WSU and UAW met for our 31st full bargaining session. Elizabeth Chilton, WSU Provost and Executive Vice President, joined the bargaining session this morning and started the day with a few words to the group, expressing a shared commitment to a mutually desired and supportive contract. WSU and UAW reached a tentative agreement on Accommodations. UAW presented a counter on EPIC, proposing to hire two additional ASEs to develop and facilitate the training.
WSU Full Package Proposal: WSU sent a full package proposal which included all articles remaining open between WSU and UAW. The package proposal incorporates several new counter-proposals, including Anti-Discrimination and Harassment, Fees and Tuition Waivers, Health Insurance, Job Titles, Professional Development and Career Counseling, Terms of the Agreement, Workload, and Wages.
WSU also proposed maintaining WSU’s proposals on the remaining open articles: Child and Dependent Care, Holidays, Layoffs, Leaves, No Strike No Lockout, Parking and Transit, Sexual Harassment and Prevention Training (EPIC), Summer Session, Title IX, Union Reports, and Vacation.
Implementation: In addition to Articles proposals, WSU communicated the necessity and urgency to discuss implementation. Not all Contract provisions that require modification to current processes and system implementation will be available day one. Therefore WSU and the Union are to agree to meet within one month of ratification, where not otherwise specified, to discuss implementation time frames. These items include but are not limited to:
Wages: In the first year of the Contract the proposal eliminates graduate assistantship salary ranges of less than $2,099.50 per month (Ranges 1-48). The proposal also includes a minimum 5% increase. This provides ASEs on 50% graduate assistantship appointments the greater of, a monthly salary of $2099.50 or a 5% salary increase. Additionally, the proposal includes higher minimum ranges based on an ASE’s assigned campus/research and extension center to address cost of living variances across the state, and a salary percentage increase based on ASEs education levels, including 6% for those admitted to a Doctoral program and 5% for Doctoral Candidates. Furthermore, during year two of the Contract on August 16, 2025 all assistantship salary ranges and hourly rates ranges will increase an additional 2%.
Recent salary proposals. Click on image to view larger.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 11/16/2023
WSU maintained its proposal to provide access to childcare programs on the same basis as other University employees, and agreed participation in a university childcare advisory taskforce not be limited to bargaining unit members.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 12/11/2023
Adopt the following language:
ASEs with 50% appointments will receive a waiver for the operating fee, non-resident tuition (if applicable) and any technology fee the University may adopt. ASE’s will remain responsible for all other established fees. WSU did not accept the UAW proposal to waive all fees for ASEs including the operating fee, building fee, non-resident tuition as well as other location fees where applicable. For a full list of fees, see the Fees and Tuition Waivers section in the October 31, negotiations update.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 12/11/2023
WSU the UAW have had a number of conversations related to workload however while both have made various proposals we remain in different opinions the number of hours ASEs are paid to work and UAWs workload maximum. In an effort provide clarity and come towards UAWs stated need to provide a specific workload hour maximum limit per semester WSU outlined:
ASEs with a 50% FTE appointment are compensated for 390 hours per semester/term. For 20 hours per week for 19.5 weeks (August 16 – December 31 and January 1 – May 15).
Compensation for these 390 hours are distributed equivalently across nine (9) pay periods per semester/term.
Compensation will be comprised of Holidays, Vacation (20 hours per semester/term), for an expected workload total of 354 hours per semester/term.
WSU did not to accept the UAW’s proposals:
ASEs are not to work more than 340 hours [17 weeks] a semester/term instead of the 19.5 weeks they are paid for.
The use of paid sick time off per the semester/term is included in the total workload per semester/term.
