University of Washington Contract Voting Documents and Timeline

Download and Share the TA Highlights flyer
Scroll down for full agreement details and voting instructions

Negotiation of the 2027-2029 UW Tentative Agreement (TA) has concluded. 

As you all know, the budget deficit continues to grow, and compensation discussions were incredibly difficult as a result. Despite the state being in a financial crisis and the University coming to the table and fighting us on every single word we proposed, the contract secures the following: 

• The CEGP steps will become regular, AUTOMATIC, annual salary adjustment steps, providing long-term earning power for years to come.
  • Defended and secured over $348.5 million in new funding to protect the current healthcare cost share and fought off increases proposed by management. 
  • Weekend Shift Premium increased to $2.50 
  • And more…
• Plus, many, many more economic and non-economic improvements! 
  • The Employer must notify employees that they have the right to representation at an investigatory meeting.
  • Employees may use personal holiday time off to cover sick time if they run out of sick leave.
  • If the Employer sends employees home due to illness, the absence will be marked as authorized leave without pay.
  • Unpaid time off may now be approved for an employee or household member involved in an immigration enforcement action.
  • At employee request, the Employer will notify others in their department or work unit of their need for shared leave.
  • Up to three days of paid sick time may now be used due to inclement weather.
  • An apprentice steward may attend certain meetings as a second steward up to three times for training purposes
  • See the full tentative agreement for details. 

Because of these achievements, your UW Bargaining Team recommends that you vote YES to ACCEPT this Agreement. A complete copy of the tentative agreement is available. 

See the links below for a complete copy of the TA, highlights, voting instructions, and a flyer

• Read the Complete TA 
• Read the Highlights
• Voting Instructions
• What are the repercussions of a YES or NO vote? 

We want to thank you all for your hard work, research, job actions, and solidarity. Your strength makes all the difference! 

Questions about the TA or difficulty voting? To find Voting Assistance Center (VAC) locations, both in-person and virtual, please contact the Member Connection Center (MCC): [email protected] or 833-MCC-WFSE (1-833-622-9373) Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm. 

Your WFSE UW Bargaining Team

Voting Information

Voting Instructions and Timeline

• Voting opens: Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 8:00 AM
• Voting closes: Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 12:00 PM

How to vote

1. Visit vote.wfse.org to cast your ballot.
2. Click "ONLINE VOTING" below "Important Links." See screenshot below.

Log in with your first name, last name and your PIN. Click "ONLINE VOTING" below "Important Links." See screenshot below.

Check your personal email for your PIN. Be sure to check your spam, promotions and junk folders. Vote using your personal equipment on personal time.

How Does Our Vote Impact Our Future? 

Download the flyer
Learn more online here

Here are the repercussions of a YES or NO vote 

All of the collective bargaining agreements (CBA) currently being voted on are subject to RCW 41.80, which includes important requirements about the process and timeline of our negotiations. The information posted here details what would happen in accordance with state law, depending on the vote. 

• What is next if members vote YES?

If a majority of members vote yes, then the tentative agreement is ratified. 

This must be completed in September and communicated to the Office of Financial Management (OFM) prior to October 1, 2026, to meet the legally required deadline for any funding. For example, $348.5M in new funding is required just to maintain our current healthcare cost share. 

Once that is complete, OFM determines “financial feasibility,” which is also a legally required step. From there, our tentative agreement makes its way to the Governor for inclusion in their proposed budget. 

During the 2027 legislative session, our state’s legislators will determine whether our contracts are funded as a part of finalizing the state’s overall budget for the 2027-2029 biennium. Given the dire budget outlook, members should be prepared to work hard during the legislative session lobbying legislators for the funding of our CBAs. 

You can learn more about how to get involved in that process here.

• What is next if members vote NO?

If members vote no, the tentative agreement is not ratified and there are several important ramifications to be aware of. First, the October 1 deadline is not flexible. 

It is set in law and a no vote would mean we do not meet that deadline. Failing to meet the deadline means there is no funding for at least the first year of what would be the 2027-2029 CBA period. As noted above, an example of what requires new funding is the $348.5M in new funding required just to maintain our current healthcare cost share.

In addition to there being no funding, only the parts of our current contract that are in effect as of June 30, 2027, and do not have a specified expiration date, would carry forward for up to one year. That means that there would be numerous takeaways starting July 1, 2027. 

In addition, none of the protections that have been secured as part of the 2027-2029 TA will be implemented. 

Questions?

Need more information? Contact the Member Connection Center (MCC) at [email protected] or 833-MCC-WFSE (1-833-622-9373)

Download and Share the TA Highlights flyer

Highlights

• Despite the state being in a financial crisis and the University fighting us on every improvement we proposed, the contract secures the following: 
  • The CEGP steps will become regular, AUTOMATIC, annual salary adjustment steps, providing long-term earning power for years to come. These steps will no longer be discretionary! Management will no longer be able to decide who gets paid more for the same work and who doesn’t. 
  • Defended and secured over $348.5 million in new funding to protect the current healthcare cost share and fought off increases proposed by management
• Weekend Shift Premium increased to $2.50 for classes on Appendix II
  • Preceptor pay has been expanded to include Hospital Central Service Tech 2’s (in addition to Surgical Techs)
  • The Trades License Premium has been expanded to include Elevator Mechanics/Leads
  • Formal Bilingual Staff: $800 one-time stipend when employee completes program requirements, including a language proficiency test (excluding those meeting requirements in Oct. 2024)
  • Hospital Security Officer Safety Footwear: $100 reimbursement for required footwear every two calendar years
  • Recruitment and Retention range increases for: 
    • Dietetic Techs,
    • Ortho Tech 1 & 2, 
    • Audiology Assistants,
    • Medical Assistants,
    • MA Apprentice, 
    • MA Registered,
    • Supply Chain Techs,
    • Supply Chain Tech 2’s,
    • Supply Chain Tech Leads,
  • Reduced parking rate to $9.00 from 7/1/2027 to 6/30 2028 for WFSE represented employees at HMC for pay per use parking passes for off-site employee parking only.
• Plus, many, many more economic and non-economic improvements! See the full tentative agreement for details.  
  • The Employer must notify employees that they have the right to representation at an investigatory meeting.
  • New language preventing your work from being supplanted by volunteers and preventing volunteers from supervising,
  • Employees may use personal holiday time off to cover sick time if they run out of sick leave.
  • If the Employer sends employees home due to illness, the absence will be marked as authorized leave without pay.
  • Unpaid time off may now be approved for an employee or household member involved in an immigration enforcement action
  • At employee request, the Employer will notify others in their department or work unit of their need for shared leave.
  • Up to three days of paid sick time may now be used due to inclement weather.
  • An apprentice steward may attend certain meetings as a second steward up to three times for training purposes

Your UW Bargaining Team recommends you 
VOTE YES TO ACCEPT this Agreement!

Not a member, but want to vote? It’s not too late!

You can join here: Join | AFSCME Council 28 (WFSE)
 

How did we get here? 

Read all the bargaining updates from this round of negotiations on our UW landing page here.