This recap details the fifth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and UAW Postdoctoral Scholars.
Tentative Agreements
New MOU: Health Care Benefits Amounts
The parties agreed to create a new MOU stating that Article 9: Health Care Benefits Amounts would be updated to reflect 2027-2029 and 2029-2031 biennium amounts when those agreements are reached between the healthcare coalition and the Washington Office of Financial Management (OFM).
The parties agreed to maintain current contract language in the following Articles:
- Preamble
- Article 2: Recognition
- Article 6: Corrective Action and Dismissal
- Article 9: Health Care Benefits Amounts
- Article 11: Individual Development Plans and Progress Assessments
- Article 13: Joint Union Management Committee
- Article 17: New Employee Orientation
- Article 18: Personnel Files
- Article 21: Subcontracting
- Article 22: Subordination of Agreement and Savings Clause
- Article 26: Training
- Article 29: Union Rights
- Article 31: Voluntary Community Action Program (VCAP)
- Article 33: Workplace and Materials
The parties agreed to minor housekeeping edits only in the following Articles:
- Article 10: Holidays
- Article 35: Military Leave
The parties agreed to strike the following side letter:
- Side Letter A: Workday Rosters Reports
Union Initial Proposals
Article 19: Professional Development and Career Counseling
The Union proposed new language that would require the University to establish a UW Postdoc Travel Awards Program of $50,000/year for Postdoc travel and registration costs for conferences, workshops, training, and other professional development opportunities. The Union also proposed to create a new section in this Article that would allow Postdoctoral Scholars to serve as an official instructor of record in a class, and that Postdocs would be not excluded from serving as an official instructor on the basis of their funding sources.
Article 30: Union Security
The Union proposed new language that would require the Employer to correct errors in dues deductions within thirty (30) days of when ascertained.
MOU: Professional Development
The Union proposed to rollover this MOU into the next cycle of this agreement.
On the following provisions, the union proposed to maintain current contract language:
- Article 7: Grievance Procedure
Employer Initial Proposals
Article 1: Purpose and Intent
The Employer proposed new language around information requests that would require the Union to clearly identify what information is being sought and the reason for the request, and that requests would not normally extend beyond twenty-four (24) months prior to the date of the request. The Employer also proposed that if the parties are unable to agree on the relevance of the request, the Union would instead submit a Public Records Request for the requested information.
Article 7: Grievance Procedure
The Employer proposed language updates around the mediation and arbitration processes. With respect to mediation, the Employer proposed language stating that the Union may skip Step Three Mediation by providing notification to the Employer within fourteen (14) days of the Step Two decision. The Employer would have to respond within fourteen (14) days of receipt of a grievance moving to Step Three Mediation if they’re not in agreement. With respect to arbitration, the Employer proposed language stating that grievances would be moved to arbitration within thirty (30) days of the previous Step. The Employer also proposed new language detailing current processes within Arbitration, including language around pre-hearing disclosures and procedural arbitrability.
The Employer proposed minor housekeeping edits only in the following Articles:
- Article 24: Time Off and Leave
Employer Counter Proposals
The Employer counter-proposed current contract language in response to the following Articles that the Union presented initial proposals for:
- Article 4: Appointments and Reappointments
- Article 12: Intellectual Property and Academic Rights
Next Steps
The next UAW Postdoctoral Scholar and UW bargaining session is scheduled for Monday, July 13 and will be held virtually.