Category: Washington State Nurses Association – Montlake

The parties have come to an agreement regarding pay incentives for extra shifts. Details of the agreement can be found on the Memorandum of Understanding, here. This MOU will expire on March 31, 2022, unless the parties agree to an extension.

The parties have come to an agreement regarding pay incentives for extra shifts. Details of the agreement can be found on the Memorandum of Understanding, here. This MOU will expire on March 31, 2022, unless the parties agree to an extension.

The parties have come to an agreement regarding pay incentives for extra shifts. Details of the agreement can be found on the Memorandum of Understanding, here. This MOU will expire on March 31, 2022, unless the parties agree to an extension.

UW has reached agreement with WSNA on a rollover contract for the RNs at UWMC.  This means the majority of provisions in the current contract will rollover to the 2019-21 contract, which will be effective from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2021.

The agreement reached includes the rollover contract, per diem agreement, and the Northwest Hospital Transition Agreement.  Certain new provisions pertaining to bargaining members at UWMC are summarized below.

General Wage Increases – The parties agreed to increase wages across-the-board by 2% on July 1, 2019 and 2% on July 1, 2020.

U-PASS – The parties agreed that, effective July 1, 2019, bargaining unit employees with an active permanent appointment with greater than a .5 FTE will not be charged a fee for a U-PASS.

Annual Leave – The parties agreed to a new vacation accrual scale effective January 1, 2020, that is more generous than the current scale, specifically during four (4) through thirteen (13) years of service, as follows:

During	Paid Vacation Days (2020-2021)*	Paid Vacation Days (2017-2019)
1st year	12 days	12 days
2nd year	13 days	13 days
3rd year	14 days	14 days
4th year	15 days	14 days
5th year	15 days	15 days
6th year	16 days	15 days
7th year	16 days	15 days
8th year	17 days	15 days
9th year	17 days	15 days
10th year	18 days	16 days
11th year	18 days	17 days
12th year	20 days	18 days
13th year	20 days	19 days
14th year	20 days	20 days
15th year	21 days	21 days
16th year	22 days	22 days

*Effective date is January 1, 2020

Lump Sum – The parties agreed to a one-time retention/rollover lump sum payment for employees in active permanent appointments during the pay period in which the contract was ratified through November 1, 2020.  They payment will be eight hundred dollars ($800) to each employee with above a .6 FTE and four hundred dollars ($400) to each employee with a .6 FTE and below (as of November 1, 2020).  The lump sum will be paid by the Employer on November 25, 2020 and is not applicable to per diems.

Per Diems – The parties agreed to a new Article incorporating represented per diem nurses.  Much of the Article was intended to memorialize existing conditions, with highlights summarized below.

Job Profiles – Per diem RN 2’s and 3’s will be reclassified as WSNA represented RN 2’s and 3’s with new job codes.  All employees will continue to be assigned to their current pay table, pay range, and step.

Just Cause – The parties agreed to just cause language that states per diems employed at UWMC and/or Northwest Hospital as of December 31, 2019 shall not be terminated except for just cause.  Those newly hired at either facility on January 1, 2020 or later, must work a cumulative 1,872 non-overtime hours or more from their date of hire in continuous employment with the University in UWMC Per Diem and NWH Reserve Nurse job before being covered by the just cause provision.  The parties agree to adhere to the grievance process as outlined in the respective CBAs.  If an employee is not meeting performance expectations, they will be given an action plan outlining the identified issues. The parties agree to start at Step Two for terminations.

Hours Audit – The parties agreed to a new MOU which states that any active per diem who was employed as a per diem on or before June 1, 2017, and has been continuously employed a per diem without a break in service, will have their per diem hours audited within ninety days of ratification.  The audit details are outlined further within the per diem agreement.  Following completion of the audit, any necessary step increases will occur on the next available pay period, as determined by the Employer.

Availability – New language states that per diems who fail to provide dates to be scheduled in accordance with the CBA will be subject to a written warning.  If the employee fails to provide dates on a second occasion within a rolling year, their appointment may be ended.  Appointments may also end due to a lack of work.

Overtime – The parties agreed to a side letter memorializing that per diems will be paid daily overtime for work in excess of the scheduled shift which includes work in advance of a scheduled shift, per existing practice.

Per Diem Premium – The parties will maintain the existing 6% premium for per diem hours worked, unless the employee receives medical benefits from a different appointment.

 

 

We are delighted to announce that we have reached a new tentative agreement on a 2025-2027 contract with the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) representing nurses at UW Medical Center – Montlake.

