UAW Research – UW Negotiations Recap for June 12, 2026
This recap details the eleventh session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and UAW Research.
Tentative Agreements
The parties tentatively agreed to maintain current contract language in the following Articles:
- Article 2: Recognition
Union Initial Proposals
MOU: Retaining Institutional Knowledge
The Union proposed to rollover this MOU into the successor CBA.
Employer Counter Proposals
The Employer presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. The full contents of the package are outlined below:
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Article 21: Non-Discrimination and Harassment
The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to reference APS 46.7 – Reasonable Accommodation of Employee Pregnancy and Related Conditions in the section detailing accommodations for pregnant and lactating employees but reasserted its prior proposal in the remainder of this Article.
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Article 29: Reasonable Accommodation of Employees with Disabilities
The Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to move language around determining employee eligibility for an accommodation but reasserted its prior proposal in the remainder of this Article.
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Side Letter A: Equity Survey EIP
As part of this package proposal, the Employer reasserted their initial proposal to strike this side letter.
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Side Letter C: Professional Conduct
As part of this package proposal, the Employer proposed to strike this side letter, however reasserted previous proposal to include similar language in Article 21.
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MOU: Empowering Prevention & Inclusive Communities (EPIC)
As part of this package proposal the Employer reasserted their prior counter proposal as presented during the June 8 bargaining session.
Union Counter Proposals
Article 4: Classification and Reclassification
The Union accepted the Employer’s proposal to replace references to “classifications” with “allocations.” The Union reasserted their prior proposal for the remainder of this Article.
Article 11: Health and Safety
The Union accepted the Employer’s general language stating the University will maintain a safe workplace free from recognized hazards consistent and in compliance with applicable state and federal laws and the Employer’s proposal to refer to Article 16: Inclement Weather and Suspended Operations in cases of emergencies that affect University operations. The Union proposed to move new language around bullying, and workplace psychological safety to Article 21: Non-Discrimination and Harassment. The Union also dropped its proposal to include language around mitigation measures for high indoor temperatures and air quality conditions. The Union reasserted its prior proposal for the remainder of this Article.
Article 35: Time Off and Leave
The Union proposed to include the definition of “family member” as it’s defined in RCW 50A.05.010. With respect to bereavement time, the Union proposed to increase the number of bereavement days available to RSEs from three (3) to five (5) days, and that employees would be able to use various types of time off beyond the five (5) allotted days. The Union also proposed new language stating that employees would be eligible for Washington Paid Family Medical Leave for seven (7) days following the loss of a new child under certain circumstances as defined by RCW 50A.05.010(10). With respect to vacation time off, the Union proposed to adjust language around accrual that would allow employees to accrue prorated vacation time off in the month they are hired, regardless of their hire date. The Union also proposed new language that would allow employees the right to return to their same job or an equivalent role following approved paid leave under PFML, so long as they had worked for the University for at least six (6) months. With respect to faith and conscience time off, the Union proposed new language that would allow employees to use personal holiday time for reasons of faith or conscience only in four (4) hour increments. With respect to work-related injury leave, the Union proposed to increase the length of time for which employees on unpaid status can maintain their seniority, increasing from six (6) to eighteen (18) months. Finally, the Union proposed a new section in this Article with language that would require the University to develop a written Leave Navigation Guide to be made available to employees to inform employees about forms of paid leave available, the order in which leave types are used, how pay is calculated during leave, and instructions on initiating leave requests.
The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. The full contents of the package are outlined below:
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Article 21: Non-Discrimination and Harassment
The Union adjusted its proposed language around protected classes to state that no employee would be subjected to discrimination or harassment based on ethnic origin, political affiliation, medical condition, or membership or non-membership in a Union and proposed to include those characteristics as well as “caste” in the list of characteristics protected from discriminatory harassment. The Union reasserted its prior proposal in the remainder of this Article.
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Article 29: Reasonable Accommodation of Employees with Disabilities
The Union rescinded some of its proposed language around detailing the “interactive process” of determining disability accommodations and accepted the Employer’s proposal to adjust language around disability leave to state that employees on disability leave may apply eight (8) hours of paid time off per month for the duration of the approved leave, rather than the first four (4) months of leave. The Union reasserted its prior proposal for the remainder of this Article.
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MOU: Empowering Prevention & Inclusive Communities (EPIC)
The Union reasserted its proposed language changes in this MOU, but accepted the Employer’s proposal to keep this in a separate MOU.
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Side Letter A: Equity Survey
The Union reasserted its initial proposal for the language in this side letter, including to move its contents to Article 21: Non-Discrimination and Harassment.
Next Steps
The next UAW Research and UW bargaining session is scheduled for Tuesday, June 23 and will be held in-person at the UDSB Gateway building.