Last updated: August 4, 2026
Background
This recap details the eighth session for the negotiation for the collective bargaining agreement between the University of Washington and SEIU 925-Advisers. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.
Tentatives Agreements
Article XX: Civil Jury Duty
The parties tentatively agreed to a Civil Jury Duty Time Off as a stand-alone article, separate from the Bereavement Time Off section. The language is identical to the Civil Duty section of the SEIU 925 IHME contract.
Article XX: Personal Services
The parties tentatively agreed to an article that is identical to the same titled article in the SEIU 925 – IHME contract.
Article XX: Subordination & Savings Clause
The parties tentatively agreed to an article that is identical to the same titled article in the SEIU 925 – IHME contract.
UW Counter Proposals
Article XX: Washington Family Medical Leave Program
In response to the Union, the Employer proposed to clarify that Employer provided healthcare benefits must be maintained during any period of PFML. The Employer also proposed language stating that if the employee gives the University unequivocal notice of intent not to return to work, the University’s obligations to maintain health benefits would end.
Article XX: Federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
In response to the Union, the Employer proposed that while on leave covered by FMLA, the employee must use accrued time off before unpaid time off for the absence unless it runs concurrently with Washington Family and Medical Leave (PFML), without exception.
Article XX: Shared Leave
In response to the Union, the Employer proposed to update the list of reasons an employee may use shared leave to include being a victim of a hate crime, and absence from work from an employee that is legally authorized to work in the United States under federal law due to the involvement of the employee or employee’s relative or household member in an immigration enforcement action, as defined in RCW 41.40.
SEIU 925-Advisers Initial Proposals
Article XX: Performance Evaluation
The Union proposed an article that is based on the similar article in the SEIU 925 – Continuum College contract with some notable differences. The Union proposed that performance evaluations would not be used to initiate significant modifications to job descriptions or duties. For evaluation forms, the Union proposed including a provision for identifying the processes and steps necessary for employee advancement, including but not limited to promotion, salary adjustments, and career development, a provision for the employee to identify desired management support and provide feedback to management, and a provision for the employee to identify tools and resources needed to continue to perform the job well.
The Union also proposed that employees would be given a minimum of three (3) weeks’ notice regarding the deadline to submit any materials for their performance evaluation and the date of that evaluation. The Union proposed that employees would have the right to review any written materials used by supervision to prepare for the evaluation, and that materials would be shared with the employee prior to the meeting.
The Union also proposed that employees may request a peer review to be included as part of the evaluation process and that employees would be notified if any individual outside of the supervisor and requested peer would be contributing to or informing the employee’s evaluation. Finally, the Union proposed that discussions on the proposed evaluation between the employee and the evaluator would be conducted in private.
Next Steps
The next UW & SEIU 925-Advisers bargaining session is scheduled for July 22, 2026, and will be held virtually.