ERC minutes Apr 15, 2019

Publish Date
Committees
Employee Rights Committee (ERC)


 

Employee Rights Committee | MINUTES

 

 

Meeting date | time 4/15/2019 8:30 AM | Meeting location MAPE, Rm. B

Meeting called by Thu Phan

Type of meeting          MAPE Statewide Facilitator                    Thu Phan

Note taker                   Volunteer

Timekeeper                 Thu Phan

Food order                  Thu Phan

Members Present:

Thu Phan (Chair), Jed Becher (1), Carol Logan (2), Bill Dunn (3), Ted Snaza (4), Ted Sitz (5), Tabatha Ries-Miller (6), Julie Hoffman (7), Teresa Chapman (8), Cindy Kolodziejski (11), Marlijn Hoogendoorn (12), Angela Halseth (13), Eva Peterson (14), Bryan Kotta (15), Rosee Holte (17), Valerie LaPorte (19), and Kay Pedretti (20).

Staff Present:

Image removed.Kathy Fodness, Kelly Ahern, and Lina Jamoul

AGENDA TOPICS

Time allotted | 60 mins., 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Agenda topic Introductions | Facilitator Thu Phan

Introductions

Discussion:

  1. Ice-breaker
    1. How well do you know your fellow stewards? How well do they know you? How well do they know each other?
      1. In a union, stewards are the front-line soldiers who diligently enforce their contract. If there are no stewards, a contract is just words in a book and abuse and discrimination are invited. Since stewards look out for the interests of their co-workers, let’s look out for our fellow stewards’ interests by getting to know them.

 

 

      1. At your next steward meeting, please begin the meeting with the ice- breaker below.
        1. *Instructions*
          1. Copy and paste the questions below onto a blank Word document and divide the questions into three pages.
          2. Print out the document and assign each steward with a page of questions.
          3. Depending on the number of stewards, you could either divide into small groups or else do it in a large group.
        2. What is a good restaurant you have found since you started working here?
        3. Describe yourself in three (3) words.
        4. What MAPE Contract article is the most important to you?
        5. What’s one thing you like and dislike being a steward?
        6. If you were a vegetable, what vegetable would you be?
        7. If you woke up tomorrow as an animal, what animal would you choose to be and why?
        8. If you could choose your age forever, what age would you choose and why?
        9. If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you want to have with you?
        10. If you could only choose one vacation destination where would you pick and why?
        11. What item that you don't have already, would you most like to own?
        12. What is a good movie you have seen recently?

 

 

Action items                                                                            Person responsible      Deadline

 


 

Start your next steward meeting with an ice-breaker              All ERC Members       July 31, 2019

 


Time allotted | 10 mins., 9:30 AM – 9:40 AM | Agenda topic Agenda | Facilitator Thu Phan

Approval of Agenda

Discussion:

  1. Any revisions (additions/deletions) to the agenda?

 

 

  1. MSP (Kotto) to approve the meeting agenda.

Action items                                                                            Person responsible      Deadline

 

 


 

Time allotted | 10 mins., 9:40 AM – 9:50 AM | Agenda topic Agenda | Facilitator Thu Phan

Approval of Minutes

Discussion:

  1. Approve minutes from the previous ERC meeting on December 17, 2018.
  2. Bryan Kotto sent an email to change the word “resolved” to “approve or deny”.
  3. Kay Pedretti suggested to Kevin Martini’s name with Leonard Skillings.
    1. She also mentioned to finish the sentence on the last page.

Action items                                                                            Person responsible      Deadline

 


 

Revise minutes and send out to be reviewed prior                 Thu Phan (Chair)        Prior to next to the next ERC meeting.                                                                                                              ERC meeting.

