| We had our sixth bargaining session with the UW administration today. Management made proposals on a number of articles but maintained either current contract language or previous proposals on a number of others.
We need to ensure members’ needs are being met in our next contract. Admin’s proposals continue to fall significantly short of these needs. For example, management is still not addressing the equity issues that members have continually raised: no movement on Individual Development Plans, despite consistent concerns about lack of mentorship; no increase in EPIC trainers or implementing Equity Teams to address inequitable department environments; and their wage proposal remains at a 1% raise per year starting in 2022.
Summaries of every proposal passed today are below. In addition, you can find full text of every proposal passed on the Proposals Tracking page, and a quick guide on where some of the key proposals stand here. For more info, check out the Bargaining Center or email ase-bargaining-team@uaw4121.org.
- Holidays; Leaves; Vacation, & Workday tracking: In a few related proposals, admin maintained modifying how holidays, leave, vacation, and personal time is counted, including by proposing that time off be entered/tracked in Workday. They proposed making this effective July 1, 2022. Additionally, UW has passed an MOU to discuss implementation of Workday tracking. However, because they have still not sufficiently addressed our questions and concerns about how Workday tracking would be implemented, we continue to reject including it. We responded with some new proposals on leaves and vacation.
- Health Insurance & Insurance Appendix: Admin did not make any new proposals on health insurance today. We proposed adjusting some of the cost sharing in dental benefits and continued to make movement on out-of-pocket maximums for out-of-network coverage. These proposals still exceed the benefit design and cost-sharing of the current GAIP plan.
- Non-Discrimination and Harassment: Admin proposed a modified version of their previous proposal to remove language in our current contract that defines discrimination and sexual harassment by referencing Executive Order 31. We once again emphasized that our current definitions have been effective, and that we aren’t interested in relying on a University-controlled policy. They have not moved on increasing EPIC trainers, implementing the Equity Team, or the International Student Fund. While we agreed on and modified some of their clarifying language, we still do not agree to their use of Executive Order 31. In the effort to reach agreement by next Friday, we modified our previous proposal on the International Student support fund from $30,000 to $25,000.
- Wages: As mentioned above, admin proposed no wage increases in 2021, and an effective 1% increase in 2022 and 2023 (previously, they proposed no wage increase until 2023). We continue to propose that wages be increased to be competitive with peer institutions in order to improve recruitment and retention of underrepresented ASEs, particularly given the dramatic cost of living in Seattle. To that end, we proposed an immediate increase for base wages to the median among Global Challenge States schools, plus 12%. This would mean an approximately 15% increase for ASEs at the base rate.
- Childcare: We proposed that the annual ASE Childcare Fund be increased from $60,000 to $140,000, and maintained our previous proposals to increase the per-child amounts of the quarterly stipend.
- Individual Development Plans: We modified our previous proposal to clarify that the intention is to establish the right to an IDP, not that IDPs would be mandated.
- Resignation and Abandonment: UW proposed slight alterations to their previous proposal that would presume an ASE had resigned if they failed to appear for work for 3 consecutive days. We continue to assert that this new article would not be helpful or necessary, and do not agree to it.
- Duration: Today we proposed a 2-year duration for the contract.
Administration did not present new proposals on Article 5, 7, 8, 13, 35, and 37. They also maintained their language on the U-PASS MOU, and EPIC (which is part of Article 20 in our proposal).
Upcoming meetings and actions
- Next bargaining session: Friday 4/23 from 9am-5pm, with a caucus starting at 8:30am. All members are welcome and encouraged to join bargaining. To learn more about the bargaining process and get involved, please join our union’s bargaining Slack by filling out this form, and email ase-bargaining-team@uaw4121.org if you have any trouble accessing Slack. For a full schedule of upcoming sessions, check out our ASE Bargaining Center.
- Virtual rally & bargaining session for a fair contract Monday 4/26 at noon! There are still big gaps in negotiations between what we need and what UW has offered us, especially on wages and equity proposals. With a multibillion dollar budget and millions in profits last year, UW has the resources to make serious improvements in our contract. However, we know we won’t see sufficient movement from admin unless we clearly demonstrate that we won’t settle for anything less than a strong contract. To build power for a fair contract, it’s critical for all members to attend a virtual mass rally (tentatively scheduled for April 26th at noon) & kick off our final week of bargaining.
- Bargaining Info & Strategy Sessions: Thursday 4/22 from 12-1pm and Thurs 4/22 from 5-6pm. Do you have questions about the bargaining process, where our proposals stand, or how you can help win a strong contract? Join our bargaining info and strategy sessions happening next week! To accommodate a variety of schedules, there are two options, but both sessions will cover the same information.
- For more info on how to get involved, check out the Get Involved page of the Bargaining Center!
In Solidarity,
UAW 4121 ASE Bargaining Committee
Douglas Avella
Vern Harner
Amzi Jeffs
Levin Kim
Kyle Kubler
Jacob O’Connor
Nayon Park
Marissa Parker
Solmaz Shakerifard
Samantha Thompson
Momona Yamagami |