This tentative agreement will be endorsed by the WSNA bargaining team and presented to WSNA members for a ratification vote. If ratified, the new contract benefits will take effect on the first available pay period after ratification.

Click here for the full copy of the tentative agreement with all contract changes. 

The UW has reached agreement with WSNA on a collective bargaining agreement for UWMC – Montlake for the 2021-2023 fiscal biennium. Members of WSNA at UWMC – Montlake have voted in favor of ratifying their contract.

For details on the agreement reached, please see the following summary table:

Summary Table: WSNA – Montlake 2021-2023 Agreement

Copies of the tentative agreements have been posted on the main WSNA – Montlake contract page, here, and will be replaced with the finalized agreement once available.

After months of negotiations, we are pleased to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement (TA) on a 2025-2027 contract with the Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA) representing nurses at UW Medical Center – Montlake.

We are grateful to have been able to offer the terms in this tentative agreement – valued at over $44 million – in the midst of the extraordinary financial challenges currently faced by UW Medicine. This agreement reflects our deep appreciation for the essential work of our nurses as well as our commitment to their professional development and personal well-being.

Economic highlights include:

Pay Increases:

• Across the Board (ATB) Increases: 3% in year 1; 2% in year 2

• Recruitment & Retention (R&R) Increases: 1% in year 1, 1% in year 2

• • This reflects a combined increase of 4% in year 1 and 3% in year 2, for a total of 7% during the life of the contract

• Addition of a new Top Step for all RNs

• Elimination of all non-monetary steps for all RNs

Premium Increases:

• Increase Evening Shift Differential from $2.50 to $3.00/hour

• Increase Night Shift Differential from $4.50 to $5.00/hour

• Create new Sunday Night Premium for $3.00/hour

• Increase Charge RN from $2.50 to $3.00/hour

• Increase Preceptor Pay from $1.50 to $2.00/hour
• Add Float Premium eligibility for Nonpermanent/Intermittent RNs

We are grateful to have arrived at a fair and equitable agreement and for the months of hard work that was put into reaching this agreement together. WSNA will now present the tentative agreement to their members for a final ratification vote. If approved, the new contract benefits will take effect on the first available pay period after ratification.

The final session with WSNA-Northwest is scheduled for this Wednesday, August 20, 2025, and will be held via Zoom.

We are disappointed to share that the membership of WSNA-Montlake voted to reject the tentative agreement reached on August 13, 2025. As a result, the current 2023-2025 contract will remain in place for the foreseeable future. We will continue to fulfill our bargaining obligations with WSNA, and further updates will be provided as soon as they are available.