 

 


 

Time allotted | 120 mins., 9:50 AM – 1:30 PM | Agenda topic Strategic Plan | Facilitator Kathy & Kelly

Steward and Chief Steward Development

Discussion:

  1. Bargaining update – language changes from grievances
    1. Kelly handed out MMB 2019-2021 Contract Negotiations. Please discuss these opening changes proposed by MMB’s Labor Relations Team with your fellow stewards. Please see attachment.
  2. Kathy Fodness will provide an update on steward resources.
    1. One page cheat sheet
    2. Investigative cheat sheet
    3. Steward assessment cheat sheet for chiefs
  3. Arbitration Team Meeting – Class action grievance – Minn Statewide

 

 

  1. If you have an agency that’s not providing private accrual vacation, then file a class action grievance. Agency cannot deny private accrual vacation. They have the discretion to move up someone’s vacation levels.
    1. If you have any additional questions, please speak with your respective enforcement business agent.
  2. Rich Ransom will be having hip surgery sometime in May. During his recovery,
    1. Kelly Ahern will be covering Region 9;
    2. Kathy Fodness will be covering Regions 3 and 16; and
    3. David Hearth will be covering Regions 6 and 17.
      1. David will be unavailable in late May. Therefore, Kelly and Kathy will cover his regions when he’s gone.
  3. DHS DCT reclassification. – Please see the attached Clinical Program Therapist Classification Consolidation FAQs and share them with your fellow stewards if applicable to your region.
    1. DHS has gone through several job reclassifications.
    2. Individuals can opt in to Clinical Program Therapist (CPT).
      1. #7 – How will employees move into the series? (Clinical Program Therapist Classification Consolidation FAQs) – Opt in option.
      2. #10 – MAPE Contract has transfer classification language to protect an employee’s seniority.
      3. #18 – No new probationary period.
  4. Monthly steward lunch and learn – statewide training –
    1. Jed Becher and Tabatha Ries-Miller volunteered to do the first half an hour training on exempt, non-exemption, flex and balance schedules.
    2. Second topic – Respectful Workplace Policy – review MAPE toolkit and our responsibility as members.
      1. Volunteers: Cindy Kolodziejski and Marlijn Hoogendoorn.
  5. Negotiations updates were provided by Lina Jamoul. Please see the attached MAPE Negotiations Strategy.
    1. Bill Dunn and other ERC members applauded and commended Lina Jamoul, the Negotiations Team, and MAPE staff for putting together a great April 4th Action to open the 2019-21 negotiation session with the governor’s team.

 

Action items

Person responsible

Deadline

Please discuss the attachments with your fellow stewards.

All ERC Members

May 31, 2019

Ask Beth Paris to send Board reports to ERC members.

Thu Phan (Chair)

April 19, 2019

Schedule a meeting with the ERC Task Force to review

Thu Phan (Chair)

April 19, 2019

 

 

policy changes.

 

 

 

 

 

Time allotted | 10 mins., 10:40 AM – 10:50 AM | Agenda topic Intermission | Facilitator Thu

Break

Action items                                                                            Person responsible      Deadline

 



 

 

Time allotted | 40 mins., 1:30 PM – 2:10 PM | Agenda topic Meeting | Facilitator Thu

ERC Meetings and Arbitration Appeal Hearings

Discussion:

  1. ERC Meeting survey results
    1. The options that were surveyed were:
      1. (1) Keep the meetings as they currently are: quarterly (4) arbitration appeal hearings for half of its members and two (2) ERC meetings for all of its members;
      2. (2) have quarterly (4) arbitration appeal hearings for half of its members and quarterly (4) ERC meetings for all of its members;
    2. Six (6) voted for option 1, ten (10) voted for option 2, one was fine with either option, and one advised that the ERC cannot change the budget.
    3. MSP (Kotto) to increase the ERC budget to allow all ERC members to attend the quarterly arbitration appeal hearings and maintain the semiannual (2) full ERC meetings.
      1. After discussing with Chet Jorgenson, Todd Maki, and Paul Schweizer, Thu Phan (Chair) will propose to increase the budget by $24,000. The current budget is $13,200. The proposal will increase the budget to

$37,200.

    1. Ted Sitz noted that if the ERC budget allows, the ERC Chair can call a meeting.
  2. What to do when an arbitration appeal hearing is canceled a few days before the arbitration appeal or on the day of if the grievant is a no-show?
    1. Mock hearing
      1. Announcement via phone number – ask Beth
    2. Building an agenda for your local steward meeting?
    3. Grievance discussion

 

 

    1. Trainings
    2. There were mentions of discussing board reports and statewide executive committee reports.
    3. It was suggested to have Beth Paris or Sierra Plunkett send a text message to ERC members of cancelations.

