Present:
Eric Hesse, James Hemshrot, Sarah Moeller, Stacey Mueller, Mike Hohenstein, Adam Castle, Amanda Mathiowetz, Tom Kluntz, Jamie Sheppard, Marvin Sullivan, Luke Frederick, Ryan Cates, Molly Kennedy, Erin Wiederich, Brett Christensen, Connie Anderson, Shane Bohnert, Julie Warner, Nate Vetter, Adam Ellis, Tim Headlee, Kristy Christianson, Josh Mann, Alex Palmer, Shawn Lockner
10:30 – 11:30 PM: State Representative Clark Johnson spoke to the General Membership Meeting followed up with a chance for members to bring up issues/ask questions.
1. Secretary’s Report: No additions or corrections for May 2014 meeting minutes.
2. Treasurer-Connie Anderson: STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENSES FOR MONTH ENDING May 2014 CASH BALANCE BEGINNING OF MONTH: $ 71626.58 INCOME FOR THE MONTH: $ 5516.40 EXPENSES FOR THE MONTH: $ 3458.97 CASH BALANCE ENDING OF MONTH: $ 73684.01 SUBMITTED BY: Connie Anderson Accepted subject to audit motion by John Knobbe, 2nd by Alex Palmer
3. Correspondence: • There is a caring bridge site for Chris Kurth’s children’s college fund. Please visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kurthboyseducationfund?tb=g_fb • We are currently handing out AFSCME water bottles to our members. If you have not yet received one please contact Molly Kennedy.
4. New Business: • Past practice has been for the union to give $50 to a deceased AFSCME member. E Board voted earlier to raise that to $100. • The local is unable to give money to a suspended member. Cannot use union funds to subsidize someone’s salary
5. Old Business: • Vote on International Convention in Chicago results: Members voted to go are Scott Grefe, Connie Anderson, Eric Hesse, Ryan Cates, Adam Castle, Amanda Mathiowetz as alternate
6. Items from the membership: • Nothing to report • Eric Hesse made a motion to give a cash donation to the Kurth family. Executive Board discussed donations moving forward and that in the future there should be parameters to have consistency but we can vote on an amount for this situation. Brett Christiansen motioned to donate $500 to the Kurth family, seconded by Shawn Lockner, motion passed. If any member would like to donate, please contact Jamie Sheppard.
7. Officer Reports Presidents Report: Dear AFSCME Local 404,
We staff take on a great responsibility caring for the Mentally Ill and Dangerous of the State of Minnesota. I believe our majority does and continues to do an excellent job. I see a lot of success from within the facility especially when including the dynamics we are faced with. There is a majority of staff members who give their best to ensure the Minnesota Security Hospital operates smoothly. We don’t often get to share or record all successes being achieved. There is staff members playing a very important part ensuring there is not a crisis or incident.
There will always be room for improvement. Improvement is an unavoidable responsibility and challenge when providing patients care and services that are legally committed or being assessed. We provide care to complex, dangerous patients with care and empathy. These same staff responds to incidents with a great potential for verbal and physical assault. Many staff have been assaulted while trying to maintain a secure environment. Improvement comes with a better understanding of natural complexities, recognizing levels of dangerousness, proceeding with the proper response, and being on the same page when it comes to immediate risks. We all must have a serious conversation about how we can provide a safer residential environment for everyone, patients and staff. I think we can all agree that the assault pattern we are seeing is unacceptable.
As many know we are again challenged with set terms, conditions and timelines from Licensing. During this time I would strongly encourage members that, if you haven’t already, utilize your Treatment Team Supervisor’s with all of your questions, concerns, and provide professional feedback in regards to those terms and conditions or any issues. The experts within these areas are proactively in search of improvement. Please continue working with your treatment teams with respect toward timelines and the due diligence that came along with these terms and conditions. An “unavoidable” change has and will be coming. This is an opportunity to provide your expertise on issues such as acuity, treatment, safety, security and mission. The universal messages have been, “We want real life expectations for our patients and clients” in regards to unit structure, care, rehabilitation and therapy. “We want easier access and implementation of tools” to help provide unit safety while maintaining a therapeutic working environment. Please involve your Local 404 leadership and 404 stewards when support is needed.
One last thing for now, I would like to thank all and commend all who were able to speak on the behalf of your unit teams during the MSH facility tour with Representative Clark Johnson and Eric Haugee of AFSCME Council 5. A thank you to those at the General Membership Meeting as well. All involved were extremely impressed with your professionalism and left with a great understanding of who we are and what we do day in and day out as 404 members. We were told we have the attention and support of those on several levels from within Minnesota. I can ensure you that Local 404 Leadership does and will continue to carry the voice and message of our members (questions, concerns, comments and ideas…etc.). Now and just as ever we must unite and remain united! Who Does the WORK!?... WE DO!!! In solidarity, Tim Headlee, AFSCME President of Local 404, MSH Unit 700 Lead, 984-2700 – 469-5609.