This recap details the twentieth session 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 5 – Association Representatives, Dues Deductions, Activities
  • The parties agreed to strike language in Section 5.4 regarding Union roster reports and instead reference Appendix IV for information on Union roster reports.
  • The parties agreed to new language detailing the process for the Union submitting information requests, stating that all requests must be submitted to the Office of Labor Relations and must clearly identify what information is being sought.
• Article 7 – Hours of Work and Overtime
  • The parties agreed to updated language around usage and cash out of compensatory time off, stating that compensatory time will need to be used or paid by June 30^thof each fiscal year, and that a nurse’s unused compensatory time balance will be cashed out every June 30^th or when the nurse leaves University employment. Additionally, the updated language will allow nurses to cash out their compensatory time balance when they transfer within their department to a position with different funding sources or when transferring to a position in another department.
  • The parties agreed to incorporate language from the MOUs on meal and rest breaks into this Article and added additional language around uninterrupted breaks and the ability to waive meal and rest breaks.
  • The parties agreed to new language around donning and doffing, stating that nurses will be paid for time spent donning and doffing and will have a grace period of up to ten (10) minutes during their regularly scheduled shift for donning at the beginning of their shift and ten (10) minutes for doffing at the end of their shift.
• Article 8 – Educational and Professional Development
  • The parties agreed to new language that will allow nurses to use educational and professional leave to participate in King County Nurses Association educational and professional events, and Community Partnership volunteer experiences via the UWMC Nurse Community Partnership Committee intranet.
  • The parties agreed to increase the amount of education support funds allocated to each nurse by $100 per year, totaling $350 per year, per nurse. Additionally, the parties agreed to increase the amount of funds nurses can use over the allowed $350 per year via the pool of funds by $100, totaling $600 per year, per nurse, as available.
• Article 11 – Employment Practices
  • The parties agreed to new language around the Hospital Staffing Committee, including language around the composition of the committee as well as the voting practices for the committee for approval of all hospital staffing plans.
  • The parties agreed to allow WSNA to select an additional RN to participate in the Workplace Violence Prevention Committee, totaling two (2) RNs.
  • The parties agreed to convene a Montlake-specific Workplace Violence Prevention workgroup consisting of the two ML RNs serving on the main WPVC, plus a UWMC Public Safety representative and two other management personnel as determined by the Employer. The workgroup will determine how frequently to meet, and such meetings will be on paid time. Additional WSNA-Montlake members may be invited to attend the WPV-ML workgroup on an ad hoc basis on unpaid time.
• Article 16 – Sick Time Off
  • The parties agreed to an updated TA for this article, adding the ability for employees to use sick time for preparation and participation in immigration proceedings for themselves or family members, increasing bereavement leave from three (3) days to five (5) days, and expanding the definition of family member for purposes of bereavement leave to align with the definition for sick time off.
• Article 20 – Grievance Procedure
  • The parties agreed to updated language around the arbitration scheduling process, stating that once a grievance is advanced to arbitration, the Union and the University must begin the arbitration scheduling process and provide availability to the arbitrator within thirty (30) calendar days of the parties selecting an arbitrator and that the parties must use best efforts to schedule a hearing date within six months (180 calendar days) of the arbitrator being selected.
• Article 22 – Posting, Transfer, Promotions, Reallocations
  • The parties agreed to update the definition of Promotion to be defined as movement from an RN2 to an RN3 job classification.
  • The parties agreed to new language that distinguishes between trial service periods for movement within the bargaining unit and movement outside the bargaining unit, including a new section detailing the process for trial service for movement outside the bargaining unit. Nurses who transfer, promote, or voluntarily demote to a position outside the bargaining unit, but within UW Medicine, will serve a six (6) month trial service period and the same rights will apply as nurses who transfer within the bargaining unit.
• Article 29 – Complete Agreement
  • The parties agreed to move the contents of Article 26 – Complete Understanding into this article with minor housekeeping edits.
• Article 31 – Duration
  • The parties agreed to a two-year contract duration that will expire on June 30, 2027, once an agreement is reached.
• Appendix IV – Union Roster Reports Post Workday Implementation
  • The parties agreed to updated language around union roster information to more accurately reflect the information provided in the roster reports.
• MOU – Voluntary Extra Shifts Between UWMC-NW and Montlake Campuses
  • The parties agreed to move this mid-cycle MOU into the body of the contract.
• MOU – Release Time
  • The parties agreed to update language to say that nurses will be paid at their appropriate rate of pay for hours in bargaining with management approval.
  • The parties agreed to new language that will require WSNA to request release for nurses on bargaining team as far in advance as possible.
• MOU – Parking Citations for Nurses with Valid UW Parking Permits
  • The parties agreed to update the language in this MOU to more accurately reflect parking processes, stating that nurses who are requested to stay past their scheduled shift will notify parking services that their permits will expire.
• MOU – Ground Rules Governing Negotiations for the 2023 – 2025 Agreement
  • The parties agreed to strike language around meeting start times, guidelines around use of technology, and creation of the final agreement draft.

Employer Counter Proposals

Article 15 – Other Leaves of Absence – The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to have nurses be paid for civil duty hours. The Employer also accepted the Union’s proposal to maintain current contract language that allows nurses to request to work additional hours during a sixty (60)-day period following suspended operations, but counter-proposed language that would require nurses to use certain types of time off in a specified sequence for those not required to work for the balance of a closure. The Employer’s proposal would require nurses to use vacation time first, then compensatory time or holiday credit, then sick time off, and if all other paid time off is exhausted, then unpaid time off.

MOU – UW Medicine Pre-Scheduled Voluntary Double Time Shift Incentive for Critical Staffing Needs – The Employer reasserted its proposal to strike and remove this MOU.

New MOU – Facilitated Mediation – The Employer reasserted its 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.

Union Counter Proposals

Article 15 – Other Leaves of Absence – The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal to require nurses use certain types of time off in a specific sequence for those not required to work for the balance of a closure. The Union counter-proposed language that would allow nurses, in the case of suspended operations, to use vacation time off that had not been previously requested, as well as sick time off if all other paid time off is exhausted. Alternatively, the Union proposed to revert to current contract language.  

Next Steps

The final two UW and WSNA bargaining sessions are scheduled for Thursday, July 24, 2025, and July 29, 2025, and will be held in-person at the UDSB Gateway building. These sessions will be held with WSNA-Montlake only.

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.