Tentative 3-Year Agreement Reached Between SEIU and Washington Hospital
Washington Hospital and SEIU have reached a Tentative Agreement on a new, 3-year contract, following negotiations on a new labor contract. SEIU has announced it will hold a contract ratification on September 15, 16, and 17, 2020, which we encourage members to support.
A summary of the key terms of the Tentative Agreement is available by clicking here. We believe the wage increase in the Tentative Agreement represents a fair economic proposal.
In late March, and in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington Hospital and SEIU agreed that it was in everyone’s best interests to expedite negotiations in order to avoid the lengthy negotiations of the past, which have often taken many months to complete.
As a result of this mutual understanding, Washington Hospital and SEIU representatives met on three occasions in June to negotiate the terms of a new labor contract. During these negotiations, the Hospital and SEIU representatives expressed their intent to reach a fair and fast resolution with a focus on wages, so that our employees would not have to wait for lengthy negotiations to conclude and would have some welcomed certainty during times of significant uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Washington Hospital and SEIU reached a tentative agreement during these abbreviated negotiations on June 9, 2020. SEIU held a contract ratification the week of June 25th. Unfortunately, the members did not ratify a new contract based on the terms tentatively agreed to by the Hospital and SEIU in June.
As a result, Washington Hospital and SEIU immediately resumed negotiations, starting on July 9, 2020. During these resumed negotiations, the Hospital and SEIU again remained committed to a focus on wages in addition to discussion of issues and concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hospital and SEIU reached a new Tentative Agreement on August 31, 2020.
We believe the wage increase in the Tentative Agreement represents a fair economic proposal. The Hospital’s financial position is publicly available and demonstrates the significant operating losses and increased expenses that the Hospital continues to suffer as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. While we have started to resume services that were suspended early in the pandemic, we know that COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon. Washington Hospital Healthcare System is continuing to work through pandemic-related issues that is creating a new “normal” for everyone involved which will have significant long-term impacts to the Healthcare System and the healthcare industry in general.
This Tentative Agreement is consistent with terms reached with other employee groups at Washington Hospital and will secure a 3-year contract for the Hospital and SEIU bargaining unit employees.
TERMS OF TENTATIVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN WASHINGTON HOSPITAL AND SEIU UNITED HEALTHCARE WORKERS – WEST
The Parties have reached a tentative agreement, subject to ratification by the membership and ratification by the Board of Directors of Washington Hospital, on the following terms for a new Memorandum of Understanding between the Parties for the period of July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2023:
Article 3. Association Membership – The Parties tentatively agree to replace the current Articles 3 and 4 with a single Article 3 that conforms the contract to be accordance with the Janus law.
Article 7. Employee Rules – The Parties tentatively agreed to include progressive discipline within the body of this provision. The following language was also added:
“The Hospital shall use a process of progressive discipline which includes verbal warnings, written warnings, suspension and/or termination.”
Wages – Across the Board (ATB) Increases to Their Base Rate of Pay As Follows:
All increases would be effective the first pay period on or after the specified dates below:
- 1.5% ATB increase the first pay period beginning on or after July 1, 2020
- 1.25% ATB increase the first pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2021
- 1.5% ATB increase the first pay period beginning on or after July 1, 2021
- 1.5% ATB increase the first pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2022
- 3% ATB increase the first pay period beginning on or after July 1, 2022
Article 8 – Preceptor Pay – Agreed to add Respiratory Care Practitioner to the list of job classifications eligible to perform precepting and be paid the $2.50 per hour preceptor premium.
Article 10. Special Duty Differential – Add the statement “Employees with the job title Washer Operator will be paid the Heavy Duty Differential.” This differential is $2.50/hour.
Article 26. Seniority – The Parties tentatively agreed to update the language in the seniority clause for the awarding of position vacancies to include per diem employees from within the department first, then to include full-time, part-time and per diem employees from the facility.
Article 37. Term – The Parties tentatively agree to a 3-year term of the MOU from July 1, 2020 to June 30 2023.
Appendix H. Per Diem Availability Requirements – The Parties tentatively agree to current contract language subject to the Parties’ agreement to meet and confer on department specific issues.
Spousal Coverage for Hospital Health Plans – The Parties tentatively agreed to add the language regarding a Spousal Waiver Credit of $70/pay period.
Side Letter re: Pandemic Proposal – The Parties tentatively agreed to a side letter regarding the hospital’s response to a pandemic specifically how information is disseminated and the availability and distribution of PPE.
Ratification. The Union will be voting to ratify the contract on September 15, 16, and 17.