Bargaining for your 2025-2027 contracts at the University of Washington kicked off yesterday. Your elected bargaining team and university management gathered to discuss various aspects of the upcoming contract, including job security, vacation/leave, healthcare, and more.
Based on your contract proposals, we proposed a wide range of edits and additions to our bargaining agreement. Discussions included funding for safety equipment, instituting training programs, improvements to scheduling, and inclusive language.
Our goal is to make UW the employer of choice for the positions we represent; with fair pay and benefits to keep pace with other Washington employers and private sector positions.
We believe that the work of UW employees is valuable and should be treated as such, with fair compensation and benefits that retain current employees and draw new talent to the university. Becoming the best employer possible will aid the staffing crisis and stop the burnout current employees feel from UW’s understaffing.
We will continue to fight for your rights, working to ensure a better workplace for all employees at the University of Washington.
A solid contract is especially valuable considering the impacts of inflation and other financial strains in Seattle and Washington. The workers who make UW’s prestigious facilities function deserve the best benefits possible, keeping up with the options that workers could get at private workplaces.
Remember—UW works because we do!
So what’s next?
We will be meeting to bargain again on July 17th and 18th. UW’s negotiators will give us their initial proposals as well as counter-proposals to what we presented on Tuesday. We’re asking you to wear union swag (WFSE green, your Local shirts, anything union!) on July 17th. Show management we’re sticking together, and we mean business!
What we need from you:
We need you to fill out your bargaining survey by July 1, so we know what’s most important to you. Your answers can help determine our priorities for this bargaining session.
For more resources, make sure to check out our bargaining toolkit. The toolkit has everything from virtual backgrounds to printable posters. Reach out to your Council Representative to get some of these materials.