AFSCME Labor Management MSH

April 19, 2018

Administration Building

Attendance: Adam Castle, Matt Stenger, Crystal Kreklow, Ryan Cates, Steve Wilking, Kurt Crosby, Marvin Sullivan, Emilio Florez, Patrick Patterson, Zack Sowieja, Scott Melby, Carol Olsen, Lisa Vanderveen, Tudy Fowler, Melissa Gresczk, Michelle Chalin

Reflection/Celebration: Kurt-A member on Tamarak and Willow. Its been chaotic. This staff did a great job with a clients in crisis. Incident that happened on tamarak. Chaotic and turned out well. Supervisor Graves was up there using the chi vac. Everyone did a good job.

Standing Agenda Items:

1. Osha Information-Handout for Work Related injuries and Illnesses
2. Overtime Information-HR did not have access to these. They will email them to the union as soon as possible.

Old Business

Management

1. None

AFSCME

1. None

New Business

Management

1. None

AFSCME

1. 1.      New Contract-Vacation requests when AFSCME competes with other bargaining units; LPN OT weekend bonus, comp bank increase: Cates: LPNs were addressed yesterday. New contract is they compete with MNA. Is that right? Carol: I am not sure, I will look into it. Cates: contract states that both units have to be a year out for vacation if they compete for spots. Tudy: MNA is 14 days or greater for a year out.
2. 2.      Unlocking upper landing door on Hickory Unit: Matte-it was originally locked due to issues with patients. But was just an agreement. We are asking to have it unlocked to create two exit points. This also helps complete rounds easier. The patients involved are no longer there. I worked there for 7 months. There were no females on upper landing. Only the lower landing. Lisa-We sometimes have mobility issues is why we don’t always have coed units. Pratt was involved at that time and it had to do with licensing. I think it is a good practice to have. It helps maintain the atmosphere. Also, it’s a safety feature with clients struggling. I understand it’s not ideal for rounds, but I think there is still a benefit. Matt-it creates a hazard with one exit point. Safety benefit to patients is untrue. Lisa-it’s a sectioned-out room and I think there is benefit. Matt-I would like to see the benefit how it outweighs the safety for staff. Steve-it has plexy glass. The only exit is that one set of stairs. If a physical situation happens…. we always teach to make sure you have exits. This negates that. Lisa-I can have conversation with Goosy to see if there are options, but I don’t really know. I’m not prepared to make a decision. It has been in place for several years. There is still potential. Matt-its controlled by master. Emilio-Being on second level… is this a fire hazard because there is only one exit. Carol-it’s been in place while the fire marshal is here and hasn’t been an issue. Emilio-I can see benefits to both, but I would have to be up there doing rounds with no way out. Steve-what does that look like therapeutically? Carol-it has helped to have a separate space and don’t have people walking by. They feel safer, but I hear the concern. Emilio-Frasier mirrors it and doesn’t have that. Carol-CRP is a different population. Scott-its been in place for a while and that’s always a good time to look into it. Emilio-there is a time we had to call control center to open that door when it would have been much faster to have the ability to do it ourselves.
3. 3.      HIMS Department: Working on weekends. 4 People are being forced to come in to work this. They are being told that it is your job to find a replacement if you can’t make it in. Has historically been covered by volunteers. Carol-just so you know, they are not our staff. Melissa-if something comes up, I can communicate it to who it pertains to. Steve-Used to just be offered as overtime. Now these people have moved on. Now forcing people to work OT on day off. We believe it’s a contract violation. Required to stay minimum of 2 hours based on priority work so it’s difficult for them to know how long they will be there. We had recent snow emergencies. They were told by supervisor to find own replacement. 4 people on rotation but many more capable and qualified and it’s unfair that only these four are in that rotation. They are requesting that everyone capable can do that work. Amongst this situation, they believe they are being harassed. They want to make aware that supervisor is harassing and would like it to stop. If it doesn’t, they are willing to take it further. Melissa-give the information to me and we can meet with the management. But as far as harassment. I would like them to look at the policy, fill out the paperwork and get me that if they want to do that. I don’t want anyone to be harassed.
4. 4.      New Radios-Why is there no screen for direct care staff?  Cates: Management and other supervisors have screens but direct care doesn’t. Can’t see when there is a man down and have to wait until master control repeats back. Scott-I did some checking, came down to being more expensive. I don’t know the price difference. Cates-can you get me the information on the cost and difference? Scott-yes. Cates-I am looking at how important safety and response is. Scott-we shouldn’t be relying on a screen. ICS should say location first. Cates-the response won’t be as quick as it can be. Scott-the radios have a different numbering scheme that won’t be accurate. We had a staff looking at the numbers and ran right by where it was occurring. We need to focus on location from ICS and master control. We aren’t getting radios with screens. Kurt-I talked to Tom and asked who gets them and why. There was a situation where someone couldn’t hold down the mic, but we knew it wasn’t right and we responded. Scott-we should be focused on radio traffic, not looking at the screen. We need to be aware of change and how they function. Instead of the mic, hit the man down button if that’s all you can do. First thing out of your mouth should be location. I understand but I am trying to be transparent. Cates-any thought to get one screen per unit? Scott-I believe that was talked about and was done before I came back to MSH. There were a lot of things discussed. Kurt-wasn’t there a lot of money allocated for safety. Carol-it went to equipment, radios, cards, cameras, etc. That money is gone but we are spending on jump suits, etc. There are a lot of people involved in that. I assume the ICS classes are hitting on all these issues. We haven’t done training in a long time but rely on master control, not the screen.
5. 5.      ASPEN/BIRCH and Cedar Remodel-Unit station design: Unit station laid out like ELM. Is the desk open to the unit? Carol-it is a closed unit station with an L shaped desk outside as well. Cates-is It like a charting room without protections around it? Carol-office area like you have on cedar and redwood. Its not identical but they are creating an open desk area on the outside as well. Similar to north and south as far as a unit station. Would like enclosed office area but would like staff to be more accessible to each other as well. Scott-also looking at desk space because it has been requested by staff. Replicating that concept on Aspen, Birch, and Cedar. Its remodeling so it won’t be exact but will have enclosed area and landing spot for staff on the unit. Carol-when this was designed, we had “user groups” with an architect firm. Listened to staff input and used that in planning.
6. 6.      MSH unit minimums not being maintained: When there is a unit short, they are running short instead of overtime. Cates-lots of complaints from days on early shift not calling people in. Scott-we have had people call in after shift has begun saying they aren’t coming to work. It’s tough to get people in and sometimes we do make a decision to run short and use utility staff. We are trying to communicate to staff to call in to give us enough time to plan. Kurt-I get that but when I walk out, I usually look at the sheet. There are times where I see they are short. They had time to print the sheet off by then. Scott-if we know about a shortage we will maintain our base staffing. There was a time when we couldn’t reach our software and we struggled but if we know there is a need, we will fill it.

