Present: Amanda Mathiowetz, Luke Frederick, Matt Stenger, Tim Headlee, Judy Herman-Haight, Derrick Jones, Stephanie Juhl, Tammi Johnson, Tracy Johannsen, Gus Grau, Melissa Grau, Kristine Wahlberg, Tracy Johanson, Wade Brost, Pat Marcus, Ashley Samora

• Management Updates

    
• CARE      St. Peter – Designee

• There is 1 night LPN that is being reposted due to low applicant list, 3 .8 CDPA’s (Chemical Dependence Program Assistant)-2 started and 1 pending hire; 1 rotating RN-  in process of interviewing.

•  CBHH St. Peter – Designee

• Pat Marcus stated that they do not have any vacancies. Someone hired a couple weeks ago. A couple of days ago an employee took a position out on campus so that .1 position is now open.

        
• CBHH      Rochester – Stephanie Juhl or designee

• Have posted two .8 LPN’s and are now getting the names of applicants for 2 .8 RN”S. There are 2 FT HST positions that will be posted. There are 2 RN positions are 2 HST positions that management hopes are posted today. There is also 1 RN as back fill. Have requested 2 contract nurses. There are 2 FT LPN contracts in process. AFSCME inquired why the contract nurses are full time, management stated that agencies with contracts are only willing to work full time hours.

   

        3. AFSCME

            
• Over-Time      Amount – for all sites – specific attention to Rochester since that is      where the highest number of OT hours is.

• There is OT in Rochester because of acuity right now. From October 6th through December 1st there have been 109 hours of HST OT and 64 LPN hours. The overtime is not broken down between voluntary and mandated. That would have to be manually calculated. During that timeframe it was mostly caused by sick calls from after December 1st it has been due to acuity.

• AFSCME expressed that they cannot provide services as they are supposed to. There are a lot of sick people coming to these programs and staying longer. This is acknowledged throughout DHS. Policy and Division knows that this is an issue and are working on it but all of this takes time. Things move slowly and there are budget issues. Policy division just met yesterday to talk about transitional housing to help with people getting stuck. We are making additional proposals. Management would like to include AFSCME in these conversations.

• CBHH St. Peter OT: September had 1.25 voluntary hours and 5.25 mandatory hours, October 34.5 volunteer and 37 mandatory, November 23.25 volunteer and 0 mandatory. Tammie will try to get a breakdown for Rochester’s mandatory and volunteer then submit to Luke Frederick.

• St. Peter CARE OT: Ashley stated that she does have a spreadsheet but was unable to complete prior to this meeting due to the amount of covering on the floor she has been doing.

   

• Tim Headlee asked for the optimal number of staffing if budget was not a concern. Wade Brost said that they look at an ideal staffing for CARE and CBHH yearly but he did not have that information in front of them. AFSCME stated that those numbers would be helpful when they lobby March 21st through the 25th and Day on the Hill on April 5th.

                
• Status      of open positions and the hiring – for all sites

• AFSCME asked why we are not hiring full time because this would help with retention. Management stated that they have a hard time hiring LPN’s. A lot of schools have gone away from LPN’s. Many students are going straight into the RN program. Everyone is struggling throughout the region to find LPN’s. AFSCME stated that they went online to look up LPN’s in Rochester and found that many places are offering full time hours with sign on bonuses. Most people are probably seeking full time instead of .8.  Management does not think this would help get people. Part time LPN positions are what nurses are looking for per management. Management stated that they have calculated that they have posted what they need for FTE’s. AFSCME stated that they heard the same excuse 3 months ago. Management stated that they tried to hire LPN’s but those interviewed were not viable. The LPN’s that are .75 are scheduled FT hours on the December 30th schedule.

• AFSCME asked if people are interested in FT hours. Judy Herman-Haight expressed that she is and she knows of one other. Neither have pursued this strongly because it is the understanding that management does not want FT. Matt Stenger stated that the union has a hard time digesting spending money on contract nurses when FT positions could be offered within to retain employees. Derrick Jones stated that contract nurses were requested by AFSCME and MMA to help with overtime. AFSCME stated that they do agree to some levels to stop the overtime; it is a short term fix but this will not fix the problem. AFSCME said that they need to see some effort by management in hiring FTE’s or converting PT to FT. Management said that the fact they are working FT does not mean it is in the supported budget. A 3 – 43 staffing pattern is what was budgeted and some overtime. The use of FMLA and sick time has increased OT. Management stated that they have allocated as much as we can into staff salaries but still have shortages.

• AFSCME asked that with the budget coming up that we put in additional budget funding to get these positions. St. Peter is doing that now. There are a number of proposals going forward through the executive committee for the budget. Hopefully staff all CBHH’s at a 16 bed census. AFSCME asked if it will be FT positions. Management stated that they do not have the proposal in front of them. There is a staffing compliment to support. AFSCME stated they would like to help during their lobbying. The legislative liaison is planning on coming to the management group in late January and would like to do informational meetings. Management stated that they will let Wade and Sheila know that AFSCME would like updates on this. AFSCME asked for a copy of the budget proposal. Derrick Jones said that he will have to turn that over to Sheila. 

                    
• Follow      up on part-time staff who are interested in full-time work – specific      site-Rochester

• Luke Frederick sent an email to staff asking who was interested in FT. Human Resources stated that they have had no one inquire. Luke did get a few responses that people are interested.

                        
• Update      on transition to CDPA at CARE-St. Peter

• All of those interested in becoming a CDPA have completed the process.

                            
• Open      discussion regarding new contract

• AFSCME stated that they would like everyone to be on the same page regarding the new contract. Kristine Wahlberg stated that she did put together something highlighting the changes.

• One of areas AFSCME would like a clear definition on is the master language where an employee is able to ask off for 14 days of vacation a year in advance. This 14 day request will be posted and all 14 days must be within a year. If the vacation is granted and the employee would like to rescind all 14 days must be rescinded. If someone more senior would like to request 14 days and some of the days overlap while the original vacation request is posted for 10 days, the request of the person with less seniority will be denied for the entire 14 days.

• An employee cannot receive OT on a day they are granted vacation. The thought process is that someone cannot take vacation on early shift then work overtime on late shift. This takes away vacation from those who really want it. Some members have been talking about asking for 7 hours of vacation then still being able to work OT. AFSCME stated that they do not support this. AFSCME said that they would like to work together to make sure that game playing does not happen.

• AFSCME has 72 hours to rescind a resignation. That is not going away and is master language. The new language as far as 72 hours goes is that employees will now have 8 hours instead of 72 to accept a bid. This is to ensure we are getting valid bids and the process won’t take as long. Employees do get 24 hours to rescind the bid.

       4. Wrap up and miscellaneous

                                
• Discuss      2016 Future Meeting Dates

• The March date will have to be rescheduled because it is during AFSCME’s Lobby Week. We will keep the meetings the 4th Thursday of the month. May have to set up March’s meeting for the 16th or the 30th. Meetings will be from 1pm – 2pm. HR will look at calendars and will then send e-invites. Meetings will be June 23rd, September 22nd, and December 22nd, March’s date pending.

• Luke Frederick asked if there is any knowledge about APRN’s on site. Members have been asking. Derrick stated no for CARE sites. The decision will probably be no due to budgets. There is an APRN starting after the 1st of the year that will support all sites and a new medical director for all CARE sites. This is a contract APRN to use until a state employee is hired. One concern is that some of the patients had run out of meds and another patient needed a med change. Will an APRN help with those issues? Management replied yes.  Not sure what kind of face time the APRN will have with patients. The expectation is visiting the sites routinely.