SEIU 925 Libraries – UW Negotiations Recap for January 20, 2026
This recap details the seventh session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and SEIU 925 – Libraries.
Union Counter Proposals
The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Package highlights are outlined below.
- Article 2 – Non-Discrimination – The Union accepted most of the Employer’s initial proposal and proposed language to include protected veterans, qualified disabled individuals, and victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking as additional groups that the parties will not purse discriminatory policies against.
- Article 3 – Workplace Behavior – In response to the employer, the Union reasserted its proposal to include an expanded definition of bullying and requiring employees and/or union represented by notified within fifteen (15) days of an investigation into workplace behavior being completed.
- Article 4 – Affirmative Action – As part of this package proposal, the Union would accept the Employer’s initial proposal for this Article as presented during the January 6, 2026, bargaining session.
- Article 7 – Employee Facilities – As part of this package proposal, the Union would accept the Employer’s counter proposal for this Article as presented during the January 6, 2026, bargaining session.
- Article 13 – Hiring – The Union accepted most of the Employer’s prior proposal in this Article but reasserted its proposal to include language stating that UW Libraries, Law Library, and Press would be require trainings in inclusive hiring practices for all search committee members before those searches begin.
- Article 61 – Intellectual Freedom – The Union withdrew most of its initially proposed changes in this Article, but reasserted its proposal to include language stating that the Employer would not intimidate or retaliate against any employee, nor imply that they could face discipline, sanctions, demotion, dismissal, or denial of reappointment for exercising academic freedoms referenced in this Article. The Union also reasserted its initial proposal to allow grievances to be filed for retaliation against employees who exercise academic or intellectual freedom rights.
The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Package highlights are outlined below.
- Article 1 – Preamble and Purpose – The Union accepted the Employer’s housekeeping edit in this Article and reasserted its initial proposal to include new language that any changes in University Policy, state or federal law that include additional protections would be incorporated into the contract at the Unions request and the language defining what “contacting the Union” means within the contract.
- Article 5 – Grievance Procedure – In response to the employer, the Union proposed to allow grievances to be filed within sixty (60) days of an occurrence giving rise to a grievance, which is a reduction from their initial proposal of ninety (90) days.
- Article 6 – Employee Rights – As part of this package proposal, the Union would accept the Employer’s initial proposal for this Article as presented during the December 16, 2025, bargaining session.
- Article 9 – Probation for Professional Libraries and Press Employees – The Union withdrew its initial proposal to reduce the probationary period for PLEs but reasserted its proposal to include language requiring a supervisor to meet with a PLE halfway through the probationary period.
- Article 14 – Appointments – The Union accepted the Employer’s proposal to remove language around probationary periods for temporary PLE appointments but reasserted its proposal to require the Employer would make every effort to inform a temporary librarian of potential contract extension at least three (3) months in advance prior to their current contract’s expiration, which was reduced from six (6) months in their prior proposal.
- Article 47 – Resignation, Abandonment, and Re-Employment – As part of this package proposal, the Union reasserted their initial proposal for this Article as presented during the November 4, 2025 bargaining session.
- Article 50 – Union Activities, Rights, Stewards – As part of this package proposal, the Union reasserted their initial proposal for this Article as presented during the December 14, 2025 bargaining session.
The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. Package highlights are outlined below.
- Article 17 – Rank, Status, Initial Appointments, Renewal of Appointments, and Promotions for Gallagher Law Librarians – As part of this package proposal, the Union would accept the Employer’s prior counter proposal for this Article as presented during the January 6 bargaining session.
- New MOU – Gallagher Law Librarian Rank and Compensation Alignment – The Union accepted the Employer’s initial proposal and proposed to also include specific dates and timelines for the promotion process for the Employee referenced in this MOU.
Employer Counter Proposals
Article 3 – Workplace Behavior – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to include the UW Medicine Policy on Professional Conduct in defining inappropriate workplace behavior and the Union’s proposal to expand the definition of bullying. The Employer instead counter-proposed to include references to “violent and threatening behavior” as defined in the general UW Workplace Policy.
Article 23 – Holidays – The Employer rejected the Union’s initial proposal and reasserted their proposal to maintain current contract language in this Article.
Article 24 – Vacation Time Off – The Employer rejected the Union’s initial proposal for this Article and reasserted its initial proposal.
Article 25 – Sick Time Off – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to expand the definition of family member in this article and reasserted its initial proposal.
Article 27 – Federal Family Medical Leave Act – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to expand the definition of family member and reasserted its initial proposal.
Article 28 – Parental Leave – In response to the Union, the Employer proposed to reference Article 10.3.D for modifications to work schedules.
Article 29 – Shared Leave – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to include language around use of shared leave for immigration proceedings and reasserted its initial proposal.
Article 31 – Civil/Jury Duty Time Off and Bereavement Time Off – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to expand the definition of “family member” in this Article and reasserted its initial proposal.
Article 32 – Leave Related to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, or Stalking – The Employer rejected the Union’s reassertion of most of their initial proposal and instead reasserted its own initial proposal.
Article 36 – Miscellaneous Leave – The Employer rescinded its prior proposal to strike language allowing unpaid time off to be granted to accommodate annual work schedules of employees occupying cyclic year positions and otherwise maintained the previously proposed housekeeping edits.
Article 38 – Time Off Due to Family Care Emergencies – The Employer rejected the Union’s proposal to include new language around personal and miscellaneous emergencies and reasserted its proposal to maintain current contract language in this Article.
Next Steps
The next SEIU 925-Libraries and UW bargaining session is scheduled for January 23, 2026, and will be held virtually.