University of Washington Human Resources

RFPU-CIR: UW Negotiations Recap for August 7, 2025

Background

This recap details the thirteenth virtual session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and the Resident and Fellow Physician Union-Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU (RFPU-CIR). The parties were joined by a mediator from the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC). Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.

Employer Last Best and Final Offer

The Employer proposed a package in which all aspects of the proposal would need to be accepted as written in its entirety. This proposal is valued at nearly $47 million in new benefits over the life of the contract.

When combined with annual R level increases, the cumulative increases to salary, allowance and professional development together total a 10% increase in year one of the contract, a more than 8% increase in year two and another increase of more than 8% in year three of the contract. This is the Employer’s last, best, and final offer.

In this package, the Employer proposed the following:

Article 3: Childcare
The current childcare fund is $75,000 per year. In this proposal, the Employer would agree to increase the childcare fund to $95,000 per year upon ratification. The Employer would increase the childcare fund to $100,000 per year on July 1, 2027.

Article 6: Fringe Benefits
The current meal reimbursement is $13.00 per meal. In this proposal, the Employer would agree to increase the meal reimbursement to $14.00 per meal. This would be effective the first day of the month after ratification.

Article 12: Time Off Holidays
The Employer proposed this Article would remain current contract language.

Article 16: Time Off Vacation
The Employer incorporated new language that vacation requests will not be unreasonably denied and that vacation requests could be submitted to the program director or their designee.

The Employer also proposed to remove the .50FTE requirement to receive vacation time off. The proposal now states that all residents will receive vacation time off at a pro rata basis.

Article 21: Professional Development and Licensing
The Employer proposed to increase the professional development reimbursement to $450/academic year and the allowance to $500/academic year beginning July 1, 2026. The current contract language sets these amounts at $400 and $450/academic year, respectively.

Article 22: Salary/Stipend
The Employer proposed that within ninety (90) days of ratification the UW GME monthly salary rate would be increased by 4%, and the allowance will be increased to $10,000.

The Employer proposed that on July 1, 2026 the GME monthly salary schedule will be increased by 3%. On July 1, 2027 the salary schedule would be increased an additional 3%.

Furthermore, the Employer proposed to increase the allowance again to $11,000 on July 1, 2026; and $12,000 on July 1, 2027. The current allowance is $8,500.

The Employer also proposed to increase the Chief Resident Supplement to $250 per month beginning July 1, 2026 and increase this allowance again to $275 per month on July 1, 2027. The current Chief Resident Supplement is $225.

Article 24: Transportation
This proposal states that residents will not be charged for weekend parking at UWMC, HMC, SCH and the VA starting at 4:00PM on Fridays, previously 12AM on Saturdays. This proposal also includes new language that residents will have access to free indoor bicycle parking at Harborview Medical Center.

The Employer proposed that the reimbursement for use of the Safe Ride Home program would be provided 15 calendar days after an accepted receipt submission. There is currently no deadline for reimbursement. The Employer also included the new language that residents would be provided a written explanation of the reason for denial.

NEW Article: Leave General Provisions
The Employer rejects the Union’s proposal.

New Side Letter: Harborview Medical Center Offsite Parking
The Employer proposed a new side letter stating the parties confirmed that there are no planned changes to the process or assigned parking locations for residents or ACGME fellows at Harborview medical Center.

Union Counter Proposal: Response to Last Best and Final Offer

In response to the Employer’s Last Best and Final proposal, the Union proposed a package in which all aspects of the proposal would need to be accepted as written in its entirety.

In this package, the Union proposed the following:

Article 3: Childcare
In the context of this package, the Union would tentatively agree to the Employer’s childcare proposal.

