Agenda

AFSCME Labor Management

October 20, 2022

Facilitator / Chair (IN BOLD):

Membership:

AFSCME  404 & Management

Roxanne Portner, Becky Robinson, Marvin Sullivan, Matt Stenger, Rick Pitts, Annie Jackaki, Sarah Aili, Michelle Chalin, Scott Melby, James Kibler, Erin Wiederich, Eric Manriquez, Ali Kuhlman, Ryan Cates (via phone)

Topic 

Discussion

Meeting Called to Order

Approval of Minutes

Reflection / Celebration

Thanks to all the staff for coming to work! Celebration that Ali Kuhlman is back in Human Resources!

Standing Agenda Items

1. OSHA Information
2. Overtime Information 
3. Budgeted Position Review/Staff Shortage

4. Achievement Award

1.OSHA Information was provided to the union

2. Overtime information was provided to the union

3.  Budgeted Position review/ staff shortage information was provided to the union

4. Achievement Award information-will be provided to the union

Old Business

Management:

AFSCME:

1. Grove A Staffing being asked to stay late outside of seniority order
2. Proposed schedule-can we get more details on the staffing on individual units
3. Lack of vacation -data request for comp time earned
4. Achievement awards not being approved

1. Grove A staffing- inversing out of order. Management did follow up and his suggestion is that making sure the AOD is aware of the situation and make sure charge nurse is on the same page. Labor requested that management provide a directive to the charge nurses so that the AOD will be telling the HSSS or FSS to stay.
2. Proposed schedule- Meeting following this one to talk more about the proposed schedule along with a scheduling meeting next week (Monday Oct. 24) to get the documents together that labor requested.  Those documents include a pay period of what a management proposed schedule change would look like along with the number of staff needed for each unit.
3. Lack of vacation- Labor put in a data request a couple months back and are still waiting on comp numbers of what line staff are earning.  HR will follow up with that request.
4. Achievement awards- Labor is concerned that achievement awards are still not being put thru on the NOC shift.  Staff are being told that they are waiting for direction from management and/or HR.  Management will meet with the Supervisors to make sure that they are putting them forth in a uniform manner.

New Business

Management:

1. Communication Outage

AFSCME:

1. Radios- additional training for ESS (radio), Management not informing staff of radio being down, contingency plan
2. Fit testing again- forced to shave?
3. Camera audits-being used to micromanage and nit-pick staff’s job performance
4. Shift communication sign off for FMHP-who does it?
5. Rumors of organizational restructuring-any changes for our members?
6. Masking going away
7. Inversing is down-are minimums going to be returned to former levels on units?
8. Unvaccinated forced to go home
9. North campus staffing level on NOC’s.
10. Leads getting Sat/Sun

1.  Communication Outage and Radios – Labor requested additional training for ESS to help with radio situation sooner. Also suggested that all ESS’s are cross trained to deal with such a situation.  Management said that historically they could get to the issue resolved without having to get the vendor to come on campus.  It wasn’t the case this time. As a side note executive leadership said that supervisors are encouraged to let staff that interested in more training to get the training if they ask their supervisor. Labor and management talked about getting old school technology back (for example the corded phones and personal panic buttons) as a backup.  Safety committee is going to develop a specific workgroup that will get the contingency plan together. The plan will go through the proper channels and money will be allocated accordingly.  If you have specific ideas on what to include in the contingency plan, you can get them to Jay Steffl and Steve Guse. There has been talk about the potential of using MSOP radios and the red phones.   Labor conveyed to management that it was perceived that management tried to keep the communication outage from the front-line staff and management was willing to take the feedback but doesn’t necessarily agree. Labor wants any risk to communication outages to be relayed to staff immediately. The workgroup that develops the plan will have lots of different stakeholders. Management plans to look at the after-action report then work on the contingency plan. Email Jay Steffl and Steve Guse if you’d like to be a part of the workgroup.  Management also made the point that it is hard to plan for every emergency ahead of time, so it’s good to have a process, flexibility for making the decisions in the moment, the emergency plan procedure so that we can think of all the points that need to be considered. Labor asked about how many stakeholders from each union, and management responded with they want to get a big enough group but not too big.  Melby is doing everything he can to have this to NEVER happen again…committed to the safety and security of all the stakeholders.
2. Fit testing- Labor brought up the discussion that some supervisors are saying staff must shave in order to pass the N95 fit tests.  This testing must be completed annually. Labor asked about why more supervisors aren’t having to do the same fit testing.  Management said that only so many licenses that can be purchased for the N95 fit tests and it is only a requirement for those that work direct care and treatment.
3. Cameras Audits- Labor brought up that staff are getting talked to and disciplined due to camera audits.  Management said that video review is used for masking and eye protection audits, and it is used for restraint and seclusion audits sometimes.  Vulnerable Adult abuse claims reviewers ask for video review so management reviews cameras then too to pre-emptively know what’s going on.  At times, with the circumstances with a VA review/misconduct investigation-progressive discipline must happen.  If management were to turn a blind eye, then we are all liable. Staff get told to be a presence on the unit and then when cameras are reviewed and found to be on the unit, they get disciplined.  It seems like a mix message. No matter we do it’s going to result in discipline.  Management supports staff being out and about on the unit.  Management also talked about the advances in technology and business practices so they’re trying to get every side an equitable solution. Labor brought up how cameras review seemed to have been used for a “stolen chair” issue on Tamarack. The only reason for the “stolen chair” was because of all the broken chairs on Tamarack.  Management agreed to follow up with broken chairs on Tamarack.
4. Shift communication sign off for FMHP- Labor brought up that there is no shift overlap so hard to have everyone there for shift communication.  Initially nursing could do that shift overlap but nursing coverage is happening so don’t have the communication between shifts as they aren’t regularly on the unit so it’s hard for them to know what’s changed on the unit.  The communication policy is up for review and management will be discussing.
5. Rumors- There was a rumor that at a supervisor meeting it was decided that ironwood will be shutting down. Management confirmed that they had not heard of any plan that ironwood would be shutting down and would like to apologize to the effected staff on ironwood. Management also confirmed that there is no plan to shut down the hospital.
6. Masking rumors- The rumor about masks going away is just a rumor. Due to the high transmissions rates throughout the facility, we will continue to mask even though the CDC guidelines are changing.
7. Inversing down-Labor requested the units to go back to their original minimums now that the inverse numbers are going down. Management didn’t respond.
8. Unvaccinated people being sent home- Unvaccinated people are being sent home because of a “high risk exposure” but others aren’t being sent home.  The sending of people seems to be random.  Labor brought it up last month and was waiting for a response from management. Members are not wanting to use their own time for being sent home. Management will follow up with infection prevention and HR. Labor is going to work with HR to get the time back for those who’ve been sent home.  
9. Staffing levels on north campus NOC- 2 HSSS and RN on NOC is the current staffing levels in grove A and it’s not safe for a crisis invention. Staffing levels haven’t changed even when they have been talking with supervisors.  Management will talk with NOC’s supervisors of that program.  Preferred compliment would be to increase the HSSS’s by 2.  Management could communicate that staff don’t need to intervene unless they have no other choice. Labor suggested that management could also run some North campus drills to see how response times are.
10. Leads getting weekends off- Management will talk about it with staffing meeting

Roundtable:

Communication

What Items/Points need communication:

1.

2.

3.

To Whom (groups/level):

How (method): 

Who will initiate/responsible?

Adjourn

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