Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ)
What is a union? Why SEIU Local 925?
A union is a group of workers who have won the legal right to negotiate as a group with their employer over mandatory subjects of bargaining – wages, benefits, and working conditions. The result of negotiations is a legally binding contract that must be followed – and provides a process for recourse if it is not. Uniting together gives us far more power than when we try to deal with our employer as individuals. We can use this power not only to win improvements to our pay and working conditions, but also to reinforce the things we love about our jobs and help IHME make the improvements necessary to better achieve our mission.
SEIU Local 925 is the largest and most powerful union representing workers at the UW. By joining 925, we will be in solidarity with nearly 7,000 of our classified and faculty colleagues, including some of our current IHME coworkers, and will be well-positioned to win the kinds of improvements we need at IHME. It makes sense to join with this effective, diverse union.
Why have we formed a union?
Although there have been some positive changes at IHME, new initiatives like the FIG and DE&I have all been superficial efforts to address systemic, ongoing problems and fail to address the underlying issues. Most importantly, all new initiatives operate entirely at the discretion of Administration, and are limited to only cover those concerns that they are willing to address.
As an example, in summer 2018, IHME unilaterally took away overtime eligibility from our data professional cohort and a significant number were involuntarily reclassified under a different job title. This could happen to any of us. Without the right to bargain as a group, we are powerless when Administration decides to make radical changes to our work lives. By forming a union, we will ensure that any future changes that affect the work lives of our members must first be proposed and negotiated with us as a group. We know that major growth is in IHME’s future, and it makes sense to take this step now so we can be at the table when that growth occurs.
The work we do at IHME has global value and brings the UW prestige. We are all proud to contribute to this mission, but for too long this has meant that we are underpaid, overworked, and not treated with the dignity and respect that our work deserves. Even with the FIGs, at best we were collectively begging, but now we have the right to collectively bargain and implement long-term, sustainable solutions.
How did we form a union?
First, a group of coworkers (the Organizing Committee) took responsibility for informing fellow employees and building majority support for the union. Support was expressed through signing a membership card. Once we had a strong majority of coworkers who had signed membership cards, we filed a petition with the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) for union recognition. At the end of December 2019, PERC ordered "card check" and our union was recognized and certified on January 10, 2020.
Now that we have won our union, it is time to start negotiating our first contract with UW Labor Relations and IHME senior management! We have surveyed everyone in our bargaining unit to determine our priorities, elect a bargaining team, and begun learning how to draft proposals and contract language. Experienced union staff have worked (and will work!) with us at every step of the process, but we at IHME will determine what we bargain over. Although an elected bargaining team represents us all at the bargaining table, all members of our union will vote to decided on our contract.
If you want to get more involved with this process, visiting the Contract page!
Who can be part of our union?
Our union represents non-supervisory, professional staff at IHME. Generally speaking, any professional staff who are not senior management, supervisors, or “confidential” personnel are eligible to join our union.
To see a full list of the job classes that are represented by our union, visit the Bargaining Unit page!
What does it mean if I sign a membership card? Will my manager know that I’ve signed?
By signing the membership card, you are joining our union and agreeing to pay dues in exchange for having a say in the negotiation process. Until our first contract is ratified, your manager will not know you are a union member unless you share that information with them.
Is there an initiation fee? How much are dues? What are dues used for?
There is no initiation fee. SEIU Local 925 dues are 1.7% of gross income, with a cap of $125/month. No one can will pay any membership dues until we have bargained and voted to approve our first contract. Additionally, It is unlikely that anyone would vote to approve a contract that does not at least cover the cost of dues.
Union dues support contract negotiations, contract enforcement, representation, member education, legislative work, and many other things that directly benefit the membership.
If someone who is in a job class that is eligible for the union doesn't become a member, are they still subject to the contract we bargain?
If someone who is eligible for our Bargaining Unit elects not to become a member and pay dues, they will still benefit from the contract we negotiate with UW. However, they will not be able to vote on the contract, or have access to other rights unions give you access to, such as Weingarten Rights.
I like my supervisor or faculty member. Why should I join?
Our supervisors and managers are not the impetus for organizing. Many of us have supervisors whom we respect and like, and who would make the changes we need if they had the power. In fact, by organizing, bargaining better working conditions and pay, and clarifying and standardizing workplace rules and policies, we improve the workplace for all.
Why do we need a union when we have the FIGs?
The FIGs have been instrumental in helping us win much-needed raises and some improvements to our workplace. They are a testament to the power of what we can accomplish when we act collectively. However, the FIGs have also shown their limitations – Administration has simply refused to discuss important issues like abuses of power by faculty and inexperienced managers, or reasonable limits on the number of extra hours. Furthermore, the FIGs were created and are maintained at the whim of management. There is no guarantee that this line of communication will remain open, nor that it will address the very real concerns of employees.
Until we have won the right to collective bargaining, we will be at a permanent disadvantage – management holds all the cards and we can only play with the ones they choose to deal us. Organizing equalizes the power balance and ensures us a permanent seat at the table when decisions affecting us are made.
How has Administration responded to this effort?
Our union's recognition has ended Administration’s unilateral control over our workplace. Unsurprisingly, Administration has generally been displeased by this effort and has taken great lengths to delay the process. Since announcing our intention to organize in July 2019, we have seen subtle, but negative messaging, seeking to dissuade us. Even after union recognition, scary rumors continue to float around. Similar tactics are likely to take place as we continue with the bargaining process.
It’s important to know that Administration cannot legally retaliate against anyone who supports this effort, nor can they interfere or try to discourage us from coming together. They cannot even legally ask us if we support unionizing. Organizing a union does not mean we are anti-management – it simply means that we recognize that we are stronger together, and that we have decided to stand together to improve our workplace.
Do you have more information about unions in general?
Check out these resources for more information about unions:
About unions from AFL-CIO: https://aflcio.org/what-unions-do
About professional employee unions: https://dpeaflcio.org