ADDITIONS:

1. 1.      Not being able to use vacation or comp time for approved ETL usage. Not being allowed to get paid for it: Marvin-Has to do with weather last week. It was approved and then time books changed by supervisor to ETL approved but unpaid for it. Matt=DCT says supervisors are encouraged to allow staff to use vacation or comp time. Marvin-concerned because people are trying to come in and we are telling them we don’t really appreciate you actually coming in. Carol-Ill do follow up. Marvin-it was in transition. Patrick-Since I have been here, I know its been comp time, not vacation. Melissa-I think the policy does emphasize vacation or comp. When there is legitimate weather issues. We know there was a snow storm. It doesn’t apply to every situation. There is a variety of circumstances. It has to be consistent to allow vacation or comp for this type of thing. We need to follow up with transition but to also have communication with other areas.
2. 2.      Overtime Atlas software is telling you when you are allowed to take OT and management is denying: Marvin-Looking at a day where I have vacation on the 21st. Are we going to follow the way atlas is interpreting the contract or something else? If I have vacation today. Overtime is for the overnight shift which falls on tomorrow. Cates-atlas is correct. His issue is the person was denied OT for both nights when it falls on different days of his vacation. Carol-yes, we responded to grievance opposite than way atlas said. I know what you are asking, I just don’t have an answer right now. Cates-according to supplemental, atlas is right but the way the ODs are doing it is wrong. Scott: So you are saying ATLAS is right? Cates: Yes. Carol-Me, Patrick and Melissa can sit down and figure this out.
3. 3.      1-1 Seclusion-Camera usage for Doctors to view-RN Sups are advocating but still slow: Kurt-8 ½ hours of staff on unit for 1 to 1 on unit that wasn’t designed for it. A suggestion is for providers to have video to show what cameras do so they understand what that is. They don’t want to step on another providers toes. You can easily use a camera to watch a room better than a staff can. These were designed for this. You can do this by camera. A client on a high acuity unit that is super assaultive. They don’t see it. I showed the provider the camera and he liked it but didn’t change anything. Scott-even if they feel cameras are good. The day will come when we need to be on the unit. If a doctor gets it wrong or wants a staff to cover even knowing what the cameras can do. They have strategies to alleviate concerns of the staff. I don’t know if that was used this night, but I don’t want anyone on OT to sit and not let the OD what was going on. Kurt-I know that was done. Did Kevin not respond? Kurt-yes, he did but the order said. Scott-I understand if you don’t like the way the order was done but there are things the OD can do to help. Kurt-the design is there to be used as seclusion. Scott-I’m advocating for safety too. Bring this to the OD please. Crystal-we would like to bring this to the problem-solving group because we have brought this up and nothing is changing. Carol-I appreciate that. Crystal-we need this to be consistent amongst all shift. Carol-only solution is not always to change the order. There are others we need to consider too. Crystal-we can come together and decide what those things are.
4. 4.      1 Van at Hospital Coverage: Kurt-one van for coverage. Only one van going in between. I believe it was due to patient going in the ambulance with a staff. Carol-was that brought forward to SOD? Kurt-it was a weekend where it could have been an oversight due to the weather issue. Matt-typically there is a chase vehicle. Kurt-patient was a level 5. When siting in a dark room with patient, I don’t feel its safe to have only 1 staff there with them. something can be accused, their word against ours. I wonder if we can figure out a way to keep everyone safe. Say there is a big size difference…cates-we use 2 staff to do rounds and everything else. Why not use two outside on these trips? Marvin-working 8 hours there, driving 2 hours there and back. That’s a risk to put on the road as well. Kurt-they did put 2 staff this weekend. Marvin-I would have worked a piece of 4 shifts and we don’t advocate for even 3 shifts anymore. Kurt-We are making sure that staff is being compensated. If they are going to be paid when they can’t make it back home after the shift or at least reimbursed for a hotel. Scott-so we had staff we didn’t need and couldn’t get back? Kurt-yes. Scott-can you get those names to Patrick because there are a lot of details to it. Thank everyone for what they did. I get people that call and say they can’t make it in. There is something that happens during a snow storm. People make it in for some reason. We are intending that when this happens we can have some cots and sandwiches for people in a room in the future. We got it together on Friday. Its new. Carol-There were times we set up in Tomlinson.
