Negotiations Recap for August 27, 2014
This recap details the eighth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and WFSE for the 2015-17 contract term.
WFSE Package Proposal
WFSE put forth a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Provisions included:
Monthly Reporting – WFSE would withdraw its proposal to standardize the transmission date of the monthly bargaining unit report.
Union Activities – WFSE would withdraw its proposals to allow stewards time off to investigate grievances, to increase the time granted for stewards to confer with employees prior to grievance meetings, and to require that orientation occur in multiple languages.
WFSE maintained its proposals to increase the time granted for the union to meet with employees at orientation and to guarantee time for the union to meet with those participating online, as well as its proposed requirement that management provide the union with new employee information monthly.
Corrective Action – WFSE would withdraw its proposal requiring management to provide a letter before any investigatory meeting explaining allegations of misconduct, but maintained its proposal to require at least one day of notice prior to an investigatory meeting. WFSE maintained its proposal to allow formal counseling to be taken to arbitration.
Grievance Procedure – WFSE maintained its proposal to remove existing contract language that waives the right to bring a claim to additional legal forums after arbitrating it, and vice versa.
UW Response
UW expressed willingness to further discuss some of the ideas contemplated in WFSE’s proposals, but informed WFSE that it could not accept the proposed package in its entirety.
Next Steps
The next UW-WFSE bargaining session is scheduled for September 5.