Labor Relations

Negotiations Recap for March 8, 2016

This recap summarizes the ninth session between the UW and SEIU 925 to incorporate UWMC physical therapists into the SEIU 925-UW collective bargaining agreement.

UW Proposals

Pay Range Placements – UW maintained its proposal to move physical therapists to SEIU 925 pay tables at the following pay range placements:

  • Physical Therapist 1: BG 91.

  • Physical Therapist 2: BG 98.

  • Physical Therapist 3: BH 5.

  • Physical Therapist Specialist: BH 12.

Transitioning physical therapists to the SEIU 925 pay tables in this way would automatically trigger a 1-3 percent wage increase, and would put physical therapist wages at roughly 95 percent of the market.

Per Diem Employees – UW maintained its proposal to memorialize that compensation and other conditions for per diem/hourly employees represented by the union are covered by the contract’s Regular Temporary Employees appendix.

Scheduling Weekend Work – UW proposed a patterned schedule at UWMC composed of both fixed schedules (requiring a regular weekend shift) and rotating schedules dictated by staffing levels.

  • Ratio of Rotating to Fixed Shifts: At the time of each shift bid, UWMC would maintain a ratio of at least 1.75 : 1 for rotating to fixed shifts, intended to reflect the existing ratio.

  • Assigning Fixed Schedules: The fixed weekend schedules would first be offered to volunteers, following which, those remaining would be assigned according to departmental seniority.

  • Bidding Cycles: Physical therapists would bid for fixed/rotating schedules once every six months, and nobody would be required to work a fixed weekend schedule in consecutive rotations. UW added language clarifying that a newly hired physical therapist must complete a full rotation in a fixed weekend schedule before entering the rotating schedule.

  • Trial Period: UW’s proposed schedule would be in place for at least two years, after which it would remain if it met operational and staffing needs. If such needs were not met, UW would create a new schedule in accordance with the parties’ contract, and the union would have the right to bargain the impacts of the change.

Certification Premium – UW maintained its proposed certification pay premium of $1 per hour for every hour worked by physical therapists who have submitted documentation of qualifying certifications. UW incorporated and clarified elements of the additional qualifying certifications proposed by the union.

Weekend Differential – UW proposed a two-tiered differential for hours worked on the weekend. Physical therapists on rotating weekend schedules would receive $1.50 per hour and physical therapists on fixed weekend schedules would receive $2 per hour.

Job Class Review – UW proposed to help facilitate the reclassification process between the Physical Therapist 1, 2, and 3 job classifications with the “leveling guide” delivered by UW at the last session, which summarizes the key components and differentiators between each of the jobs. UW clarified that reclassification is determined by work that is actually performed.

UW added language to memorialize that it will not withhold work that a physical therapist is qualified to perform for the purpose of avoiding reclassification, to address the union’s stated concern.

Education Support – UW proposed funding and paid leave for physical therapists to attend training that is related to their area of clinical practice, provided it would not create undue hardship in the department, as follows:

  • Education Support Funds: UW proposed the following funding amounts for education and training expenses:

    • UWMC Physical Therapists: Up to $250 per year, prorated per full-time equivalent (FTE) for hospital physical therapists.

    • Clinic Physical Therapists: Up to $400 per year (prorated per FTE) for physical therapists at the Stadium Clinic, Roosevelt Clinic, and Eastside Clinic.

    UW explained that these amounts would apply from the effective date of the agreement until June 30, 2019, with a long term goal of working toward more uniformity among work sites.

  • Paid Education Leave: UW proposed that physical therapists qualify for three days of paid educational leave per year (prorated per FTE).

  • Compensatory Day: Physical therapists who attend approved educational opportunities on a day they are not scheduled to work would receive the equivalent of a day of pay or a day of accrued leave. UW clarified that this compensatory day would count toward the three days of annual education leave.

  • Past Funding: UW delivered information demonstrating that budgeting and allocating education funds for physical therapists has varied greatly over recent years, and has not included a guaranteed minimum.

