Present:

Carol Olson, Michelle Chalin, Meghan Goodrich, Jennifer Frew, Scott Melby, Chuck Hottinger, Jo Pels, Amanda Mathiowetz, Ryan Cates, Molly Kennedy, Mike Homer, Eric Hesse, Connie Anderson, Shannon Pech, Cindy Jungers, Colleen Ryan, Tom Christensen, Tom Kolstad, James Hemshrot

Management:

1. 1.       Budget Update
   1. a.       There is a significant deficit on this campus. Each position is being looked at in terms of filling or not. Management is asking the leaders on campus to take a look at their current staffing and see if there are opportunities to get leaner. The budget allocated in 2014 had a lot of added positions which permission was given. Carol Olson stated that they will continue to advocate that we need to fill positions on this campus. Numbers are in the 30’s for Security Counselor, LPN, and HSS vacancies. There are possibly 58 total vacancies on campus.
   2. b.      The Commissioner has not advocated if she is going forward to legislature for a new deficit bill. There is not a 100% closed door to this.
   3. c.       Currently 9 million over budget for the current fiscal year. This is projected. We are half way through the year.
   4. d.      Management stated that they are open to suggestions and that nothing is too big or small. For example, the amount of trips taken to Mankato has been looked at.
2. 2.       OSHA Mediation
   1. a.       Carol Olson stated that there has been a lot of good work done. Management, the union, and other areas have been working together to form an abatement plan. This plan has been agreed upon and submitted to the Department of Labor and Industry. The letter was sent back stating it is approved. Now the appropriate signatures need to be added and then it will be broadcasted to all of campus. This plan could not be shared until it was fully accepted so that is why it is not already on the SharePoint site.
   2. b.      There are 18 action items. A lot of the things in this plan have already begun to be worked on. There are some new action items and some will require legislative action. Overall it is a good plan.
3. 3.       Fulton Group
   1. a.       A group of people from this campus went to the Fulton State Hospital in Missouri. This hospital is very similar to ours.
   2. b.      This group came back with about 25 ideas/recommendations they saw. Carol asked the group to define 8 to 10 of the 25 that would have the biggest impact on this campus. The group then narrowed it down to 8 ideas that were assigned to various individuals to take the lead to move forward.
   3. c.       One of the ideas was to learn more about an assaulted staff action plan. A lot of different institutions use this process. The idea behind it is to support staff at the time of injury. Ryan Chukuske is taking the lead on this. It will be a much more engaged group of staff who will receive special training on the process. When a staff is injured this group will be called upon to aid the staff, get the proper forms filled out, and get in contact with the proper people.
   4. d.      Another area will be consolidating  training in all modules (MANDT, PCT, trauma Informed). This will bring together all components and offer an understanding of how these flow together. Ryan Chuckuske is also working on this.
   5. e.      Another idea that we will be moving forward with is personal protective equipment for staff. For example, wearing a baseball cap to protect from an assault. If a patient were about to spit on your face, staff can place their head down making the cap a sort of shield. This is just one more step in protecting yourself. There were also sleeves that prevent biting. A small group is working with Tom Kolstad to order up the equipment and get training out to staff.
   6. f.        Please remember that some of these ideas will be quick while others will take time to implement to make sure they are done correctly.
   7. g.       Imminent risk is a key component. Carol Olson will be taking the lead on this along with Dr. Stevens, who just went through her last day of orientation.
4. 4.       Lab Update
   1. a.       Tom Kolstad, Amy Long, and Colleen Ryan have been working with River’s Edge on getting a contract together for them to perform laboratory tests for this campus. Our lab staff on campus will still be the phlebotomist who will work here in that capacity. River’s Edge will come to campus to get the vials, perform the tests, and then let the lab know the results.
   2. b.      The reason for this is because it is very expensive to update and maintain state of the art equipment.  We were the only facility in the state with its own lab.
5. 5.       Security Counselor Overtime sign up changes
   1. a.       The process is not changing but the number you get assigned is changing. Several months ago it was seen as an issue that staff’s seniority number is constantly changing because of staff movement. This number will now be going by your start date and lot number.
   2. b.      Management would like to get a start date on this.  There is a PowerPoint that was developed explaining the process and this will be posted on the SharePoint site. Management will send this PowerPoint to AFSCME and then a date will be decided on for posting this. The union is in favor of an immediate implementation to avoid incorrect numbers leading to errors and resultant grievances.
   3. c.       Carol Olson is also working on getting podcasts for staff on the SharePoint site.
6. 6.       OSHA Reports
   1. a.       At the end of this report you will find a scanned copy of the OSHA log.