Article 6: Fringe Benefits
The Union reasserted many aspects of its initial proposal. The Union is proposing that:

• For Article 6.4, Meals, the Union proposed adding outpatient settings to the list of facilities that would provide meal reimbursements. The Union proposed that the meal reimbursement would be increased from $13.00 a meal to $20.00 a meal.
• The Union proposed a new $50/month cell phone stipend for residents who use their cell phone for employment-related activities.
• The Union proposed a new relocation stipend. This stipend would be a one-time payment of $5,000 per resident, which would be provided if the main location of their residency or fellowship is at least 50 miles from their former principal place of work, or their former residence if they did not have a former place of work. The relocation stipend would be provided in the first July paycheck. Additionally, the Union proposed this new stipend would be paid retroactively to residents if they previously worked under the prior 2022-2025 CBA; continue to work under the new CBA; and relocated at least 50 miles for their first year of employment. The retroactive payment would be paid in the July 2025 paycheck.
• CIR-NW proposed that all residents would have free access to the Intramural Activities (IMA) building.
• Lastly, the proposal includes a new bilingual resident supplement. In this proposal, a resident who is bilingual in English and one other language would receive an annual bilingual bonus of $1,000 per academic year. A resident could qualify for this bonus in three ways. First, a resident could complete the module for Bilingual Staff in the UW-Medicine LMS and successfully undergo a language fluency evaluation. Second, a resident could provide proof of university degree from a country and institution where instruction was in a target language other than English. Third, a resident could hold an interpreter certification from a recognized credentialing body.

Article 12: Time off Holidays
The Union reasserts its initial proposal from February 25, 2025, in its entirety. In the initial proposal, Union strikes current contract language that states that clinical responsibilities and educational requirements may necessitate that a resident report for duty on a holiday. The Union proposed that should a resident perform any duties, or should they be on-call, during any portion of a paid holiday, they would be granted an additional paid personal holiday. Additionally, this proposal would remove the annual forfeiture language for personal holiday(s), which would allow them to roll over from year-to-year.

Lastly, the Union also proposed Christmas Eve would be added as a new paid holiday.

Article 16: Time off Vacation
The Union reasserts its initial proposal from March 11, 2025, in its entirety. This proposal includes new language that a vacation day would start at midnight on the first vacation day, and end at midnight the last vacation day. Currently, vacation time off must be one (1) continuous twenty-four (24) hour period rather than a calendar day off.

Article 21: Professional Development and Licensing
The Union reasserted its counter proposal from May 27, 2025. This proposal states that the reimbursement and allowance per academic year would both be $1800 and that $2000 of unused professional development funds may be rolled over annually. Finally, the Union proposed that the University will completely (100%) reimburse for initial board certification and all board exam fees if it is a requirement of the residency or fellowship program that a trainee be board certified.

Article 22: Salary/Stipend
In the context of this package, the Union proposed the UW GME salary schedule would be increased by 9% effective July 1, 2025; 9% on July 1, 2026; and 9% on July 1, 2027.

The Union is proposing the allowance be increased to $11,000 on July 1, 2025; $11,500 on July 1, 2026; and to $12,000 on July 1, 2027.

The Union is also proposing that the Lead Resident Supplement be increased to $275.00 per month upon ratification.

Article 24: Transportation
In the context of this package, the Union would tentatively agree to the Employer’s Transportation proposal.

NEW Article: Leave General Provisions:
The Union reasserted its counter proposal from May 13, 2025. The proposal states that Residents may choose to receive a payout of unused sick, vacation, and professional days of $100/day upon completion of each PGY year.

New Side Letter XX: Harborview Medical Center Offsite Parking In the context of this package, the Union would tentatively agree to the Employer’s Side Letter proposal.

Next Steps

The University has requested that CIR-NW take its Last Best and Final Offer to the union membership for a vote. At this time, there are no additional bargaining-mediation sessions scheduled.

UW and RFPU-CIR have been engaged in negotiations for a successor contract since February. The current contract expired on June 30, 2025. For a summary of the parties’ previous proposals, please refer to the prior RFPU-CIR  bargaining updates.

Read comments on the University’s proposal from Dr. Timothy H. Dellit, CEO of UW Medicine.