Parental Leave – UW proposed grandfathering the six months of Parental Leave previously available to physical therapists (in their pre-union state classification) for one year from the effective date of the agreement, following which, physical therapists would be eligible to take up to four months of Parental Leave per the parties’ existing contract. UW would attempt to grant additional Parental Leave, up to six months, when operationally feasible.

Vacations and Holidays – UW proposed that management respond to vacation requests within 14 days, noting that sometimes a response within that timeframe will be a temporary denial pending coverage for the shift. Vacation requests and holiday rotations would otherwise follow existing policies.

Joint Labor-Management – UW proposed that the parties establish an ongoing union-management meeting to monitor scheduling, staffing, productivity, and other issues of concern. The committee would initially meet quarterly, with the goal of meeting as necessary and at a departmental level.

SEIU 925 Package Proposal

SEIU 925 delivered the following proposals as a package, in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety.

Pay Range Placements – SEIU 925 maintained its proposed pay table placements for physical therapists:

  • Physical Therapist 1: BG 93.

  • Physical Therapist 2: BH 4.

  • Physical Therapist 3: BH 8.

  • Physical Therapist Specialist: BH 15.

Scheduling Weekend Work – SEIU 925 proposed that UW Medical Center schedule physical therapists such that 32 rotate and work every fourth weekend, and 12 work a fixed schedule with one weekend day, establishing a staffing ratio of at least 2.67 : 1 for rotating to fixed shifts.

  • Assigning Fixed Schedules: The fixed weekend schedules would first be offered to volunteers, following which, those remaining would be assigned in order of reverse departmental seniority.

  • Consecutive Rotations: Physical therapists employed prior to March 1, 2016, would not be required to work a fixed schedule in consecutive rotations. This would not apply to those hired after that date, who would be hired into fixed weekend schedules and bid based on seniority.

  • Variable Shift Lengths: Physical therapists on fixed weekend schedules could choose to have a 9-hour shift schedule, or a 10-hour shift schedule involving either working every other weekend or a regular fixed day schedule.

  • Bidding Cycles: Physical therapists would bid for fixed/rotating schedules once every six months.

  • Trial Period: This proposed schedule would be in place for at least two years, after which it would remain if it met operational and staffing needs. If such needs were not met, the union proposed that the parties return to bargaining to develop an alternative solution.

Certification Premium – SEIU 925 proposed an hourly pay premium of $1 for physical therapists with qualifying certifications.

Weekend Differential – SEIU 925 proposed to increase the weekend pay differential to $4.00 per hour, an increase from its previous package proposal.

Preceptor Pay – SEIU 925 withdrew its proposal for a $1.50 per hour premium for physical therapists who perform precepting duties.

Movement to Physical Therapist 3 – SEIU 925 maintained its proposal for employees to be automatically moved to the Physical Therapist 3 job class after working for one year in the Physical Therapist 2 job class.

Movement to Physical Therapist 2 – SEIU 925 maintained its proposal to memorialize that movement from Physical Therapist 1 to the Physical Therapist 2 job class is based on obtaining licensure.

Education Support – SEIU 925 proposed funding and paid leave for physical therapists as follows:

  • UWMC Physical Therapists: At least $500 per year per FTE, and at least three days of paid educational leave per year.

  • Ambulatory/Specialty Clinic Physical Therapists: At least $1,500 per year per FTE, and at least two days of paid educational leave per year.

Parental Leave – SEIU 925 proposed grandfathering the six months of Parental Leave previously available to physical therapists for 16 months from the effective date of the agreement, following which, physical therapists would be eligible to take up to four months of Parental Leave per the parties’ existing contract. UW would attempt to grant additional Parental Leave, up to six months, when operationally feasible.

Joint Labor-Management – SEIU 925 countered UW’s proposal, proposing that the parties hold union-management meetings every month to monitor scheduling, staffing, productivity, and other issues of concern.

Vacation and Holiday – SEIU 925 proposed adjustments to existing policies on vacation scheduling and holiday coverage, including an earlier bid for vacation time during the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays, and a guarantee that those working on Christmas or Thanksgiving would not repeat those assignments until all other physical therapists had cycled through them.

Next Steps

The next UW-SEIU 925 bargaining session is currently being determined by the parties.