This comes in response to what UW describes as major revenue losses and projected financial deficits. Furloughs are intended to be a money saving measure by the employer.

What is a furlough? A furlough is a leave of absence. It may be forced or voluntary in nature.

After a house-wide announcement went out on Monday morning, May 11, regarding the employer’s intent to impose furloughs on UW NW staff, WSNA immediately submitted a “Demand to Bargain” and requested all information pertaining to their motivations and implementation of this decision.

We will know more after this information is received in the next week or two.

How is this going to look and when will it start?
We are told that departments are working on plans for their individual employees which UW NW plans to provide to WSNA on Monday, May 18.

The employer and WSNA are working to set up a time to bargain these changes in your working conditions.

These are what the employer passed along as guiding principles they are using for the furloughs:

• The employer will ensure temporary layoffs occur by department in inverse seniority order by most recent date of UW hire.
• The union(s) will be provided the temporary layoff plans for each impacted individual.
• Notice of early return to work or extension of temporary layoff shall be made verbally and confirmed by email.
• Employees may utilize 8 hours per month of eligible paid time off to maintain their healthcare. Employees will continue to accrue vacation time off and sick time off while on furlough. Employees will continue to receive all paid holidays while on furlough.
• Employees on furlough are still considered to be employed and thus are still eligible to receive previously agreed to lump sum payments.

It is important for you to know that WSNA is working with our WSNA registered nurse leaders at UW NW to hold UW NW accountable to the terms of our collective bargaining agreement.

We will be keeping you informed along the way and working to ensure that these unexpected furloughs (essentially temporary layoffs) are equitable and transparent.

For questions or concerns, please contact your WSNA Nurse Representative Brenda Balogh at bbalogh@wsna.org.