The workload expectation will not be reduced by holidays or the use of paid vacation time off.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 12/11/2023
WSU proposed maintaining current ASE insurance eligibility and University contribution level. WSU accepted that the University and the Union are to meet to review Health Insurance bids to discuss available plans. WSU did not accept the UAW’s proposal that WSU pay ASE’s dependent premium. Note: Graduate students on assistantship are the only group of employees for which WSU pays the full employee premium.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 11/16/2023
WSU’s proposals retain the same holidays all other WSU employees are eligible for, but continues to agree to the inclusion of the use of Leave Without Pay for reasons of faith or conscience in the Leaves Article consistent with state rules. WSU did not accept UAW’s proposal that ASEs receive personal holidays or have additional paid religious holidays.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 11/16/2023
WSU maintains its offer to provide a new sick leave plan to graduate students on assistantships. WSU’s proposal maintains the four (4) weeks paid pregnancy/ parental leave allowance. UAW’s continued proposal that WSU to provide ASEs with up to twelve (12) weeks of paid leave per academic year for medical-related reasons was not accepted. ASEs are currently the only employee type who are provided University paid pregnancy/parental leave and are provided health insurance at no additional cost.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 7/20/23
WSU agreed to a new vacation leave plan for salaried ASEs. Salaried ASEs are allowed up to twenty (20) hours of paid vacation time off during each semester. Salaried ASEs with a 50% FTE summer or twelve-month appointment will receive vacation time off on a prorated basis for the summer term. The plan is also prorated for less than 50% appointments. Salaried ASEs are rewarded vacation time off as of their appointment effective date and unless otherwise approved ASEs can use no more than twenty (20) hours of vacation time off per each semester appointment period.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 10/31/2023
WSU’s proposal maintained assistantships will be paid in accordance the Assistantship salary schedule and hourly at hourly pay rates.
The differences between UAW and WSU remain related to activity-based pay appointments and summer workload. UAWs insists ASEs on summer activity-based appointments are to be paid at the same rate assistantships are paid during fall and spring, despite having been provided with summer funding structure information on multiple occasions.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 8/23/2023
WSU’s proposal maintains current standards for parking and transportation for the ASE group. WSU has provided the UAW group with information related to Parking and its self-sustaining nature. UAW’s previous proposals to provide 60% discounts on parking; fully funded transit passes at locations where transit does exist and transit allowance at locations where they do not currently exist; subsidies/reimbursements of $365/calendar year for expenses associated with bicycle/electronic scooter usage.
Language Articles
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 12/11/2023
WSU re-proposed the order of protected classes in the Non-discrimination subsection align with Executive Policy 15 Policy Prohibiting Discrimination and Harassment and simplified language for clarity. WSU maintained the desire to have language in the Article align with University Policy, and renewed its insistence the contract have language identifying WSU would comply with federal law in relation to Title IX. WSU accepted UAW’s request to extend grievance filing timeline of 120 days for issues related to this article. WSU proposed to discuss gaps in coverage of all-gender restrooms during Union Management meetings.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 12/11/2023
WSU’s modified proposal modifies the temporary hours student employees inclusion based on WSU and UAW meeting with the Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC) Monday, December 4, 2023. While the UAW continues to review the student employee lists, WSU has provided between June and September 2023, we have tentatively removed tutor, grader, readers from the Job Title list until the PERC provides clarifying information and provides a final certification for the bargaining unit.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 6/6/2023
This proposal articulated WSU and state expectations that WSU would not lockout employees. It also states the Union would not authorize, assist, condone, participate in, or lend support to any work stoppage, work slowdown or any other curtailment of work in the bargaining unit and would in fact act to prevent such activities. The Article also reminds ASEs that ASEs violating the article and therefore state statute are subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment and the University may seek appropriate legal relief in the event of a violation. The union has not responded to this Article since proposed in June.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 12/11/2023
WSU continues to believe the current language, which provides professional development and/or career counseling programs and career services to ASEs on any campus, is sufficient. WSU accepted UAW’s proposal to include language on ability to apply for funds for intercampus travel. WSU also accepted the proposal that mentorship compacts can be initiated by an ASE, however since they are optional, WSU also proposed language to clarify Supervisors and ASEs are to acknowledge they have reviewed and discussed period reviews, and language that a newly created Mentorship Taskforce will collaborate on mentorship trainings.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 11/29/2023
WSU has agreed to establish a new system-wide training program for ASE. The only place WSU and the Union are at differences is the number of employees UAW believes WSU is to hire to develop the program.
The term of this Agreement begin on [the date it is fully ratified] and runs through ________; provided that if this Agreement expires while negotiations between the parties are underway for a successor agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement will remain in effect until the earlier of the date a successor agreement becomes effective or midnight [one year following term date above].
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 3/27/2023
WSU continues to state WSU and UAW must comply with Title IX laws. The article simply outlines that if the Contract conflicts with University processes put in place to adhere to federal law, University processes would prevail. The union has not responded to this Article since proposed in March and re-communicated in September.
Adopt WSU’s proposal of 10/31/2023
WSU proposed finalization of the remaining section of the Union Rights and Responsibilities Article with the understanding the parties will meet within 30 days of ratification to review and clarify request titles and Workday field titles and modify any field names necessary to provide the Union with the information requested.
