SEIU 925 Libraries – UW Negotiations Recap for December 16, 2025
This recap details the fifth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and SEIU 925 – Libraries.
Tentative Agreements
The parties tentatively agreed to the following:
Article 26 – Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave Program
- The parties agreed to minor housekeeping edits only.
Article 33 – Military Leave
- The parties agreed to minor housekeeping edits only.
The parties tentatively agreed to maintain current contract language on the following articles:
- Article 8 – New Employees
- Article 30 – Unpaid Holidays for a Reason of Faith or Conscience
- Article 34 – Work Related Injury Leave
- Article 43 – Personnel Files
- Article 44 – Corrective Action/Dismissal
- Article 45 – Employee Assistance Program
- Article 52 – Privacy
- Article 55 – Personal Services
- Article 57 – Contract Distribution
- Article 58 – Union Membership, Dues Deduction, and Status Reports
- Article 59 – Management Rights and Responsibilities
- Article 60 – Subordination of Agreement and Savings Clause
- Article 62 – Mandatory Subjects
- Article 63 – Union Recognition
Union Initial Proposals
Article 1 – Preamble and Purpose – The Union proposed to include new language that any changes in University Policy, state or federal law that include additional protections would be incorporated into the contract at the Unions request. The Union also proposed including language that defines who is included in “contacting the Union.”
Article 2 – Non-Discrimination – The Union proposed housekeeping edits which update the references to the University of Washington Executive Order 81 on Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct.
Article 14 – Appointments – The Union proposed new language that the Employer would make every effort to inform a temporary employee of potential contract extension at least six (6) months in advance prior to their current contract’s expiration date. Finally, the Union proposed language reducing the time spent in a project appointment from six (6) months to three (3) months that completes a probationary period if hired into a regular position; this matches their proposal regarding the probation period for PLEs .
Article 23 – Holidays – The Union proposed to strike language that requires an employee to have more than four (4) months of continuous employment in order to receive one (1) personal holiday per calendar year.
Article 26 – Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave Program – The Union proposed housekeeping edits only.
Article 36 – Miscellaneous Leave – The Union proposed new language that would allow employees to take unpaid time off for immigration proceedings and involuntary furloughs. The Union also proposed expanding the Personal Family Care Emergencies category to Personal Emergencies.
Article 50 – Union Activities Rights Stewards – The Union proposed new language throughout the article that would recognize an elected chapter officer as someone who may act alongside a steward.
Article 51 – Joint Union Management Committee – The Union proposed new language establishing a deadline requiring that a meeting request from either party receive a response within ten (10) business days.
Article 64 – Duration – The Union proposed a placeholder for the duration article and proposed to change the effective date of the agreement from upon ratification to February 1, 2026.
On the following provisions, the union proposed to maintain current contract language:
- Article 6 – Employee Rights
- Article 17 – Rank, Status, Initial Appointments, Renewal of Appointments and Promotions for Gallagher Law Librarians
- Article 53 – Salary Overpayment Recovery
- Article 55 – Personal Services
Union Counter Proposals
Article 7 – Employee Facilities – In response to the Employer, the Union accepted the Employer’s revised language specifying that employees would report to their supervisor rather than “supervision.” The Union accepted the Employer’s proposed language regarding the use of wellness rooms for medical needs, lactation, and religious or spiritual practices. The Union also accepted the Employer’s proposed language to reference APS 46.7, Reasonable Accommodation of Pregnant Employees. Additionally, the Union reasserted language requiring the Employer to provide gender-neutral bathrooms or private changing areas and language stating that the Employer would provide lactation stations in accordance with APS 46.7, and that wellness rooms may be used as lactation stations if they meet the applicable requirements.
Article 12 – Employee Facilities – In response to the Employer, the Union proposed to reassert their initial proposal for Employee Facilities and accepted the language update regarding taking time off for an event or activity proposed by the Employer.
