News

University of Chicago Medical Center: Tentative Agreement Reached

The bUCMC-Meeting-Jan_2020argaining committee sat down with management on January 23 and 24, 2020. We made a lot of progress in these two days and ended up getting a Tentative Agreement!

Here are some of the victories:

  • An increase in the reimbursement for safety shoes for ALL job classes
  • Supply Chain will get new uniforms and have input on a new color for uniforms
  • A significant increase in shift premiums
  • 2% raises across the boards
  • Reimbursement for vacation expenses if UCMC cancels your vacation due to an emergency when you have a vacation planned
  • Preserving the right to file grievances electronically
  • Adding Painters to the language around overtime

We ended up walking away from the proposals on having a schedule of four 10 hour shifts because there were simply too many questions and a lack of consensus among the affected union members. There will be no change to shifts.

We fought off takebacks of the following:

  • Management blocking people with discipline on their records from applying for promotions
  • Paying overtime ONLY on hours worked—thereby eliminating the ability to work overtime when you have vacation or holidays
    • The compromise preserved the right to use overtime when you have used vacations
  • Blocking someone who failed a test from re-taking it within twelve months of the failed tests
  • Threats of reducing sick time to 5 days annually
  • Requiring 6 weeks notice for vacation requests
  • Requiring members to use up all vacation and sick time before using Short Term Disability

We will be meeting again on 23rd and 24th for further discussion, and the ratification vote will be held on the 31st.

Ratification Vote Details

When: Thursday, January 31st from 6:30am – 4:30pm
Where: Room H103

If you cannot vote in person, please email ETowell@seiu73.org.

If you want to hear more about bargaining, please reach out to someone on the Bargaining Committee.

Ron Dube
Brent Fitzler
John Krotiak
Vincent Muhm
Robert Carson

If you have any additional questions, reach out to a member of the bargaining committee or to your union rep, Elizabeth Towell at (312) 588-7400 or etowell@seiu73.org.