Labor Relations

UW – SEIU 1199 Negotiations Recap for June 20, 2019

Background

This recap details the fourteenth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement between the UW and SEIU 1199. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.

Tentative Agreements

The parties signed tentative agreements to close the following provisions:

  • Article 2 – Nondiscrimination
    • Added language stating that grievances must be submitted within 180 days and that in the interim, the Employer will implement measures as appropriate
    • Added language stating that whenever feasible, the Employer will provide single-use gender-neutral bathrooms, and that the Employer will comply with relevant State law regarding availability of lactation stations
  • Article 6 – Grievance Procedure
    • Added language detailing the components of a written grievance
    • Increased time for the Employer to respond to a meeting for a Step 2 grievance
    • Split mediation and arbitration into separate steps of a grievance and added language detailing specific procedures for each
  • Article 27 – Leave Related to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking
    • Updated to reflect state law
  • MOU – Medical Errors
    • Maintained current contract language
  • New Side Letter – Diversity and Inclusion
    • Same agreement as was reached with SEIU 1199 Research/Hall Health to include a report on diversity-wide metrics, trainings for employees, an appointment to the UW Diversity Council, and related provisions
  • New Side Letter – Tracking Discrimination and Bias
    • Same agreement as was reached with SEIU 1199 Research/Hall Health to include assessment reports from various UW groups quantifying reports of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation
  • New Side Letter – U-PASS
    • Effective July 1, permanent employees with an FTE of 0.5 or greater will not be charged a fee for a U-PASS

The parties tentatively agreed to housekeeping edits to close the following provisions:

  • Article 10 – Bargaining Unit Classes/Definitions
  • Article 21 – Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Parental Leave
  • Article 36 – Corrective Action/Dismissal Process
  • Article 38 – Seniority, Layoff, Rehire
  • Article 39 – Resignation
  • Side Letter A

SEIU 1199 Counters

Shift Rotation – The Union proposed language stating that required scheduled shift changes would be limited to three every four weeks with at least forty-eight hours off between changes.

Committees – The Union maintained its proposals for a new clinic JLM, monthly meetings for the RN committee, and quarterly JLMs for other groups.  The Union proposed new language stating that SEIU 1199 would review staffing plans at least once per year and discuss any changes at a JLM.

Dietician Hours and Wages – The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety.  The Union proposed to withdraw their proposal to make dieticians overtime eligible and proposed that Dietician 2’s would be paid on Pay Table BC at Pay Range 53, value to value.

SEIU 1199 ALNW Counters

Stuck out of Town – The Union proposed that the Employer may send crews home via airlines by mutual agreement and that the employee’s airline ticket and transportation to the airport would be paid for by the Employer up front.

Nurse Replacement – The Union rejected the Employer’s proposal to eliminate contract language that requires ALNW RNs be paid at least time and one half for all sick leave coverage, regardless of total hours worked in a work period.

Certification Pay – The Union proposed that ALNW employees who were both hired and receiving certification pay prior to July 1, 2019 would continue to receive certification pay but would not be available for any additional certification premium.

24-Hour Premium – The Union proposed a new premium of $3.00 per hour of a 24-hour shift.  The proposal would make ALNW RNs eligible for the new premium in lieu of shift differentials.

Employer Counters

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – In response to the Union’s proposal, the Employer proposed that the Union may designate one member per year to be on the Employer’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, and that the designated member should commit to at least twelve months of committee participation.

Next Steps

The next UW-SEIU 1199 bargaining session is scheduled for June 25.