5. 5.      Overtime denial for the hospital: Above
6. 6.      Why are GMW’s being scheduled by the scheduling department: Carol-we decided to move kitchen to schedule anywhere. Then we decided to move to atlas. Everything will go into atlas and needs to be done by June 30th because we lose schedule anywhere July 1st. Steve: there have been lots of confidentiality issues. We gave employee advocates this info and forwarded to Patrick about the things being posted that everyone could see which brought up the issue of why it’s not on atlas. Carol-have they escalated? Emilio-one GMW brought up “why do you have FMLA” staff could see their information. Scheduler responded saying “sorry, that shouldn’t have been up there.” These have been forwarded to Patrick. We also gave info for staff to take things further.  Also, GMWs work area due to construction. They work in MSH. Their computer and phone was removed. They were told they don’t have a break area. Still using the station for mops and other things. Started using radios to communicate but were advised by TC to not do that so they are left with no other way to communicate with units. Carol-Tom Kolstad set up two meetings. Cates-we tried but couldn’t meet. GMWs came in one day and had no running water in the fill station without notification, so they were left without cleaning materials. Carol-I know Tom had some answers, but I don’t have them at my ready. Scott- I thought the slop room things were figured out. Emilio-they have two garbage rooms. 8X8 rooms. Next to them is dirty linen room and has water. Cates-they don’t have slop stations though. Carol-we are looking for places we don’t have to remodel. Emilio-as long as you look into it. Carol-I heard taking away that space was communicated with them but during the interim of construction, a lot of people are being displaced. Cates-the spaces communicated are being used by others as well. Steve-is the question a break room or work area? They didn’t know when water got shut off because things are being communicated through phones which they don’t have. How do they communicate. Carol-feels like there was a disconnect. Steve-they knew there were losing their area but didn’t know they wouldn’t be able to communicate. They are running out of supplies. Now they are running out because they don’t know where to put it all. Carol-feels like there is bad communication between them and their supervisor. The purpose of these meetings is to communicate all these issues. We need to get this meeting done. Emilio-I expected tom kolstad to be at this meeting. I was told the physical plant supervisor doesn’t have the authority to run a water line in the new building. Carol-I’m operating without some information. I will look into it. Emilio-asking to use garbage room and a slop sink area. They feel their supervisors aren’t responding to requests.
7. 7.      Still don’t have a workplace or direct line. Told they cannot radio for breaks. Above
8. 8.      Electric Key Boxes for Physical Plant: Emilio-We have the warehouse and physical plant where keys are exposed and unlocked. How can we keep track of these keys that have access to all of campus and vehicles? Can we have electronic key boxes or something else put in place? They get a take home key. They put in the key and take the big key. Carol-I will absolutely look into this. There is a difference working inside the perimeter and its like this throughout state services. This is important, but it is expensive to move to this other system. Scott-its good to look into this, its important to remember these badges are keys to. There is policy and procedure if we lose these or our keys. I’m not familiar but if they are exposed, there may be something we can do. There is a certain amount of trust. Carol-it is the different between the secure facilities on campus. Emilio-my concern is for workers that are staying late.

Adjourned at 2pm