Labor Relations

UW – WSNA Montlake Negotiations Recap for July 24 and July 29, 2025

This recap details the twenty-first and twenty-second sessions 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 15 – Other Leaves of Absence
    • The parties agreed to new language that will allow nurses to receive civil duty time off for any scheduled work shifts twelve hours immediately before and after the civil duty.
    • The parties agreed to updated language around progression start dates which confirms that unpaid time off will not alter a nurse’s progression start date or seniority.
  • Appendix II – Clinical Clusters Pertaining to Article 21 – Layoff
    • The parties agreed to update Appendix II to better capture appropriate units and departments across UWMC-Montlake for purposes of seniority.

Union Counter Proposals – July 24

The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. The full contents of the package are outlined below:

  • Article 9 – Salary Items
    • The Union reasserted its initial compensation proposal to increase nurse salaries by 6% retroactive to July 1, 2025, and an additional 4% on July 1, 2026. The Union’s proposal also includes a market adjustment increase of 2% to all RN2 salaries.
  • Article 10 – Premium Pay
    • The Union reasserted its initial proposal for increased, percentage-based premiums but adjusted the effective date of such increases to July 1, 2026.
  • MOU – ATR Transition and Rounding Practice
    • The Union would accept the Employer’s proposed MOU detailing the process of UW Medicine’s proposed shift to an Actual Time Reporting pay model and the elimination of the rounding practice at UWMC-Montlake if the Employer accepted the Union’s proposals for Articles 9 and 10 as written above.

Employer Counter Proposals – July 24

The Employer presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. The full contents of the package are outlined below:

  • Article 6 – Bargaining Unit Classes/Definitions
    • The Employer proposed maintaining language referencing the 28/160 scheduling structure in sections defining full-time and part-time nurses while moving this language into the new MOU – ATR Transition and Rounding Practice.
    • The Employer moved off its proposal around probationary period extensions and counter-proposed to maintain current contract language around probationary periods.
  • Article 9 – Salary Items
    • The Employer’s compensation counterproposal would increase nurse salaries by 3% within 90 days of Union ratification and effective on the first pay period after ratification, and an additional 2% on July 1, 2026.
  • Article 10 – Premium Pay
    • The Employer proposed the following increases to premiums and shift differentials:
      • Increase the shift differential for evening shifts from $2.50/hour to $3/hour and night shifts from $4.50/hour to $5/hour.
      • Increase the charge nurse premium from $2.50/hour to $3/hour.
      • Increase the preceptor premium from $1.50/hour to $2/hour.
      • Create a new Sunday Night premium that would pay nurses who work a Sunday night $3/hour for each hour worked on a Sunday night shift in addition to the nurse’s regular rate of pay. Sunday nights would be defined as 7pm Sunday through 7am Monday. Nurses would be paid the premium if the majority of hours worked are during the designated Sunday night timeframe. This premium would not be able to be combined with any Weekend premium.
    • Article 30 – Nonpermanent and Intermittent (Formerly Per Diem) Nurses
      • The Employer proposed to update the premium figures in this Article to align with the Employer’s proposal for Article 10 – Premium Pay.
    • MOU – Pre-Scheduled Voluntary Double Time Shift Incentive
      • The Employer reasserted its initial proposal to strike and remove this MOU.
    • MOU – Facilitated Mediation re: System Wide Float Pool
      • The Employer reasserted its initial 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.
    • New MOU – ATR Transition and Rounding Practice
      • The Employer proposed moving its previously proposed language around ATR and rounding practices into a new MOU that would modify existing language in Article 6 (among other articles) effective February 16, 2026.
    • New MOU – Non-Monetary Steps
      • The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to eliminate all non-monetary (“ghost”) steps, which would increase the value of the non-monetary step by half the difference between the step below and step above the non-monetary where there is a non-monetary step.
    • New MOU – Top Step
      • The Employer proposed to create a new top step for both the RN 2 and RN3 pay scales and proposed that all employees who have been on the top step for at least a year would automatically be placed on the new top step.
    • Appendix III – Innovative Work Schedules
      • The Employer reasserted its initial proposal to strike and remove this Appendix.
    • All Remaining Unopened Articles
      • The Employer proposed to retain current contract language on all other remaining articles that haven’t been opened during the bargaining cycle as part of this package proposal.

Union Counter Proposals – July 29 (AM)

The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. The full contents of the package are outlined below:

  • In exchange for the Employer agreeing to the following new WSNA proposals,
    • New MOU – Leave Without Pay Bank
      • The Union proposed to create a new MOU that would allow nurses to draw up to twenty-four (24) paid hours per year to satisfy their FTE for those who do not satisfy their FTE or have insufficient leave available in any accrued leave bank. The proposed 24 hours in the bank would not be allowed to rollover year-to-year or be cashed out. This proposal was made as a potential solution in lieu of transitioning these nurses to non-exempt status.
    • Transition to ATR pay model and eliminate rounding.
    • Maintain current flexible schedule structure (160 hours worked in a 28-day time period) and exempt status.
  • WSNA would agree with the following provisions from the Employer’s prior package proposal from July 24:
    • Article 6 – Bargaining Unit Classes/Definitions
    • Article 9 – Salary Items
    • Article 10 – Premium Pay
    • Article 30 – Nonpermanent and Intermittent (Formerly Per Diem) Nurses
    • MOU – Pre-Scheduled Voluntary Double Time Shift Incentive (Employer proposed to strike)
    • MOU – Facilitated Mediation re: System Wide Float Pool
    • New MOU – Top Step
    • New MOU – Non-Monetary Steps
    • All Remaining Unopened Articles
  • WSNA would not agree to the following provisions from the Employer’s prior package proposal from July 24:
    • New MOU – ATR Transition and Rounding Practice
    • Appendix III – Innovative Work Schedules (Employer proposed to strike)

Employer Counter Proposals – July 29 (PM)

After evaluating the Union’s proposal regarding the new MOU for a Leave Without Pay Bank as a potential solution to maintaining the 28/160 scheduling option, the Employer determined that due to unresolved liability risks and operational challenges, it would not be possible to accept the Union’s package proposal and reasserted its package proposal from July 24.

Union Counter Proposals – July 29 (PM)

In response to the Employer reasserting their package proposal from July 24, the Union presented a package proposal stating that the Union would agree to the Employer’s package proposal from July 24 in exchange for a 7% market adjustment to all RN salaries.

Next Steps

Although the UW and WSNA do not currently have any additional bargaining sessions scheduled, the Employer is committed to continuing the conversation in an effort to reach a tentative agreement on this successor contract. Further updates will be provided as negotiations progress.