Article 27 – Federal Family Medical Leave Act – The Union accepted Employer proposed language that references Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML). The Union also accepted Employer proposed revisions of contract language from “paid leave” to “paid time off”. The Union reasserted their definition of family member proposed in article 25 Sick Time Off.
Article 28 – Parental Leave – In response to the Employer, the Union accepted Employer proposed language that references Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) and otherwise reasserted their previous proposal.
Article 29 – Shared Leave – The Union accepted the Employer’s proposed language recognizing hate crimes as a qualifying reason for employees to be eligible for shared leave. The Union reassert the language that would allow employees involved in immigration proceedings to qualify for shared leave.
Article 32 – Leave Related to Domestic Violence Sexual Assault or Stalking – The Union accepted the Employer’s proposed language referencing APS 46.8. The Union also accepted the Employer’s proposed language changes related to use of time off. The Union otherwise, reasserted their previous proposed language.
Article 35 – Reasonable Accommodations of Employees with Disabilities – The Union accepted the Employer’s proposed language referencing the University of Washington Administrative Policy 46.5, Reasonable Accommodation of Employees with Disabilities. The Union otherwise reasserted their initial proposal.
Article 36 – Miscellaneous Leave – In response to the Employer, the Union accepted the Employer’s proposed language changing “unpaid time off” to “unpaid leave of absence,” as well as the proposed update to the Benefits Office contact information. The remainder of the proposal reasserts the Union’s initial proposal including language incorporating the MOU regarding discretionary leave into the contract.
Article 39 – Health & Safety – In response to the Employer, the Union accepted most of the proposed housekeeping edits throughout the article. The Union maintained their language that the Employer and Union would meet annually in a Joint Union–Management meeting to identify potentially emerging safety concerns and well as language that the employer would communicate the outcome of workplace inspections to all unit employees.
Employer Initial Proposals
Article 2 – Non-Discrimination – The Employer proposed to update language in this article to reflect the University’s discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct policies as set forth in UW Executive Order No. 81. Other proposed language updates include information about complaint reporting to the University’s Civil Rights Compliance Office.
Article 13 – Hiring – The Employer proposed to update language around employee recruitment to state that UW Libraires, Law Library, and Press are strongly committed to engaging in practices that encourage people from underrepresented groups to apply for bargaining unit positions. The Employer also proposed to strike language that requires implicit bias trainings for all search committee members prior to searches commencing.
Article 15 – Promotion and Transfers of Professional Libraries and Press Employees – The Employer proposed to update definitions of promotion, lateral movement, and a voluntary demotion to define movement to positions with a different salary maximum, rather than minimum.
Article 46 – Layoff, Seniority, Rehire – The Employer proposed new language to clarify that notice period requirements do not apply to temporary layoffs as defined in University policy.
Article 48 – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Anti-Racism – The Employer proposed to update the name of this article to Inclusion and Belonging and proposed to replace references to DEI in this article with “inclusion and belonging.” The Employer also proposed to update language around certain reports and hiring tools to state that the Employer would provide supervisors of bargaining unit employees information regarding inclusion and belonging.
Article 53 – Salary Overpayment Recovery – The Employer proposed to update information around using vacation or compensatory time to pay back an overpayment to state that the option is only intended when unreported unpaid time off occurs and requires prior approval from payroll.
The Employer proposed housekeeping edits only on the following provisions:
- Article 4 – Affirmative Action
- Article 6 – Employee Rights
- Article 11 – Overtime
On the following provisions, the Employer proposed to maintain current contract language:
The Employer proposed to strike the following out-of-date MOUs:
- MOU – Professional Libraries and Press Employee Position Reviews
- MOU – Supplements
- MOU – Lump Sum Payment for Professional Libraries and Press Employees
- MOU – Libraries IT Employee Recruitment and Retention Increases
- MOU – Professional Development Allocations
- MOU – Compression and Inversion Study
- MOU – Discretionary Time Off
Next Steps
The next SEIU 925-Libraries and UW bargaining session is scheduled for January 6, 2026 and will be held virtually.