April 28th
We had a bit of a rocky start this morning as Labor called out Management for not matching our effort to prepare and pass proposals. Management seems to have difficulty completing their homework in a timely manner. Maybe it’s time for them to remember that you only get credit for the assignments you turn in! Jude Hanley, their Lead Negotiator, was unexpectedly absent from today’s proceedings, and Erin Cornell stepped in to fill the role.
While Management was surprised by Labor’s critiques, it seemed to light a bit of a fire under them, as we ended this session on a very productive note.
Our bargaining team signed two Tentative Agreements (TAs) today, for a total of five in all. The newest TAs focus on language clean-up for "Flex Benefits" in Article 7 — now referencing the National Agreement — and "Temporary Employees" in Article 4, which now requires employees to complete the temporary contract they were hired for before being eligible to accept an internal position.
Management passed a package proposal covering eWOP, Holidays, and Bereavement, spanning two contract articles. Labor declined to bargain the items as a package. Instead, we will rework some language addressed in Management’s package and submit individual counter-offers. Management also passed a counter-proposal to Definitions in Article 4, seeking to retain full-time coding as 40 hours instead of the 32 hours Labor proposed at the last session. Both groups have been passing counter-proposals around issues including Holidays and the ability to bank Holidays, PTO, Voluntary Overtime (OT) and Emergency OT assignments, On-Call, and Definitions. Labor is also awaiting a counter-proposal from Management regarding our request to add Personal Flexible Days to the CBA.
In an effort to subvert a common interest table, Management submitted a proposal to amend the grievance process, now that we no longer have access to Federal Mediators due to recent Executive Orders and changes at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). When questioned, Management admitted that while similar language is being presented to each Bargaining Unit, it is not identical. This divide-and-conquer tactic is exactly what a common interest table would prevent — and it would make the process far more efficient. (Please sign the Common Interest Petition to show your support!)
Our next session is May 20th , where both sides anticipate discussing economic proposals such as differentials, step increases, and Sabbatical language. Stay tuned! Things are about to get interesting.
April 14th
Lab Pros met with management on April 14th for our third session of local bargaining. We were able to reach Tentative Agreements (TA) on three separate issues.
We embedded the Seniority Tiebreaker LOU from 2024 into our new contract that uses birthday to determine seniority between members with the same hire date. We also included Molecular Biology certification in the Recognition section of our contract to ensure Compensation knows which Bargaining Unit they belong to as that portion of our contract determines which wage scales to apply. The third TA clarifies that the Paid Travel Time Section of our contract applies specifically to the KP Northwest Region. It also renames the “Washington Service Area” as the “North Service Area” and includes the Interstate Campus as part of the East Service Area.
Labor presented management with two additional proposals around matching MLS on-call language to that of the on-call language in the Tech Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and creating a section outlining Holiday pay, eligibility, definitions, and the ability to “bank” holidays. Management is reviewing these proposals and is expected to submit counter proposals at our next local bargaining meeting on April 16th.
Management gave labor two proposals regarding PTO and shift trades. The PTO language changes are intended to match PTO requirements to state law around protected absences. Management also stated that it is also intended to avoid being too restrictive about employees being required to use PTO to offset things like short–term disability. Management believes that the shift trade portions of the CBA are contradictory and are trying to bring the language into alignment. They added language to increase management oversight of shift trades and tighten requirements around eligibility. Labor is reviewing and planning our counter proposals.
March 24th and 25th
Lab Pros and Management met for our initial bargaining sessions on both the 24th and the 25th. We touched on a number of different topics over these two bargaining sessions, and each side will come prepared to our third session on April 14th with proposals to review. A finalized list of bargaining priorities will be submitted by both sides no later than April 29th.
Management reviewed a number of interests, including:
- Internal transfer
- Availability for additional hours, OT/DT tracking process
- Shift trading
- Retention and Recruitment
- Contract Language Clean Up
- - Medical Leave
- - Limited Certification
- - Paid Travel Time
- - Schedule Patterns
- - Stand-by Reporting Requirements
- - Reduction in Hours
Our bargaining team reviewed our own interests that are the priority:
- Flex Personal Time
- Emergency Without Pay (eWOP) days
- Emergency OT/DT
- Retention and Recruitment
- Bereavement Language
- Embed Letters of Understanding and PTO/ESL Accrual Tables
- Cytotechnologist and Float Position
- Molecular II Position
- Holidays
- Missing CBA Grandfathering Language
- Washington Meal and Breaks
- Seniority Tiebreaker
- On-call MLS Language
- Contract Clean Up
- Variable Schedule Patterns
- Remove references to specific sections of the National Agreement
In Interest-Based Bargaining (IBB), identifying and stating these interests is the first part of the work and becomes the foundation for all negotiations that come next. Stay tuned as we finalize our interests and receive management’s and then move into the serious work of negotiating for what types of changes we want to see in our next contract.