Bargaining Summary – Session #11 (06/01/22)

RFPU-NW and UW Labor Relations (UW) met for the eleventh (virtual) bargaining session.

Articles presented:

Newly Proposed Article X (Scheduling, Hours, and Patient Care): Your union agreed to keeping current contract language around schedules being provided no later than thirty days in advance. Additionally, RFPU compromised on the most recent union proposal, now proposing residents will have at least five days off per calendar month and will receive an additional $17/hour for every hour worked over 70 hours in one week. RFPU also added ACGME language that residents should be given eight hours off between scheduled clinical work and education periods, and at least fourteen hours free of clinical work and education after twenty-four continuous hours of in-house call.

Package Proposals:

The employer offered a package proposal with Articles 3 (Childcare), 6 (Fringe Benefits), 8 (Health & Safety), 9 (Housestaff Advisory Committee), 10 (Leave – Bereavement), 16 (Leave – Vacation), 17 (Management Rights), 18 (Working Outside the Training Program), 19 (No Strikes, No Lockouts), 22 (Salary/Stipend), 24 (Transportation), and 25 (Union Activities) with the only notable proposal including a salary proposal increasing to 3%-2.5%-2% over three years, and a $5,000/year housing stipend. The union rejected this package proposal as it would entail significant compromise with very little in return (see package here).
The employer offered a package proposal with Articles 8 (Health & Safety), 9 (Housestaff Advisory Committee), 10 (Leave – Miscellaneous), 14 (Leave – Professional), 17 (Management Rights), 18 (Working Outside the Training Program), 19 (No Strikes, No Lockout), 21 (Professional Development and Licensing), and 25 (Union Activities) with the only notable change including a $25 increase to the professional development fund, in exchange for accepting five of the employer’s proposals and four articles with current contract language. The union rejected this package proposal; however, accepted Article 21 (Professional Development and Licensing) on it’s own.
Your union offered a package proposal with Articles 9 (Housestaff Advisory Committee), Article 10 (Leave – Bereavement), 14 (Leave – Professional), 24 (Transportation), 25 (Union Activities), and 26 (Duration). In exchange for expanding the overnight parking hours from 4pm to 11am (currently 8am), your union was willing to accept four of the employer’s proposals, and one article with current contract language. The employer rejected the package proposal.
Your union offered a package proposal with Articles 1 (Definitions) and 16 (Leave – Vacation). Your union offered accepting the employer’s Definitions article in exchange for adding the definitions of a day (a calendar day is 12am to 11:59pm, and the vacation day must be requested by the resident, not involuntarily assigned), and a post-call day (the first eight hours after a post-call day is not considered part of a vacation day and cannot be coded as such) to the Leave – Vacation article. The employer has yet to respond to this offer.

Tentative Agreement Reached:

The proposals can be read in their entirety here, along with a short video summary from this session by RFPU-NW Lead Negotiator, Dr. Kevin Steehler.

Next (virtual) bargaining session: Wed, June 15th from 3:00-7:00pm. RFPU-NW encourages all of our co-residents to attend, including incoming residents and fellows – please RSVP here.