Present: Shannon Pech, Amanda Mathiowetz, Molly Kennedy, Tim Headlee, Matt Stenger, Ryan Cates, Jenn Frew, Connie Anderson, Katie Gleason, Tom Christensen, Michelle Chalin, Colleen Ryan, Rochelle Fischer, Lisa Vanderveen-Nagel, Deb Haye, Carol Olson, Scott Melby
New:
Kitchen
Shift in progress
There was a meeting last week about the total re-bid in the Kitchen. Has there been a determination on offering shift in progress? Deb stated that some days they do not have the minimum staff. There are 5 positions open. Two are out on bids and the three cook positions management is waiting on the list of eligible applicants. AFSCME asked if in the future shift in progress could be offered when the compliment is up. Management said that this is surely something that can be explored when above minimum staff.
Holiday sign up.
Management said that they will refer that to the Scheduling Office. Employees in the kitchen who want the holiday OFF should email the Scheduling Office. That way there is a sign-up sheet and a pattern. Holidays will be assigned to most senior staff unless they have expressed they want that holiday off. An email will be sent to those employees in this area about the process.
Memo about available vacation days.
An employee submitted a vacation request November 5th for November 21st off. That request sat with no response for 7-8 days. When that pay period came time to be posted, the employee received a response that the request is denied due to inadequate staff because it was now inside the pay period. At Decision Day management said that they would consider giving vacation for those days. Management asked if that employee resubmitted November 10th. Molly Kennedy did not have that information. Management said that they told employees to not put in vacation requests until they heard from them. An email was then sent from management telling employees they could submit on November 10th. There was a global correspondence given.
Mutualing half days
The Kitchen department has been mutualing half days for years. The contract does not say that we cannot do this. A request has recently been denied for this by the Scheduling Department stating that they do not mutual half days. Management stated that we need to be consistent. No one knew this was a practice. In order to be consistent this will not be something that is continued. Management said that they will give people a chance to absorb this before making the change. Molly Kennedy will tell the employees that were denied the mutual to contact Deb.
Rescinding Vacation
What is the timeline? MSH programs allow outside of 14 days to be rescinded; inside 14 days will go by business needs. MSOP practices 24 hours. The Scheduling Department has been going by the 14 day rule. Management stated that they would like all programs to be the same. To remain consistent the Kitchen will be going by the 14 day rule. Management will be looking at sending out a communication piece about all of this.
Vacation/scheduling.
On the MSH overnight vacation schedule there are three SC’s already scheduled vacation for Christmas 2016. AFSCME asked why this is happening; Tom Christensen said he was unaware and would like to know the same. Some counselors may have gotten this time approved a month and a half ago with “piggy-backing” was occurring. For clarification piggy-backing is when Counselor A asks off today through, for example, January 1st. Those days are now all open on the vacation calendar. Counselor B see’s this and asks off December 31st through January 5th. Now there are more days open. This can go on and on. MSOP at one time had vacation open for two years due to piggy-backing before it was banned.
Management and Labor agreed to no longer accept requests that would be considered piggy-backing beginning the day of this meeting, November 19th. A notice will go out to SC’s. Also, it was clarified by Human Resources that any vacation that has been granted will still be granted per contract.
The 4 vacation slots for the facility has been creating some problems. AFSCME mentioned an example of an employee opening up two months of vacation on one unit. Their co-workers on the unit were aware of this so that unit took up the 4 facility spots of vacation for the two months. The two months of pending vacation was not posted on other units leaving those employees unaware it was open. Tom Christensen said that the only way to address this issue is with master contract language. We are essentially going outside of that. The concern is if someone grieves it as management didn’t we violate contract language? AFSCME asked TC if the Scheduling Office could have a SharePoint site where pending vacation is posted. TC stated that that is what the vacation calendar is for so he is reluctant to add another area where this is posted. It is one more thing to track and update leaving room for it to be forgotten or entered in error. Neither labor or management could think of a solution at this meeting. Tom Christensen, Scott Melby, AFSCME, and HR will get together and come up with a solution.
AFSCME asked where the audit process comes in with an employee asks for two months off. Scott Melby said that there are complicating factors when trying to do an audit and that management wants to make sure that they honor days off if they change. We need consistency and this process shouldn’t be exclusive to just SC’s. Management and labor need to agree on what an audit should look like. This will be part of the small group meeting to discuss vacation slots.
Rehire process
There have been small complications with the rehire process. A previous employee wanted to come back to SPRTC but was told that they had to wait two years. This person was told that they had signed something agreeing to this. Management said that typically nothing is signed but there might have been something particular with the individual. This will be looked into further by HR.
Scott Melby asked what contractual rights does someone have when choosing to leave employment here. AFSCME replied that they would not have any contractual rights.
Seniority Roster (Staff availability, no longer on OT sign up for review)
Where is the seniority roster for people to review? It is on the Human Resources site. Central Office publicizes it. Scott Melby asked Tom Christensen if a link could be created on the OT sign-up sheet with the roster. TC said probably.
Staff Searches
There is a new policy coming out. AFSCME asked if anything has been finalized. There is a DCT and a Forensics policy. HR said that it has not been finalized but they are close, hopefully within the next couple weeks. DCT is finalized. HR said that they are referencing a lot of stuff from the MSOP program but it will not be exactly like MSOP. Scott Melby said that the practices will not be changing. It will be bag checks.
Lot draws for New Employee Orientation
The MSH & MSOP programs do this differently. MSH does this with HR, MSOP does not but we are one seniority unit. AFSCME requested to make it the same and if so, to draw with cards. Jenn Frew asked how that will work considering that when we draw we include CARE and CBHH Rochester. How can we incorporate this? Do we go into our roster just as if they work here? MSOP St. Peter has different hire dates. There will be further discussion on this. HR will check on what is being done in DCT. Cindy Jungers will be bringing this to a group on November 20th.
MANAGEMENT ITEMS:
Supplemental and Master language roll out with Leadership
Management said that they are meeting with supervisors about the changes coming December 1st and how it will impact business needs. They asked AFSCME if they are putting anything out to the membership. Would like everyone to be on board. Molly Kennedy said that she worked with JR Haller (Scheduling Supervisor at MSOP) on an explanation of how vacation requests will change due to 6 months out instead of a year and other scheduling changes. Once this is complete Molly will share it with MSH management. There should be a consistent message. Cindy Jungers will talk to JR about getting this finalized.
Back pay for separated employees
Back pay for the 2.5% raise will be received on the December 24th check to everyone active. If an employee has resigned they do have to request their back pay. To do this that person will need to email Human Resources or Mary Rudolph.
Light duty Schedule
Management said that they are trying to improve how they manage those employees on light duty. TC has created a calendar on Schedule Anywhere that has all employees on light duty and their schedule. There will be information given like what that employee can do. They are not indicating any medical information or restrictions, just indicating what the employee can do (i.e. camera coverage or transports). TC said that they are going to do a better job of getting the employees schedule on a calendar. When that employee returns to duty they can be put right back into rotation. Any input is welcomed. Please contact TC.
Contracted Security Company
The Nursing Home has been using a company to help with hospital coverage at the point when chronic inversing begins. There has now been a contract established that is broader than the Nursing Home. Carol Olsen said that they will not use this company unless our coverage is forcing a lot of inversing. Carol said that they do not know that they will use it but if we need it, the contract is there. This security company is not always available because they have a federal contract as well.
Michelle Chalin said that currently the Nursing Home is in pretty good shape as far as staffing numbers go. Some employees have come back from leave and there are at least 5 new employees beginning in December. They are waiting on some things from Central HR to be finalized with recruiting more staff.