4/17/14 Local 404 General Membership Meeting Minutes

Present:
Amanda Mathiowetz, Adam Castle, Matt Stenger, Scott Grefe, Randilee Dauk, Shannon Pech, Mike Homer, Marvin Sullivan, Lori Stueber, Josh Mann, Mary Scovill, Luke Frederick, Mike Sutherland, Tom Kluntz, Kristy Christianson, James Hemshrot, Shawn Kennedy, Eric Hesse, Sarah Moeller, Ryan Cates, Laurie Halverson, Cory Moon, Deb Burger, Marlowe Grau, Julie Filand, Connie Anderson, Kelly Woelpern, Joel Frey, Mike Hohenstein, John Knobbe, Jill Gorman, Chuck Hottinger

1.Secretaries Report: February 2014 meeting minutes- Additions or Corrections? Motion to accept subject to review by

2. Treasurer-Connie Anderson: STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENSES FOR MONTH ENDING February 2014 CASH BALANCE BEGINNING OF MONTH: $ 72161.76 INCOME FOR THE MONTH: $ 11035.37 EXPENSES FOR THE MONTH: $ 1292.47 CASH BALANCE ENDING OF MONTH: $ 81904.66 SUBMITTED BY: _______CONNIE ANDERSON_____ Accepted subject to audit motion by John Knobbe for February, 2nd by Shannon Pech. Motion passed. Accepted subject to audit motion by John Knobbe for March, 2nd by Eric Hesse. Motion passed *All Secretary reports are up to date. Please see previous minutes.

3, Correspondence Review a). SEPC Spring Conference Review • It is important to vote. This will determine the benefits package and our wages. • They would like to roll our retirement into a 401k retirement (deferred contribution). Everyone hired after today would have to adhere to this. This would not be in a funded account • We need to identify who we want to vote for • Something to look at to get a better idea of what we are up against is the Center for American Experiment under Reports & Books. This is about our pension and how they are not fully funded but we are. • They are trying to eliminate COLA’s • Please get involved and talk to your state and district legislator’s. You can do this by calling, emailing, or going to the capitol. If you choose to go to the capitol, it is recommended that you make an appointment. • Tell Legislators to fund DHS salary supplement. In his supplemental budget recommendation, Governor Dayton included $11 million this year and $22 million in the next biennium to cover the cost of negotiated salary increases for staff working in 24 hr care facilities within State Operated Services and the Minnesota Sex Offender Program. Neither the House nor the Senate has included this funding in their respective budget bills. If this funding is not included, DHS has said that there will be staff layoffs and program closures. They estimate that there will be 118 layoffs in Mental Health Services, 85 in Forensics, and 15 in MSOP. They will have to close many if not all of the IRTS, CBHH, and CABHS facilities. Rep Paul Thissen, Speaker of the House 651-296-5375 Rep Lyn Carlson, Chair of the Conference Committee 651-296-4255 Sen Tom Bakk, Senate Majority Leader 651-296-8881 Sen Dick Cohen, Chair of the Conference Committee 651-296-5931 Rep Tom Huntley 651-296-2228 Rep Tim Mahoney 651-296-4277 Rep Paul Marquart 651-296-6829 Rep Jean Wagenius 651-296-4200 Sen Tony Lourey 651-296-0293 Sen David Tomassoni 651-296-8017 Sen Chuck Wiger 651-296-6820 Sen Terri Bonoff 651-296-4314 An idea of what you can say: “Hi, my name is and I’m an AFSCME member working for DHS. I would like to urge you to include funding for the DHS salary supplement in the final budget agreement. The lack of this funding would have a devastating impact on Minnesota’s ability to care for our most vulnerable citizens. This is about the common good, and would prevent program closures and layoffs of staff who provide the services as the state’s primary safety net provider.” b). Jerry Clark Memorial Scholarship • Tim Headlee has information on this. Please contact no later than May 30th c). Minnesota Union Leadership Program • Deadline is May 23rd • Participants in the program take six full day classes over a nine month period to develop the knowledge, skills, and strategic thinking abilities to guide them toward successful leadership roles in their unions d). Financial Responsibility Training is May 5th • Contact Tim Headlee, Molly Kennedy, John Knobbe, or Connie Anderson if you are interested. There may still be room. e). Contract Training is at Hobber’s April 23rd. Motion by John Knobbe to approve per diem for all those attending and lunch. 2nd by Eric Hesse. Motion passed. 4. New Business: a) FNH questions and concerns • You have the union’s full attention. Please report anything minor or major, the more information the better. Please feel free to ask questions and keep the union informed to take steps forward in improving this work environment. b) Please see http://www.union404.com/ Meeting Minutes, MSH Meet & Confer 4-17-14 Minutes