AFSCME:

1. 1.       Transition, FNH, and CRP Scheduling
   1. a.       Eric Hesse will be the new Chief Steward for Transition
   2. b.      There have been some emails from Transition received by AFSCME recently about a .5 staff getting inversed first simply because she was half time (.5FTE).  Staff employment condition does not make them more or less inversable. Management will address this with the Transition Supervisors.
   3. c.       .8 positions have the right to two consecutive days off. Management stated that a few staff have requested that their days off not be consecutive. Jennifer Frew stated that she would work with Molly Kennedy on this.
   4. d.      The upcoming holiday was not granted by seniority in Transition. Molly Kennedy will email the names to Jennifer Frew on Monday to get this solved.
   5. e.      There has been confusion by staff on what constitutes an inverse. You are only inversed if you work it or find your own replacement. Management has been counting an inverse even if the staff is told that they “might be inversed.” This is incorrect. You MUST work part of that inversable shift or have to find your own replacement.
   6. f.        When numerous people are inversed the way staff are let go is by seniority. If one person can go home before the end of the shift, the most senior inversed staff must be asked first if they would like to go or stay and then go down the line.
   7. g.       CRP has posted schedules with holes in it. The effort is not being made to fill these holes. This will be addressed.
2. 2.       Campus Security Scheduling
   1. a.       In the past Campus Security was guaranteed 2 vacation slots per day and an additional would be added if the staffing numbers allowed it. Lately that 3rd vacation slot has not been granted even if the numbers allow. Management stated that they would need to have a conversation on this because it is only 2 spots guaranteed.
3. 3.       Utility Pool Vacation
   1. a.       Utility Pool is offered 1 vacation spot. There has been an issue with a senior staff taking one day every week. This eliminates the possibility for fellow Utility Pool staff to get a full week off because that one day is taken. AFSCME asked that management consider granting requests like this. Management stated that they would talk about it.
4. 4.       LPN Inversing in a declared emergency
   1. a.       AFSCME asked who on campus can declare an emergency? Would like the definition of emergency that supersedes the contract. Recently an LPN was inversed before their days off because of a staffing emergency where no one was inversable.  Management agreed that not having the right number of staff is not an emergency.
5. 5.       Job Class Reallocation
   1. a.       The decision comes from Central Office. They prepare a response. If the request is denied the staff/management have the ability to appeal. When appealed a different group from Central Office will look at the request. If this too is denied that is the final decision. If you have any questions on the process please contact Cindy Jungers.
6. 6.       MSH Unit 300 4 staff minimum
   1. a.       Unit 300 has concerns over staffing minimum and the activities that happen on the weekend.  A lot of the time the unit is left staffed with 1. Scott Melby stated he would look into a swing shift on the weekend. He stated that he has talked to staff and the Unit Director. Scott did recommend that staff talk to the UD about times they need help to pinpoint when they will need additional staff. Management stated that they will not be able to increase the minimum to 4 but can try to get people there when they need help. Management stated that they will try to come up with a good plan.
7. 7.       MSH Unit 800 concerns about the admissions of youth DD patients
   1. a.       That patient was placed there under special waiver with no other options available. This will not become common practice. Ultimately all of the facilities that are run by the Commissioner deal with individuals who are unsuccessful at multiple facilities and come to our campus as a last resort.
   2. b.      Everyone agrees that this individual is not at the right place. Management stated that staff on 100 and 800 has been doing a great job especially with thinking outside the box. When looking at the patient’s history on Unit 800, we have done remarkably well. Kudos to all staff.
8. 8.       CRP Overtime
   1. a.       There is a lot of inversing going on in CRP. There is a pool of MSH Security Counselors that are available to fill. This has slowly dwindled down to 4 out of 15 SC’s who were trained that will take the overtime. Would like to offer this training again. Management stated that they will put out a mass communication to sign up for this training again. Scott Melby stated that he would take it from here.
9. 9.       Nursing Home OT
   1. a.       A resident was transported December 18th to Rochester for rehab that will take several months. There will be 12 hour shifts offered to MSH to help cover this.

Review:

1. 1.       Bartlett Hall: Pt & Staff ratios
   1. a.       Scott Melby asked that the supervisor in Bartlett get information for when staff were needed to cover on the weekends. This is still forthcoming.
2. 2.       MSH Admissions Unit
   1. a.       This is not done yet but is coming along very nicely. Furniture has not yet arrived, painting will be done next week, and then the flooring will be installed. More realistically we will be looking at opening the beginning of February.
3. 3.       Coaches Circle
   1. a.       Have done really good work. Management asked for union leadership supporting this. Chuck Hottinger stated that there has been an issue with making the meetings due to being short staffed. He suggested that when the E-Invites are sent that they also be sent to the staff’s supervisor so this could be planned for.