2/10/11 Local 404 General Membership Meeting Minutes

Present: Ann Sullivan (Recorder), Matt Stenger, John Knobbe, Charles Johnson, Jill Gorman, Eric Ridout, Chuck Carlson, Sara Eckert, Gary Janzen, Paulette Wilson, Jon A. Schoeb, Britta Higginbotham, Paul Schwichtenberg, Michelle Rodning, Annie Thelen, Mark Heilman, Molly Kennedy, Connie Anderson, Carl Wiedron (meeting crasher)

Chuck spoke about the Republican parties attack on public workers, wages, insurance benefits, jobs, pensions and their efforts in trying to make Minnesota a right to work state. Day on the Hill (Tuesday, March 22nd) will be very important this year and all members are strongly urged to go. This is the first Day on the Hill with a Democratic Governor in a very long time. Chuck also spoke about the Speak Truth to Lies literature and urged people to read this. People doing research on the “Right to Work” will find out that this means the right to work for less.
What we need to fight for right now is working for dignity and respect as pushing for more money is not an option. Our union principals = feeling safe and secure and being treated like human beings in our jobs.
Lobbying weeks: February 22-25 and May 16-20. Please contact Chuck if you are interested in attending.
Greet Membership
1.Secretaries Report: Jan 2010 meeting minutes- Additions or Corrections? Motion to accept subject to review by Jill Gorman, second by Connie Anderson then carried.
Correspondence Review (See File)
a) Council 5 Scholarship Announcement
b) Day on the Hill March 22 Registration Packet
c) AFSCME Council 5 Contract Training April 6th- anyone interested see Chuck or Molly
d) Withdrawal from arbitration- 6 cases; 5 already settled and 1 dropped
2.Presidents Report:
A. FD M&C FEB 10thh- Minutes will be posted- Any questions, please see Chuck Carlson or John Knobbe
B. CBHH Meeting Jan 20th- Minutes will be posted- Any questions, please see Chuck Carlson or Kevin Graves
C. Forensic Division Joint Labor Management will be March 3rd
D. MSOP Meet & Confer Feb 17th
3. Old Business:
1. Potential vacation request MoU- no response from ML 1092.
2. DOTH – Registration last call
3. Vote for Trustee position- 1 nomination of Kelly Woelpern, second by Paul Schwichtenberg. Other nominations 3 calls. Nominations closed. Unanimous ballot elects Kelly Woelpern.
4.New Business
1. Heather Blaschko - LPN Karen Johnson and I are participating in the 2011 Polar Bear Plunge in St Peter on February 12th. We are in the process of collecting donations of which will go to the Special Olympics, a non-profit organization. We are asking ASFCME to match our donations for this cause. Thank you for your consideration.
• E-board suggestion to donate $50 to each team with an AFSCME member. Matt Stenger motioned to donate $50 to each team with an AFSCME member, second by Mark Heilman. Discussion called for an amendment by Matt Stenger for a maximum of $100. Second by John Knobbe then carried.
2. Position on MSOP Mutual exchange of Shift procedure. Review of DOC documents
• E-board discussed and came up with a proposal which will be presented at the MSOP quarterly meeting on February 17th.
3. Christenson House MSOCS agreement
• Will be represented by Local 607 Faribault.
4. Treasurers training
• E-board decision to send Treasurer and up to 3 trustees with customary and usual expenses.
5. Lobbying Week
• A motion was made by John Collins for carpooling mileage and usual expenses for lobbying weeks. Second by Eric Ridout then carried

5.Items from the membership-
Social Committee- nothing to report
Officers Reports:
VP-John Knobbe: “Since our last meeting; Chuck and I attended a meeting in St. Paul about legislative action & Day on the Hill. We attended Negotiations Assembly and put together the final packet of contract proposals and directions. We had MSOP M&C. The 3rd step last month over the way they are treating an employee who was assaulted by a patient & declined to step in and give the patient another chance to assault him. The grievance was dismissed out of hand and none of the issues were addressed.
Today I argued a 3rd step over an improper discipline. Well argued & supported, I will let you know how it turns out.
In Solidarity,
W. John Knobbe”
VP- Molly Kennedy: “The E-Board will be attending the MSOP Quarterly Meeting Thursday Feb 17th at the council 5 office in St. Paul. Some of the agenda items are putting vacation requests back to 6 months, timeliness of Uniforms Unlimited, and the ability to mutual to a double shift. Please see www.union404.com for the minutes to all of our Labor Management Meetings.
Myself and other stewards also have been working on getting people to attend Day on the Hill at the St. Paul Capital Building on Tue March 22nd. I just submitted the names of people interested in attending to Tim Lokensgard to grant some additional people that day off.
If anyone has any MSOP agenda items please e-mail me before March 17 and I will submit them.
In Solidarity,
Molly Kennedy
Vice President Steward Coordinator
Local 404”
Treasurer-Connie Anderson: December/January’s treasurers reports accepted subject to audit motion by Paul Schwichtenberg. Second by John Collins then carried.
CS MSH/Transition: John Collins: Lots of interesting political discussion. Nothing new to report.
CS-AMH/CARE: Kevin Graves: Extended Campus Report: Feb
CBHH Rochester
• M&C this 2-17-2011

CBHH St. Peter
CARE St. Peter
• Missed this meeting due to being sick

Respectfully
Kevin Graves
AFSCME Local 404
Chief Steward.
CS- NOCs/CRP: Jeremy Tubbs: MSH NOC’s / CRP
There has been no activity on MSH nights. The CRP unit has had some concerns on the way that management handles scheduling and Holidays. There has been some discussion with the manager from that area. She has assured us that the scheduling is being done fairly. I am continuing to monitor the schedule on that unit.
MSOP NIGHTS
There have been come concerns on MSOP nights on how days off are being offered. I am watching to see how this progresses. At present time I have sat 2 investigations and have 1 grievance in and is pending at the 1st step.
Thank you
Jeremy Tubbs
CS – Facilities and Forensic Nursing Home: Jill Gorman: “Will be meeting with kitchen supervisor about different policies in the work area. The main issue is rescinding vacation.
Discussion was held at M&C about warehouse manager working holidays taking away overtime from the 2 employees in the work area.
Talked with the GMW supervisor about granting vacations and what was discussed was being done right.”
CS – MSOP : Matt Stenger : In MSOP we currently have 4 active investigations. We have still been dealing with HR and what can and can’t be removed from a HR and Supervisory File and when. Next month is our Joint Labor Management meeting with Moose Lake.
EB-Anne Mehltretter: Nothing new to report.
EB-Charles Johnson: Members have been raising questions about overtime, the temporary bid to NOCS, and days off. I have referenced the contract and the president.
Charles
EB- Eric Ridout- Filed and sat a couple investigations.
Good and Welfare: Janielle Ringeisen, Pam Enter, Shelly Maas, Jeffrey Spann, Theresa Lambrecht, Laurie Blomgren, Charles Johnson, Brooke Greenig, Josh Stencel, Nick Haller, Todd Longstreet
CLU delegate report- nothing new to report.
Council 5 Field Representative Scott Grefe: Scott spoke about how invaluable AFSCME’s connection with the Governor and the Commissioner is. We will need to work hard to use this to our advantage.
Message to Members: “Public workers are under attack.”

Door Prize Winners: Charles Johnson, Gary Janzen, Lori Pherson, Pickle, Eric Ridout

Next Month’s Progressive Drawing- $125

Meeting adjourned at 6pm.