Teamsters 117 Negotiations Recap for April 15, 2026
Background
This recap details the first session for the negotiation for the collective bargaining agreement between Teamsters 117 and UW. Recaps are published online on the UW Labor Relations website.
Union Initial Proposals
Article 9: Sick Time Off
The Union proposed to increase the compensation rate for unused sick time off put into an employee’s VEBA when they separate from state service due to retirement or death, from twenty five percent (25%) to forty percent (40%).
Article 12: Leaves-General
The Union proposed to increase the number of bereavement time off days from three (3) to five (5) granted for each death of a family member.
Article 13: Uniforms/Personal Items
The Union proposed to increase the number of jumpsuits issued to the employee from one (1) to two (2) after completion of the FTO program.
The Union proposed to add a new provision in the “Health and Safety” section titled “Mental Health Wellness” detailing that the University would provide employees with optional access to an Employer provided mental health provider on paid time, for up to two (2) appointments of up to one (1) hour twice per month.
Article 15: Hours Of Work and Overtime
The Union proposed a new program in this article titled “Take Home Vehicle Program” which would entail Police Officers being assigned take home vehicles based on seniority to interested employees, using the Employers existing fleet of vehicles.
The Union proposed a new section in this article titled “Exercise Periods” in which employees would be allowed up to three (3) hours per week to exercise while on duty with prior approval from their supervisor.
The Union proposed a new section in this article titled “Swing shift and Night shift Differential”, in which an employee assigned to work a swing shift would be paid a shift differential rate of two percent (2%). The Union proposed that employees assigned to work the night shift would be paid a shift differential of three percent (3%) over their regular rate of pay.
The Union proposed a new section in this article titled “Commencement”, stating that assignments for commencement ceremonies would be awarded based on seniority and all employees on overtime assigned to work duties related to commencement operations would receive double time for all hours worked. The Union’s proposal states that employees on regular duty or straight time during commencement would also be compensated for double time.
Article 19: Employee Rights
The Union proposed new language stating that in any instance where officer misconduct is alleged and bodycam footage exists, the officer would be allowed to review the bodycam video before making a written or verbal statement.
Article 20: Longevity And Premiums
The Union proposed the following longevity pay schedule:
- Decrease from three (3) years, down to two (2) years, for one percent (1%) pay
- Decrease from five (5) years, down to three (3) years, and decreasing pay from three percent (3%) to two percent (2%)
- Adding four (4) years, at three percent (3%) pay
- Adding five (5) years, at four percent (4%) pay
- Adding six (6) years, at five percent (5%) pay
- Increasing longevity pay for 10 years from five percent (5%) up to six percent (6%)
- Increasing longevity pay for 15 (fifteen) years from six percent (6%) up to eleven (11%)
- Increasing longevity pay for 20 (twenty) years from eight percent (8%) up to twelve (12%)
- Increasing longevity pay for 25 (twenty-five) years from ten percent (10%) up to fourteen (14%)
- Adding thirty (30) years or more, at sixteen percent (16%) pay
The Union proposed new language stating that field training officers would receive a 7.5% premium on all hours worked.
The Union proposed a new section in this article titled “Patrol Premium” in which an employee would receive a patrol premium in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000 dollars) per year in the form of a lump sum on the first pay period following July 1, 2027 and July 1, 2028.
In the section of the article titled “Multilingual/Sign Language/Braile Premium Pay”, the Union proposed that employees that know more than one language, sign language, or braille, would receive a 1.5x premium pay when the officer is certified as proficient in a secondary language.
Lastly, the Union proposed updating the educational incentives in this article as follows:
- Adding an incentive for Associate’s degree, with an annual payment of two percent (2%)
- Increasing the incentive for Bachelor’s Degrees, from an annual payment of two percent (2%) to four percent (4%)
- Removing the incentive for Advanced Degrees
Article 23: Tuition Exemption
The Union proposed increasing the tuition exemption credit limit from six (6) to fifteen (15) credits per employee per quarter.
Article 25: Wages
The Union proposed to increase base wage rate adjustments as follows:
- Effective July 1, 2027, Pay Table BP, Range 1, would be increased by eighteen percent (18%)
Article 27: Duration
The Union proposed the agreement will cover July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2029.
New Article: Legal Services Trust Fund
The Union proposed that the Employer would pay seventeen dollars and thirty cents ($17.30) per month towards the Western Conference of Teamsters Legal Services Trust Fund for each employee that is compensated for eighty (80) hours a month.
New Article: Long Term Services and Support Trust Program
The Union proposed that the Employer would pay 100% of the employee’s portion of the Long-Term Services and Support Trust Program.
Appendix A: Health Care Benefits Amounts
The Union proposed to increase the VEBA Medical Reimbursement Plan Employer contribution from one point two percent (1.2%) to two percent (2%). Additionally, the Union proposed to include language that in the event RCW 41.80.020 is amended during the duration of this agreement to include supplemental retirement benefits, the parties would agree to reopen this Appendix to negotiate supplemental retirement benefits.
Employer Initial Proposals
Article 2: Non-Discrimination
The Employer proposed housekeeping edits only, which included updating the reference from Executive Order 31 to Executive Order 81 concerning the prohibition of discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct.
Article 3: Management Rights and Responsibilities
The Employer proposed housekeeping edits only.
Article 4: Joint Labor Management Committee
The Employer proposed striking through language stating that the Union staff representative would be the sole decision maker when determining whether to attend a Joint Labor Management Committee meeting.
Article 5: Union Recognition, Union Security and Dues Deduction
The Employer proposed striking through language stating that the Employer’s payroll office would transmit the total deducted amount of dues and deductions once a month to the Union’s office. The Employer proposed adding a list of all the employee information the Union currently receives each pay period.
Article 11: Holidays
The Employer proposed new language that holiday credit must be used before vacation time off unless this would cause an employee to exceed the vacation time maximum of two hundred eighty (280). Any remaining holiday credit would be cashed out on June 30th or when the employee leaves the UW Police department.
Article 15: Hours of Work and Overtime
The Employer proposed to clarify that the standard regular work schedule seven (7) day period refers to a Monday through Sunday FLSA workweek. The Employer proposed that compensatory time would not be accrued for Football events. Lastly, the Employer proposed striking language referring to Residence Hall assignments that are no longer performed by the Teamsters bargaining unit.
Article 16: Compensatory Time Off
The Employer proposed that all compensatory time should be used or paid out by June 30th of each fiscal year. Under this proposal, all unused compensatory time would be cashed out at the end of the fiscal year, or when employees leave the bargaining unit. This proposal also states that compensatory time cannot be accrued for football games or re-charge events, and any overtime funded by sources outside of the department must be paid.
Article 20: Longevity and Premiums
The Employer proposed housekeeping edits only.
Article 27: Duration
The Employer proposed the agreement will cover July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2029.
NEW Article: VEBA Medical Reimbursement Plan
The Employer proposed to move contract language regarding the VEBA Medical Reimbursement Plan into a standalone article, unchanged.
Next Steps
The next UW & Teamsters bargaining session is scheduled for May 12, 2026 and will be held in person.