5. Old Business: a) Please see http://www.union404.com/ Meeting Minutes, MSH Meet & Confer 4-17-14 Minutes

6. Items from the membership: a) Molly Kennedy withdrew and then amended her motion from March’s General Membership to raise the cell phone reimbursement from $65 to $100. This is no longer on the table. Molly Kennedy motioned for a $100 increased stipend for the President, Vice President Administration, Vice President Steward Coordinator, Treasurer, Secretary, and the 5 Chief Stewards. Shannon Pech motioned to get rid of the $65 cell phone allowance that the President and two Vice Presidents receive. To raise the stipend from $200 to $365 for the President and two Vice Presidents, $200 to $300 for the Treasurer and Secretary, $100 to $200 for Chief Stewards, and $50 to $100 for the 3 E Board members. Motion seconded by Mike Sutherland. Decided to table this for May 15th’s General Membership Meeting, 4:30pm at Hobber’s to be voted on by the membership. b) Would anyone be interested in chairing a Social Committee for the local? James Hemshrot volunteered. c) Matt Stenger will be posting the different 404 committee’s along with their members on the local’s website. d) Motion by Molly Kennedy to donate $1200 to the kitchen at Trinity Lutheran in St. Peter. Also mentioned that the local does volunteer a few Monday’s closer to December. Seconded by Jill Gorman. Motion passed. e) If members become aware of a fellow member in need of assistance (especially with those injured on duty) please email E Board or any steward because the local would like to help. f) Mike Homer mentioned a fundraiser for Collin Luitjens, a seemingly healthy 15 year old boy, to a boy who needs a new heart. After many tests, doctors concluded that Collin’s heart is failing and needs a transplant. He is now awaiting a new heart. Joel Frey motioned that the local donate $400. Seconded by Laurie Stueber, motion passed. g) Kelly Woelpern motioned to donate $500 to The Redmen Club to assist with costly repairs. Seconded by Shawn Kennedy, motion passed. h) Mentioned that it is very difficult to get a hold of Human Resources if staff are injured or get hurt. There have been numerous complaints.

7. Officer Reports

Presidents Report: Tim Headlee Please see http://www.union404.com/index.cfm?action=cat&categoryID=a51b59c8-e87c-4c... MSH Meet & Confer April, 2014 Minutes.

VP-John Knobbe: It has been busy. I attended three different Pension Committee Hearings. The last one was the evening of Day on the Hill. At that meeting I testified and spoke to the errors in their report, how this split into two classes of employees working in the same job class. Scott Grefe, Eric Hangee, many of our members, and myself lobbied heavily on these issues and I met with Laura Gilcrest (aid to Governor Dayton) prior to this last hearing. At the end of the evening the Pension Bill was modified to cover LPN’s instead of LPN I & II’s, and change MSH to SOFS. This was passed. This should end the attacks at this time on any of our pensions. We have been working on many issues, Overtime, FNH, CBHH, hiring and injuries. We did 13 3rd steps last week and another one today along with several laudermill hearings. We are succeeding in areas and need everyone to be vocal about fair treatment. We had 1 laudermill succeed with a total removal of a discipline without having to go to a grievance and another that was not changed. The grievance has been filed. We need to maintain solidarity and work together. Try to fix problems. If the boss will not listen, bring it to us. In Solidarity, W. John Knobbe

VP- Molly Kennedy This month we had MSOP meet and confer some of the topic discussed were update on our new uniforms in MSOP, members that request vacation that they don't have the time accruals for, putting in expressions of interest on bids, annual mantouxs, relieving staff in order if seniority when volunteering for overtime on campus, additional positions with the upcoming increase of clients, and cameras being placed in staff only areas. Please see the MSOP meeting minutes at www.union404.com. We also have an upcoming contract training on April 23rd. We have 7 people signed up to attend. We plan on having another steward training planned for May so stay tuned for a date. Thanks to everyone who participated in day on the hill. Remember knowledge is power!!!

CS MSH/Transition: Ryan Cates

CS-AMH/CARE: Matt Stenger.

CS – Facilities Support: Mike Homer

CS – Nursing Home: Eric Hesse At the Forensic Nursing Home, I filed three third step grievances for three different disciplinary measures given to a member in successive order within two days for one problem. We also got a three day suspension overturned during the Loudermill process. If any member from the Nursing Home has any questions/concerns, please feel free to contact me. At MSH, I filed a third-step grievance about an improper distribution of overtime due to non-responses in the first and second steps, and won the grievance. Was happy to see new faces at Day on the Hill and hope everybody had a great experience and looking forward to next year and seeing more new faces out at these events!

CS – MSOP: Matt Stenger

CS – MSH / CRP / Nursing NOCS: Shannon Pech On NOCS have been dealing with two issues involving 900 but that is all I can say for now.

Per John Knobbe, Shannon has been handling a lot of the issues surrounding CRP but does not get credit for his work due to one administrator not being able to work with Shannon. To avoid being targeted John Knobbe attends the meetings.

EB- Luke Frederick.

EB- Adam Castle Nothing to report

EB James Hemshrot Nothing to report.

CLU delegate report-

Council 5 Field Representative Scott Grefe:

Meeting adjourned at 5:07pm, seconded by James Hemshrot