 

 

 

Action items

Person responsible

Deadline

The proposed budget increase will be brought forth

Thu Phan (Chair)

April 19, 2019

to the Board meeting on April 19, 2019.

Ask Beth/Sierra about cancellation text messages.

 

 

Thu Phan (Chair)

 

 

April 19, 2019

 

 

 

Time allotted | 10 mins., 2:10 PM – 2:20 PM | Agenda topic Training | Facilitator Thu

Basic Steward Training

  1. What is the current basic steward training schedule at MAPE HQ?
  2. What is the current basic steward training schedule at local sites?

 

Basic Steward Training:

May 2nd – Regions 18, 19, and 20 May 10th

August 23rd November 22nd

Action items                                                                            Person responsible      Deadline

 


 


 

 

Time allotted | 10 mins., 2:20 PM – 2:30 PM | Agenda topic Training | Facilitator Thu

Advanced Steward Training

Advanced Steward Training: July 26th

October 25th

 

 

 

 

Action items                                                                            Person responsible      Deadline

 


 

 

Time allotted | 30 mins., 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM | Agenda topic Lunch | Facilitator Thu

Lunch

 

Action items                                                                            Person responsible      Deadline

 


Julie Hoffman– Three (3) - Investigation was done by the supervisor;

 

Time allotted | 70 mins., 2:30 PM – 3:40 PM | Agenda topic Training | Facilitator Thu

Grievance Review

Discussion:

  1. How many grievances do you currently have in your local?
    1. Ted Sitz – Twenty-three (23) grievances. Expense allowance, LOE, Article 28 – work rules.
    2. Cindy Kolodziejski y – Eleven (11) grievances – Performance issues; Respectful Workplace Policy;
    3. Angie Halseth – Twenty (20) grievances– respectful workplace policy against a supervisor; FMLA;
    4. Marlijn Hoogendoorn – Eighteen (18) grievances - If you were called upon as a non- subject witness and you’re a steward that had a conversation with the investigated subject, then you may tell the HR investigator that your conversation with the investigated subject is protected under the contract for union representation.

Teresa Chapman – Four (4) grievances – noncerts; discharge. Eva – Eight (8) – Investigatory leave; vacation;

 

 

Rosee Holte – Eight (8) – Noncert; Corrections is changing criteria of positions; Carol Logan – Six (6) – investigations; probation extensions;

Bryan Kotto – Six (6) – two are old; ADA; unpaid worktime; class action grievance; Kay Pedretti – Ten (10) – leave of absence; discrimination;

Tabatha Ries-Miller – Thirty six (36) – FMLA; Respectful Workplace Policy; climate; Ted Snaza – 31 grievances – ADA;

Bill Dunn – Three (3)

  1. How many new grievances have you received since the last ERC meeting (12/17/2018)
  2. What are the issues that are being grieved?
  3. Is there any issue that you found interesting?

 

 

Action items                                                                            Person responsible      Deadline

 


 

Work with enforcement business agents to clean up              All ERC Members       July 31, 2019 the number of old grievances that are still listed.

 

 


 

Time allotted | 50 mins., 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM | Agenda topic Training | Facilitator Thu

Disseminating Our Knowledge

Discussion:

*Discussion was tabled for the next ERC meeting,*

  1. After a grievance/investigation has ended, what do we do with the information we gathered/learned from the case?
    1. Newsletters, coffee breaks, general meetings?

Action items                                                                            Person responsible      Deadline

 


 

Image removed.

Time allotted | 60 mins., 3:40 PM – 4:00 PM | Agenda topic Training | Facilitator Thu

Other Items

Discussion:

  1. Statewide Steward Summit – November 2019 – Thu Phan
  2. MMB is not hearing cases involving members who have grievances and voluntary resign because they are no longer a state employee.
  3. Please review non-cert facts and do not file grievance on non-certs. Focus on other issues if applicable.
  4. Steward breakout session at DA

Action items                                                                            Person responsible      Deadline