • The parties agreed to convene a Montlake-specific Workplace Violence Prevention workgroup consisting of the two ML RNs serving on the main WPVC, plus a UWMC Public Safety representative and two other management personnel as determined by the Employer. The workgroup will determine how frequently to meet, and such meetings will be on paid time. Additional WSNA-Montlake members may be invited to attend the WPV-ML workgroup on an ad hoc basis on unpaid time.
  • Article 16 – Sick Time Off
    • The parties agreed to an updated TA for this article, adding the ability for employees to use sick time for preparation and participation in immigration proceedings for themselves or family members, increasing bereavement leave from three (3) days to five (5) days, and expanding the definition of family member for purposes of bereavement leave to align with the definition for sick time off.
  • Article 20 – Grievance Procedure
    • The parties agreed to updated language around the arbitration scheduling process, stating that once a grievance is advanced to arbitration, the Union and the University must begin the arbitration scheduling process and provide availability to the arbitrator within thirty (30) calendar days of the parties selecting an arbitrator and that the parties must use best efforts to schedule a hearing date within six months (180 calendar days) of the arbitrator being selected.
  • Article 22 – Posting, Transfer, Promotions, Reallocations
    • The parties agreed to update the definition of Promotion to be defined as movement from an RN2 to an RN3 job classification.
    • The parties agreed to new language that distinguishes between trial service periods for movement within the bargaining unit and movement outside the bargaining unit, including a new section detailing the process for trial service for movement outside the bargaining unit. Nurses who transfer, promote, or voluntarily demote to a position outside the bargaining unit, but within UW Medicine, will serve a six (6) month trial service period and the same rights will apply as nurses who transfer within the bargaining unit.
  • Article 29 – Complete Agreement
    • The parties agreed to move the contents of Article 26 – Complete Understanding into this article with minor housekeeping edits.
  • Article 31 – Duration
    • The parties agreed to a two-year contract duration that will expire on June 30, 2027, once an agreement is reached.
  • Appendix IV – Union Roster Reports Post Workday Implementation
    • The parties agreed to updated language around union roster information to more accurately reflect the information provided in the roster reports.
  • MOU – Voluntary Extra Shifts Between UWMC-NW and Montlake Campuses
    • The parties agreed to move this mid-cycle MOU into the body of the contract.
  • MOU – Release Time
    • The parties agreed to update language to say that nurses will be paid at their appropriate rate of pay for hours in bargaining with management approval.
    • The parties agreed to new language that will require WSNA to request release for nurses on bargaining team as far in advance as possible.
  • MOU – Parking Citations for Nurses with Valid UW Parking Permits
    • The parties agreed to update the language in this MOU to more accurately reflect parking processes, stating that nurses who are requested to stay past their scheduled shift will notify parking services that their permits will expire.
  • MOU – Ground Rules Governing Negotiations for the 2023 – 2025 Agreement
    • The parties agreed to strike language around meeting start times, guidelines around use of technology, and creation of the final agreement draft.

Employer Counter Proposals

Article 15 – Other Leaves of Absence – The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to have nurses be paid for civil duty hours. The Employer also accepted the Union’s proposal to maintain current contract language that allows nurses to request to work additional hours during a sixty (60)-day period following suspended operations, but counter-proposed language that would require nurses to use certain types of time off in a specified sequence for those not required to work for the balance of a closure. The Employer’s proposal would require nurses to use vacation time first, then compensatory time or holiday credit, then sick time off, and if all other paid time off is exhausted, then unpaid time off.

MOU – UW Medicine Pre-Scheduled Voluntary Double Time Shift Incentive for Critical Staffing Needs – The Employer reasserted its proposal to strike and remove this MOU.

New MOU – Facilitated Mediation – The Employer reasserted its proposal to create a new MOU stating that the parties 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.

Union Counter Proposals

Article 15 – Other Leaves of Absence – The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal to require nurses use certain types of time off in a specific sequence for those not required to work for the balance of a closure. The Union counter-proposed language that would allow nurses, in the case of suspended operations, to use vacation time off that had not been previously requested, as well as sick time off if all other paid time off is exhausted. Alternatively, the Union proposed to revert to current contract language.  

Next Steps

The final two UW and WSNA bargaining sessions are scheduled for Thursday, July 24, 2025, and July 29, 2025, and will be held in-person at the UDSB Gateway building. These sessions will be held with WSNA-Montlake only.