Labor Relations

UW – SEIU 925 Negotiations Recap August 21, 2018

Background

This recap details portions of the ninth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and SEIU 925, set to expire on June 30, 2019. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.

Tentative Agreements

The parties signed tentative agreements to close the following provisions:

  • Article 11 – Employee Training and Development
    • Housekeeping edits
  • Article 19 – Union Business Activities
    • Eliminated the article as select content was captured in Article 42
  • Article 20 – Miscellaneous Leave
    • Housekeeping edits
  • Article 21 – Federal Family Medical Leave Act and Parental Leave
    • Removed the cap on interspersing so that an employee can continue using eight hours of accrued leave per month for continuation of employer-paid health care benefits for the duration of an approved leave of absence (instead of being capped at six months with the current language)
  • Article 23 – Shared Leave
    • Updated list of reasons an employee may used shared leave to include parental leave and sickness or temporary disability due to a pregnancy-related medical condition or miscarriage
    • Updated the Washington State shared leave pools language
  • Article 41 – New Employees
    • Incorporated language from the new employee MOU stating that the Employer will continue to offer a regularly scheduled in-person all day new employee orientation by POD (mandatory for new employees from Seattle main campus)
    • Added language stating that if an employee does not attend orientation, the Employer will provide the Union access during regular work hours within ninety days of employment, for no less than 30 minutes at the employee’s regular worksite
  • Article 42 – Union Activities, Rights and Stewards
    • Added language stating that employees can use leave consistent with University policy to work for the Union on a temporary basis (with supervisory approval)
    • Added new language stating that delegates and SEIU 925 members may use state owned/operated equipment to communicate with the Union and Employer for administering the collective bargaining agreement, and not in a manner prohibited by the Executive Ethics Board
    • Added new information request language detailing the process for submittal, acknowledgment of receipt, and what happens if the Employer believes a request is unclear and/or unreasonable
  • Article 44 – Classifications and Reclassification
    • Currently the contract states that the Union may at any time propose a new classification with appropriate justification, and new language expands this to allow proposed edits to existing classifications
  • MOU – Transportation Services Video/Audio System
    • Extended the terms through the next contract cycle
  • SL G: Legislative Briefings
    • Extended the terms through the next contract cycle

The parties agreed to eliminate the following outdated MOUs and Side Letters (SL):

  • Financial Access Specialist Series Reclass Agreement
  • New Employee Orientation
  • Program Series Compensation
  • Updating Classifications
  • SL D: Safe Staffing of Workplaces
  • SL F: Kronos
  • SL L: Standards of Appearances

Union Proposals

Holiday Pay Rules – SEIU 925 maintained its proposal that would allow employees with shifts longer than eight hours the option to work a mutually agreed upon temporary modified weekly schedule if a holiday falls on their regularly scheduled work day (and the day is not worked).

Public Transportation Delays – The Union proposed to retain current contract language in the side letter stating that employees who arrive late to work due to unforeseen or unavoidable delays in public transportation will not be subject to corrective action.

Representation – In response to the Employer’s proposal to eliminate the side letter regarding representation, the Union proposed to retain the sentence stating that the University agrees not to oppose the Union’s efforts to add to the bargaining unit.

UW Proposals

Vacation Leave – UW maintained its rejection of the Union’s proposal to change the vacation accrual schedule to match the Employer’s professional staff program.  The Employer also rejected the Union’s proposal that would require reimbursement to employees for documented financial loss if an approved vacation was later cancelled by the Employer.

In response to the Union’s proposal, UW proposed language stating that the Employer may implement reoccurring blackout periods when there is a demonstrable business or operational need.

Workday Rosters – UW proposed a new side letter that would require the parties to meet and discuss and complete any necessary updates to the Union rosters contract provisions as a result of Workday implementation.

Tuition Exemption – UW rejected the Union’s proposal to expand the programs toward which eligible employees could utilize tuition exemptions to include distance learning programs.

Dress Code for Lab Medicine – UW rejected the Union’s proposal that would allow employees working a full day in the Laboratory Medicine Departments and Anatomic Pathology be able to wear denim blue jeans in good condition, as these employees are subject to UW Medicine’s dress code policies.

Next Steps

The next UW-SEIU 925 bargaining session is scheduled for August 28.