This FAQ adds additional detail to our announcements to help you understand the MoA and the review and ratification process.
This page will continue to grow as we share more information about the updated MoA itself and as you send in your questions!
About the MoA revisions
Why is the MoA being updated?
The October 2022 MoA included a clause stating that it would be in place for two years and could be revised after that time. It was always that plan to review the MoA and make improvements after those two years. Last spring, it became clear that the University was open to the changes we wanted to make and the timing was right to act.
How did you decide what to change?
The changes we pursued were based on input we’ve been hearing from members for years, including feedback received during the 2022 MoA process and since then, through member surveys, emails, our suggestion box, annual meetings, Area Representatives, and more.
In 2025, we formed a project team of Board members, presidents, and UWSA employees to plan the revision. In addition to priorities identified from existing feedback, we gathered new ideas from members, our Board, and Area Representatives, and used a member survey to identify some of the highest priority issues. At the same time, we notified UW of our intent to update the MoA and worked with them to agree on the items we would address this time around.
Throughout 2025, we continued checking in with members at meetings and through updates, using your input to guide which changes we pursued.
Who was involved in negotiating the MoA?
The three UWSA presidents, who serve on both the Staff Relations Committee and Provost's Advisory Committee on Staff Compensation were our representatives on the MoA working group. They were assisted by UWSA employees, legal counsel, and subject matter experts, and also had substantial support and input from elected directors.
How often will the MoA be reviewed in the future?
We can notify the University that we want to review the MoA at any time, though we do have to wait until two years has passed with this version. We anticipate reviewing it every two to three years, though now that we’ve added some major items, future updates likely won’t be as comprehensive.
The ratification process
Who can vote on the MoA?
For the purposes of this vote, Members in Good Standing are those staff who are UWSA members when the vote opens and who appear on our March dues list. Payroll will have processed March dues from all staff who are members as of March 18.
If you are on leave and paying $0 dues, you’re still considered a Member in Good Standing as long as you were paying dues before you went on leave.
Shouldn’t all staff covered by the MoA be entitled to vote?
Typically—and ideally—all staff covered by an agreement like this would be part of the Association that negotiates it and would take part in the ratification vote. Right now, not all staff are UWSA members, and we can only ask members to vote. Voting is a legal right and responsibility of the Association’s membership, and we can’t extend that vote to people who haven’t joined.
Everyone covered by the MoA will benefit from it, but only members can take part in approving it. That’s one of the key reasons we continue encouraging eligible staff to join the UWSA.
What if I have suggested changes?
We know some members will have things you’d like to change in the Agreement, and we’re happy to hear your suggestions to prepare us for the next time we review it—we’re not locked into this forever. Right now, though, the draft can’t be revised. Once negotiations are finished, the only remaining step is for members to vote on the tentative agreement.
Your input still matters, though. The ideas you share now help us set priorities for future updates, or they might be things we can address in the short-term through Staff Relations Committee or policy changes, and all feedback from members strengthens our advocacy going forward.
Why is the ratification timeline so short?
For ratification, we’re actually giving members much more time than is standard. In unionized settings, collective agreements (which cover much more than our MoA does) are often ratified within just a few days of reaching a tentative deal. It’s normal for the vote to have a short window so the agreement can take effect promptly.
By contrast, we’re giving members a much longer period to read, ask questions, attend information sessions, and vote. That extra time is intentional—we want members to feel informed, supported, and confident in their decision—and we can do take that time because of our unique relationship with the University.
What happens if the MoA isn’t ratified?
If this MoA isn’t ratified, we revert to the current (2022) version and to using the Provost's Advisory Committee on Staff Compensation to determine salary increases.