VP-John Knobbe: We have been working hard to get the best schedules we can with the roll out of Unit 100 converting to a CRP unit. This is moving to the first state facility to offer fixed days off to patient staff. Many hours have gone into this. We also have many issues coming forward from the Licensing and Conditional license reports. This is a mandate from above and we must comply but we are putting input forward where we can try to improve safety. With this many aspects of the PCT are coming forward. We all need to watch how this rolls out. We are finalizing 11 months of meetings our 36 employees at FNH sharing 1 vacation spot per day. I met with several staff tonight and will continue to meet with them in an attempt to change scheduling patterns to allow 3 vacation spots per day. Scheduling has expanded to include Bartlett Nursing. Posted the first schedule Tuesday effective 7-2-14 and was then “modified” after posting by a nursing supervisor. Defeats the purpose of central scheduling. This was handed off this morning as soon as it was brought to leadership. Everyone needs to keep watching. In Solidarity, W. John Knobbe
VP- Molly Kennedy: Please see MSOP Meeting Minutes http://www.union404.com/index.cfm?action=cat&categoryID=a51b59c8-e87c-4c... Please stay tuned for upcoming trainings. Executive Board: Luke Frederick Rep. Clark Johnson, the AFSCME endorsed candidate for House district 19A came and spent 4 hours Tue, June 17th at the security hospital. He listened to members concerns and their ideas of how to improve working conditions. In addition to that he came to the union meeting the following Thursday to try and reach as many members as possible. Eric Haugee from AFSCME council 5 also came around with Rep. Johnson to develop a better understanding of how the council can support us. I’m also working on getting the AFSCME endorsed candidate for House district 19B, Jack Considine, to come to the July union meeting. Jack previously worked at the state hospital and is currently a Mankato city council member. Hopefully this will be an opportunity for people to meet him, ask questions, and get to know him.
Executive Board: Adam Castle Executive Board: James Hemshrot
CS MSH/Transition: Ryan Cates
CS CBHH / CARE & MSOP: Matt Stenger
CS FACILITY SUPPORT: Mike Homer
Sat an investigation and laudermill for an employee in Facility Support who received an 11 day suspension. Submitted a step 3 grievance for the employee.
Sat an investigation for an MSOP employee. Waiting for that investigation to close.
Sat the Safety Committee Meeting for MSOP: • Safety Inspection follow up. Woodshop heat and dust issue. Hoyer lift training. Bowl cleaner in warehouse. Standardized first aid kits on the units. All items were in Safety Inspection and all were followed up with. • Employee Injury Report: Only 10 reports for the quarter. 1 Injury was a slip/fall report. • Product/Equipment recall: Life Pak 1000 having battery issues. Battery is being replaced. • Infection Control: Flu was quiet this year. Reports of Mersa in the U.S. • Wellness Committee: working on SharePoint site and events around the community. • Shantz Renovation: complete. Contractors are out. Sunrise is being cleaned up. Department of Health is scheduled. Hopefully it will be habitable by July 1st
CS Nursing Home: Eric Hesse
I’ve got two grievances still going due to non-responses from management. One for vacation time being mandated to be taken during a FT member’s regular days off and another for an improper inverse. We have also been fielding a lot of questions on the scheduling issue. We’ve distributed a few copies at the Nursing Home for members to look at. I encourage any member who has a question on the schedule or anything else to feel free to contact either myself or other union leadership.
CS MSH / CRP / Nursing Nights: Shannon Pech It has been quiet on MSH overnights. CRP is waiting for everything to get settled and what that will look like. Grievances have been quiet.
CLU delegate report- Council 5 Field Representative Scott Grefe:
5 for the Fight – the Council has not received an increase since 2005. Council 5 has been running a deficit for 2 years and has come to the point where there is no other choice to raise the per capita by $5 per month (0.16 per day). $4 out of the $5 is to fill the hole. The last dollar ensures that this will not happen again. I have a spreadsheet on this if anyone is interested in seeing. This will be voted on in September at the Council Convention. I strongly encourage those going that will be representing Local 404 to vote for this resolution to pass. Please let your delegates know how you would like them to vote.
Motion to adjourn meeting by Molly Kennedy at 12:05 am 2nd by Connie Anderson