Anoka treatment center’s meet and confer team reinvigorated

New required evening and weekend hours, difficult access to necessary computers, patient privacy concerns and other workplace challenges have energized Local 1301 members at Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center (AMRTC) to become more involved with their meet and confer team.

Office space is being shuffled at the treatment center, forcing social workers, behavior analysts program assistants (BAPAs) and others to double and triple up and even more.

“Social workers often deal with confidential health care issues, and we’re concerned about privacy issues when discussing client cases because not only can our colleagues in the room hear the conversation, but often the people our colleagues are speaking with can hear the conversation as well,” said Nancy Torres, a social worker and steward. Torres also serves on the statewide Department of Human Services meet and confer team.

In the photo on the left, AMRTC social worker Nancy Torres speaks at a local meet and confer meeting.

Following several requests, Torres and the AMRTC meet and confer team are now scheduled to meet with AMRTC administrators on Sept. 14. “The meet and confer team is getting more active because people are feeling like our work and opinions about changes in the workplace are being disregarded. Morale is very low,” Zanona Anderson, a pre-admission program administrator and steward, said.

AMRTC provides inpatient and transitional services to patients with severe mental illness from the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Two years ago, the state psychiatric hospital was in danger of losing federal funding over health and safety violations and regulators recently found the hospital to be back in compliance.

“Behavior analysts cannot prepare for group therapy sessions because there are not enough computers available for our use in the office, and the drop-in centers are a ways down the hall. When I’m not able to get on a computer I’m afraid I might miss emails from my boss or notices about meetings,” BAPA Mary Conlin said.

In the photo on the right, from left to right, AMRTC behavior analyst program assistants Kendra Lorge and Mary Conlin discuss topics they’d like to see discussed at the upcoming meet and confer meeting.

“Supervisors want us to be super detailed on charts but we often can’t get onto computers in the office or the two drop-in centers,” BAPA Kendra Lorge added.

BAPAs lead patient groups including anger management, coping skills and strategies to prepare for court dates. BAPAS are now required to pick up more late shifts, something they were not told when they were hired. Some members with children have said adhering to the new required evening and weekend hours will be difficult for them and their families.

“It’s important to know you can always go to your union for support,” Torres said. “A lot of people want change, but change can’t happen if you don’t get involved. You have to be a team player for your own team.”