Present:
Carol Olson, Michelle Chalin, Meghan Goodrich, Jennifer Frew, Scott Melby, Chuck Hottinger, Scott Grefe, Amanda Mathiowetz, Molly Kennedy, Mike Homer, Connie Anderson, Colleen Ryan, Tom Christensen, Rochelle Fischer, Tim Headlee, Shannon Pech, Stacey Mueller
Management:
1. Overtime and OSHA Log Review a. No questions or comments on the overtime log b. OSHA Log – During the safety meeting it was talked about if someone had an injury with no days away from work but were recommended for a follow up visit should go on the log. All slips, trips, and falls are logged on a different sheet. Per Carol Olson more than first aid given will go on the OSHA log. If an employee goes to the Emergency Room and they only check vitals, that will not go onto the OSHA log. *Only if there is treatment beyond first aid.
2. Work Rules a. There was a meeting with Tim Headlee on January 13th on the current status and that management is pursuing to eliminate work rules due to them being part of contract language already. Tim talked to the Executive Board about this and did not hear anything against this. Work rules have been obsolete for quite some time. They are either in contract language or not practiced. This is a clean-up effort. It was agreed to the current work rules would be eliminated immediately and that the reflection of this in the meeting minutes was an appropriate announcement. No other communication is necessary.
3. Town Hall Meetings a. These meetings will be held February 24th 12:45pm – 1:45pm, 2:15pm – 3:15pm, and 8:45pm – 9:45pm in staff development room 314A. If a group of staff would like to attend in MSH or other areas, you will be able to attend via Vidyo. b. Please send questions to Carol Olson or Mary Bergevoet. They have not received anything yet. c. John Knobbe’s retirement party will also be February 24th from 12:30pm – 2:30pm in the Human Resources Conference Room
4. Staff Engagement Survey a. This is due on February 23rd. Encourage staff to participate online. You can find the link on SharePoint, was a prior announcement.
5. Meeting Minutes a. Management would like to solidify an agreement on the minutes going forward. Agreement will allow a week’s time to approve by both sides before they are posted. There were conversations about disagreements last month. What management had wanted to have in there was not posted. When there are disagreements, can have a week to come to an agreement. b. Scott Grefe mentioned that the union does have editorial rights on meeting minutes. We can come to an agreement on the minutes emailed out but what is posted on Local 404’s website is ours. c. It was noted that parts of the meetings can be contentious. We will have these meetings every once in a while and AFSCME mentioned that if management would like to sanitize the minutes AFSCME will not agree to those changes.
6. Budget Issue a. We are currently 12 million over budget just for Forensics. We are requesting a one-time 10.4 million to help with the deficit. This will offset the 12 million. We are also asking for 6 million each year to be added to our base budget for the next two years. This would put our base budget to a total of 80 million if approved. Even if we receive the 10.4 million and the 6 million increase to the base, this will still leave this campus with major budget issues. b. Carol Olson has asked each program director, managers, and department heads to look closely at their budget of operations. Would like all of them to look at where we can operate leaner because we have to. Carol will need to present a budget where we stay within. She stated that we are looking at a lot of ways to get back to the base budget. This includes the whole operation. No decisions have been made but nothing is off the table. Getting back to a 0 budget is a directive Carol was given. There is major work to do on campus and there will be tough decisions made.
