MVH Hastings Meet & Confer
January 8, 2008
Present: Joe McMahon/MAPE Business Agent, Kelley/MAPE, Katie Wrich/Rec , Nancy Delmore/HR, Kim Lechner/Admin, Charles “Chip” Cox/Admin, Pat Gosz /SS Supervisor, Connie Ball/Interim Administrator, Sue Parenteau/President of MAPE Local 1102, Linda Lamb/MAPE Local 1102, Amy Broughton/Social Worker, Catherine Hopen/MH , Bob Walker/Social Worker and Jessica Arndt/Social Worker
MAPE: Identified the agenda as:
1) Work hours, including flexing of time and white slip use.
2) Employee morale.
3) Mgmt topics (none).
MAPE/Local: Discussed policy for exempt employees coming in early and working late. How does this work for white slips and balancing hours?
MAPE: Commented that the TimeTrak System does not work well for Exempt employees.
MAPE Member: Time track system- regular work schedule and balance if you work late for a vet. The policy calls for “preapproved slip” and it is not always possible. Desire the ability to flex time. This affects the social service dept and not the Recreation Dept, as most are non-exempt. The contract allows for flexing hours within a pay-period to avoid overtime.
HR: Stated that a letter was sent in July specifying status of employees and how mgmt. would follow the contract.
MAPE: Clarified that requiring a white-slip to balance hours is not in the contract.
MAPE: Gave an example of how Minneapolis writes timesheets that do show a week with a 9 hour day and one with a 7 hour day.
MAPE/Local: Stated an option of changing the time track for a day to read “pay as punch”.
Administration: Commented that current Administrator has signed many white slips for ‘prior day’ when staff stay late.
MAPE Members: We don’t always complete the white slip and work for free. It frequently is a 15-20 minute segment of time. This time adds up over a 2 week pay period.
Administration: Indicated that they were not concerned about 15 minute increments.
HR: “Everybody here is stuck with Time Trak.”
MAPE/Local: Pay as punch is a solution.
MAPE Member: We donate time.
Admin: What if you are short?
MAPE/Local: Then vacation time is used.
MAPE: You run the risk that the U.S. Department of Labor could reclassify the exempt positions.
MAPE/Local: There could always be flexibility.
Administration: What if someone comes in 6 minutes late, this should not happen. Someone who is always doing it needs a corrective action. How is this communicated to the supervisor?
MAPE: The desire is to balance hours for the professional staff.
MAPE: Presenting Second Topic: Employee Morale.
One thing requested of administration is that they use respectful language when speaking of residents and resident behavior.
Administration: Can you be more specific? Can you give any examples?
MAPE/local: For example speaking of residents in staff meetings in a derogatory way, referring to them as “wacko” or “out of their mind”.
Administration: Use of derogatory terms is not condoned and if it is happening here it will stop.
MAPE Member: Secondly under employee morale what is done to provide positive feedback? We are not often recognized for the job that we do. The mistakes are often addressed but we are seldom recognized for the positive.
MAPE/Local: Is there an Employee Activities Committee here?
Administration: We had one but this was a hassle and a lot of work by those leading it and they burned out.
MAPE/Local: Is there a new fund for employee recognition?
Administration: For the past year one was set up by the DAV. This involves the writing of a grant application to the fund and a vendor will be paid. Leg work is still needed.
Administration: “So what you are wanting is a pat on the head, or the back once in awhile”?
H/R: Connie had a holiday party and all the supervisors paid $20 and brought food.
MAPE: And we’re not saying that we don’t appreciate what is being done. We are asking to be recognized for the positives.
MAPE/Local: Paula is good at pointing out the positive in our care teams.
MAPE/Local: Thirdly, we are curious about the process to do an investigation.
Administration: We conduct investigations when there is a need for more information and it is a fact gathering process.
MAPE: When an employee is notified a couple of days ahead there is time to get anxious. Some people don’t eat and don’t sleep. Investigations create a lot of anxiety to the employee. Gave the AMRTC example, which led to a suicide by a State Employee. The result of that was an employee fund for EAP services for 6 months after a suspension/discharge. Some employees wonder why their Supervisor does not address issues instead of having an investigation.
MAPE/Local: As the Rep I have seen that investigations are used at different times. Initially, we were approached to do it right away…..informally. Some employees have been encouraged to talk “off the record”/informal. Example was given: Employee contacted Rep. because they were asked to discuss/answer questions about a peer where there was a potential for an investigation. Employee was told this was private/ informal. When employee stated they would rather not, HR told Employee that their Supervisor could “make them”. This impacts Employee Moral and Trust.
HR: Informal interviews do not happen.
Administration: Employees should never be asked to informally give information. “Never off the record.”
MAPE/Local: Can notice be given?
Administration: Not always as there are many factors. Sometimes issues need to be addressed immediately and/or have to be wrapped up in a timely manner. Anything further?
MAPE/Local: How can we improve relationships with administration and unions? Mpls has scheduled quarterly MAPE Meet & Confer Meetings.
Administration: What is the difference between a Meet & Confer and a Labor Management Meeting?
MAPE/Local: Labor Management involves all Unions.
Administration: What is this about staff morale?
Long Pause
MAPE/Local: I think Employees are afraid.
MAPE/Local: The new people see we are a small facility and that we get into each others face. At times certain results are desired to make those above comfortable. Camaraderie is lost.
Administration: What we are doing has kept us out of trouble.
Administration: I want to be comfortable and will ask questions to get that comfort from everyone.
MAPE/Local: People feel both comfortable and uncomfortable in communication.
Administration: It needs to come from all sides.
MAPE/Local: Face to face can help communication.
MAPE/Local: We want you to know that this truly does come from a very positive place.
MAPE: The concerns expressed here today represent the concerns of a large group of people, not just those present today.
