Union Coop Meeting 11-10-15

Attending – Union - Jared Hoffman, LeNora Giles

                     Metro Management – Daren Ketcham, Ona Reker    

Topic – Social Media Policy

·         Much discussion on the new social media  policy and giving password / access to accounts when requested by management

o   There have been some instances where employees posted inappropriate posts identifying themselves as dispatchers and providing confidential information

o   Intent of policy –

§  Understood no fishing expeditions

§  Employee has to be under investigation

§  Management will be looking for specific information explained in writing to employee prior to looking on site

§  Even when under investigation passwords may not be asked for  - You will be asked to log in and show the incident

-Shift Change

·         2016 shift change will be Monday January 4^th

·         2017 shift change will be Monday January 2^nd

-Management shows interest in switching to PTO time

·         Discuss with members pros/cons about PTO time

o   Conversion process

o   Changing max vacation allowance carried over – possibly 480 to match FMLA

o   New accrual amounts

           

-2016 benefits

·         Increase in insurance -  discussed at benefit fair, metro still shopping to make sure best deal -  Dakota Care will continue the Great Life memberships for 2016.  

·         Discussed paying for Christmas Eve - Daren will not know until the December Council meeting on 12/16/15   but it will be requested.   We were paid 8 hours last year.  

-Wage Opener – reminder to send notification of Wage opener in January.   

Cooperation Meeting              12-29-14

Darin Ketcham, Ona Reker, Jessica Mundahl, Jared Hoffman, LeNora Giles

 

Have a typo in the contract under Article 25.   Says ref article 25 should be article 26.   
 
On call hours new work week question - Sun / Mon -  the on call hours for A shift will be on new work week as they are on call for Monday of their shift starting the new work week.   
 
Required staffing -   look over the information sent out reference required staffing.   Management is looking to let people know of mandatory spots sooner so if they choose they can find their own replacement.     Tentatively – starting with time 21 days out there will be a 3 day sign up time for hours and then it will be assigned.  
 
Part time employment -  need to work a total of 16 hours a pay period and up to 20 hours a week.    
 
There will be no TO pay as of January 1^st.   If ACO is not available to train will look to a supervisor.   Anyone offering to volunteer to train that is not an ACO is doing so without extra compensation.   

COLA -    In January need to send a letter requesting COLA negotiation.   Start talking in March as the audit is done in late February.  

 General News Items

AFSCME will now be under MN AFSCME.

Union dues are going up.

Luke Senst joined the Union - with Erica leaving and Luke joining we are still the same for membership.

5 new employees will be starting Jan 12^th. February will advertise for applicants.

Supervisor promotion took effect December 29^th.

Staff with Dakota Care insurance can contact Great Life reference free membership starting Jan 01-2015

Discussed Exit interviews due to number of staff leaving recently.

    Typical answers for leaving:
    1^st 6 months of job  --   shift work, stress
    After 6months – majority of answers include burn out and co-workers

Sick Time – has been a frustration not only by management but by staff. PD requires a written note for any sick use over 40 hours. FMLA covers 480 hours for 12 months. Not all sick time being used by staff on FMLA is for FMLA purposes therefore may not be over the 480 mark for FMLA. Management does continue to monitor the amount of sick time used and when.   If they are made aware of someone abusing sick time action will be taken.  

Vacation approval

     Management has approved 480 hours of vacation that would create a vacancy.   That is roughly 17000.00 dollars of the OT budget.  

     Management wants to make some of that back.   They are willing to work with employees to get vacation approved but would like employees to work so that it doesn’t over extend the budget by using trade time, adjusting hours when possible, and using creative scheduling.

      Assigning vacancy procedure as changed. Official timeline should be coming out.

      Hope if people know of required time sooner if they need to find a replacement they have some time.

     Discussed different options in tele-staff to show vacancies easier.   To get time covered easier.

      If you have HA time you need off can change it to vacation (provided you have V time) and then HA at the end of the week.  

 

We will look to get together again next month.   There are lots of changes coming.   Please be sure to bring any comments, concerns, or questions to Union leadership.