AFSCME:
1. Mr. Melby’s future plans, goals, expectations, and implementations for 2015 & 2016. Anything that will affect scheduling, salary, staffing, safety & security including contract language? a. This is driven by the membership wanting to know. AFSCME has received many inquiries if Scott Melby is trying to cut down staffing numbers. This is not meant to target anyone. Management stated that the town hall meeting will lay all of this out. There is nothing specific because nothing has been decided. The budget issue is not going to be easy and will be a bit painful for all. We cannot operate the way we currently do. We are asking for 6 million more this year and 6 next year but we currently operate at 12 million more per year. Some reasons of why we got to this point: conditional license and adding a lot of staff which was supported but is not being supported going forward. Scott Melby stated that there are no specifics because they do not have any right now. It was stated that any manager would look at numbers. b. There are many, many hours of overtime. The argument can be made that this has exhausted staff creating safety issues and also not having a quality of life. Management has an obligation to look at what is causing this overtime. This is a very big organization so there is a lot to look at while dealing with the day to day issues. c. Ratios- guaranteed so many staff and patients at all times. We are trying to have staff available for need on unit. AFSCME stated that adding 4 to 5 activities demanded more staff. AFSCME stated that staff to patient ratios has changed over the years. Was 1 to 5, now 1 to 8. What is adequate coverage? Scott has been tasked to look at the budget. Biggest cost is staffing. Scott Melby stated that his philosophy is to not rush into anything. He stated that he is trying to get a good understanding. Also stated that he intends to be involving AFSCME in discussions when he has the opportunity. Has not been told to look at staffing layoffs. Vacancies have not been approved to be filled. d. Open movement- not a budget issue. This is something we should look at as a program for patients to have a better quality of life. And safety of staff. Management is talking about this. Not ready to do anything right now and would like to open up the lines of communication. This would be for patients who have earned the right only. Management stated that this is not MSOP, we have a different clientele. If done, it will be MSH movement. How it will look, we do not know with conditional licensing. This is a goal for the future. It would allow those with the ability to move about on their own. Tim Headlee stated that we have that with hall passes. Management stated that they cannot say we are going to stay anywhere. They are always looking at practices. For today, we are staying with the passes. Opening all unit doors at all times will not work in our environment per Scott Melby. e. Restraints – This should be part of the transfer meeting and weekly ancillary meetings. It is policy that at the time of a medical appointment, if there is a risk to the community call the On Call Doctor with concerns. Use of restraints can then be approved. There is also a log in Master Control of the patients allowed out of the building without restraints. The use of restraints is about public safety and risk of elopement, not SIB. f. 6-2 Schedule – Is used in other areas. As part of looking at the budget, management is looking at staffing. They are looking at everything. AFSCME asked how this is going to improve the facility because it has not worked in other areas. Realistically we can cover a place with set days off. What are the rotation benefits? This will not create more coverage. Per management it creates equality. Everyone has the same days off that rotate. Management stated that they are not ready to say if this saves money or not. In their experience some people like a 6-2 schedule, some do not. Shannon Pech stated that in his work area, CRP, when they went to a 6-2 schedule it did not improve sick calls. AFSCME stated that the only equality this creates is that everyone has a less desirable schedule. Stacey Mueller said that she put together a survey about 6-2 in Transition and CRP. She has not gotten a lot of answers back yet. So far a lot of the responses have been in favor of 5-2 with every other weekend off and requests for 4 – 10 hour shifts. She stated that a huge piece to this is that 8 10ths staff feel they are being used. They are being scheduled full time so they should be made full time. LPN’s also feel incredibly used. They are being inversed on their Friday’s. There are countless grievances and no remedies. AFSCME pointed out that there are a lot of silly things being done with scheduling. Management asked that these things be brought forward to Carol. Scott Melby said that he hears from those who do not like set days off and never get a weekend off or that there are two people in a work area who take all of the weekend vacation spots. He stated that he has an obligation to look at everything. This is a 24/7 operation and a certain schedule is going to not be good for someone. Scott said that it is his intention to partner with AFSCME moving forward. g. There is a rumor that the break rooms on the units are being eliminated. This has lead members to believe a half hour unpaid break is in the works. Management stated that they are not working on that but everything is going to be evaluated with the current budget. Unit rooms are where we store things. Management has asked the Unit Directors to instruct staff to not have the windows covered when no one is in there. If someone would like some privacy, shut the curtain. h. Straight shifts – This is going to fall into everything on the table. Management stated that they do not know if there is a cost savings with that. Some staff like the idea some do not. i. Capable & Qualified – Scott stated that he has an obligation to make sure that staff have the training to keep them and colleges safe. There is a grievance on this subject and management is looking at that. Management stated that they are interested in partnering. We have to make changes whether we like it or not. We are not going to be able to go back due to laws and licensing. Would like to work together to come up with something better. j. What Scott is working on – stated that he cannot simplify it. Less is more. He has to figure out ways to get within budget by looking at our options. Ratios were not part of it but are now for OT cost. Not looking at that alone. AFSCME stated that with the push for safe staffing, glad to hear we are not shaving staff. Scott stated that we “have to be safe.” k. Governor’s budget came out on a Thursday, 1st round of layoffs went out on that Friday. This is not contractual and is inadequate. AFSCME gave a reminder that if we get into the procedure of layoffs we need to work together. This is on page 34, article 15, section 2 of the contract. Reminder that a flat out letter a day later does not qualify. As we move forward with tough decisions, we want to make sure that we all have that understanding to be able to partner and work together.
2. Term 9 Completion/Posting a. This is off to licensing and all members of that team. Have not heard anything. It is posted on the SharePoint site on the left hand column under conditional licenses, term 9. All minutes from all meetings are posted there. Carol stated that she has not followed up with licensing yet.
3. Union representation at termination a. History is if someone was non certified or terminated, union representation does not need to be in the room but the employee would have one available to them. If a member wants to grieve this, the union has no contact information because Human Resources cannot give that out. AFSCME requested that if someone is terminated to let the union know so they can get a hold of the person. A union rep would not need to be in the room. The union can talk to that person afterwards. The staff being terminated would then be able to sign a release. Carol Olson stated that she is not ready to respond. This will need to be a follow up item.
4. Interest bids between programs a. Example: An MSOP employee who was a former MSH employee is a month away from bidding rights and wanted to go back to nights in MSH. This employee was told, “No.” This position will either go dead or someone will be inversed to it so why not take the interest bid? HR stated that once the position is dead they typically look at expressions of interest. With the budget issue, this is robbing from one area since they have not been able to hire. Stance has been if we rob within our building we can somewhat control that. HR is not looking at interest bids across programs right now because of it. They have to request approval then wait to see if it is approved. Employees can bring requests forward and they will still be looked at. The Commissioner has not allowed a fulltime GMW position to be filled. There is an HSSS in the Nursing Home position in the same situation. The position was advocated for but not approved. Management stated that they are not sure when the direction will change. Keep putting in expressions of interest. It does not hurt to put the questions in.
5. Transition Services scheduling and contracting MN security company a. Looking at implementing a contract for a patient that is in Rochester. Management stated that they were pursuing how to make it a go but have not heard any further on the status. Once they heard a patient in the Nursing Home was going to have an extended stay in Rochester contracting security was looked at because of the staffing deficit. When a patient from Transition Services began to look like the same scenario conversation began about contracting since Transition is such a small program. The patient was then thought to be discharged from Rochester February 20th so as of this meeting; they were waiting to hear more. A contract would be an attempt at helping with the amount of inversing. When this happened with the Nursing Home it was stated by management that this would not be normal practice. Carol stated that this is 50% cost effectiveness and that doing 3 – 12 hour shifts it drains our members and it is constant. AFSCME asked if the vendor is equipped since specific trainings are required when working with vulnerable adults in Minnesota. Carol stated that the purpose is around security. The care treatment shifts to the hospital because they are then their patient. AFSCME stated that there is still patient interaction. As far as being draining for members; this is the sort of overtime members fight for. Management stated that there are 10 people being inversed in house because of this. Scott Grefe stated that it is a huge stretch saying that it is security only. Carol said that she would look further into this.
6. CRP 6-2 rotation review/update a. The Nursing Home was part of the issue implemented last year. That program was never fully staffed to get to where the 6-2 was supposed to be filled. The goal was to have 3 vacation spots but had to start with 2. Fair to say that we do not know if that schedule works? Does it get staff more vacation? In the end it does not really afford more spots per Scott Grefe. One advantage is that it offers CRP and the Nursing Home some consistency for people who are not FT. Carol stated that they would like to evaluate.
7. Abatement Plan Posting a. Safety Committee should have a representative there. An email will go out to those on that committee.