AFSCME LOCAL 2728
AFSCME LOCAL 2728
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AFSCME Local 2728 Union Meeting Minutes
May
21st, 2008
Meeting Called to order at the Centennial Fire Station at 4:00 PM. Officers Present:
President
Henderson, Secretary Score, Treasurer Pierre, and BA Helseth
Number of Members Present:
10
Meeting Re-Convened at the Centennial Fire Station at 9:15 PM.
Officers Present: Vice-President
Bunnell
Number of Members Present: 0-Canceled
Meeting Re-Convened at the Centennial Fire Station at 10:50 PM. Officers Present: Vice-President Bunnell
Number of Members Present: 16
The following is a
consolidation of the items from the
May
2008
meetings: @ Corrections to the
Last Union Meeting Minutes: None
ž
Last Month’s Minutes: A motion was made and seconded
to forego the reading of last months's minutes. The motion passed and the
minutes were not read. ,
Correspondence:
Late Sunday, May 18, 2008 Governor Pawlenty and the
State Legislature reached a deal to end the legislative session barely on
time to meet their constitutional deadline for adjournment. The session produced mixed outcomes
for our union. The Governor and Legislature had
to deal with a state budget deficit of nearly $1 billion for the upcoming year. Pawlenty
originally proposed hacking about $750 million of that out of the state budget. That would have
meant big cuts in public services and the jobs of AFSCME members. Instead the a
end-of-session agreement cuts approximately 4 percent of the state budget ($355 million) and instead
uses half a billion dollars of the rainy day fund, some of the state’s cash reserves, and $109
million of revenue from closing corporate tax loopholes on foreign operating corporations to
balance the rest of the state budget. AFSCME successfully supported closing
corporate tax loopholes and using the rainy day fund to minimize cuts to public
services and our jobs. AFSCME was also successful in
pushing for increases in aid to local governments. The end of session deal increases
Local Government Aid (LGA) to cities by $42 million, and County Program Aid to counties by
$22 million. But the deal also puts in place property tax levy limits of 3.9 percent for
each of the next 3 years, which is a threat to public services and AFSCME jobs at the local
government level. The levy limits have significant loopholes and exemptions that give local
governments some flexibility to raise property taxes more than 3.9 percent a year to ensure the
provision of quality public services. For example, exemptions from the levy limit would be
permitted for pension costs and special property tax referendums like those used to increase
school funding. Our union was also part of
stopping Pawlenty’s proposed $250 million raid on the state’s Health Care Access Fund
to help balance the state budget deficit. His raid would have threatened state health and
human services and the jobs of our members who provide them. Minnesota took a small step
toward setting meaningful affordability standards for health care costs as a step in
AFSCME’s campaign to make sure nobody pays more than 5 percent of their household income
for health care costs including premiums, deductibles, and co-pays for prescription drugs
and office visits. More affordable health care coverage will be extended to 12,000 Minnesotans
through state-subsidized health care programs such as MnCARE—in contrast to
Pawlenty’s earlier raid proposal that would have taken affordable heath care away from tens of
thousands of Minnesotans. Nursing home funding was increased to allow for a 2
percent pay increase for workers. In the end, AFSCME mitigated some
of the negative impacts of a nearly billion dollar budget deficit, made some
increases in aid to local governments, and a step forward on affordable health care. But
the state budget is still getting cut by 4 percent, and property tax levy limits are a
threat to our local government members. We were able to raise some revenue by overriding
Pawlenty’s veto of the gas tax increase, and by closing corporate tax loopholes. The
bonding package was also significantly increased through an additional bonding bill that
includes Central Corridor Light Rail Transit, expansion of the Minneapolis Veteran’s Home, and
the new Lake Vermilion State Park. AFSCME also supported increasing state
education funding to assist E-12 school districts by roughly one- half of one percent, or $51 per
pupil. Thank you to the thousands of
AFSCME members who contacted their legislators, came to Day on the Hill, and otherwise
were part of our work at the State Capitol. Your activism made budget cuts smaller and
helped us win significant victories. $$$
Treasurer’s Report: Read and approved as submitted Submitted by Treasurer Denise Pierre Work: (651)717-6183 Work Hours: 6:30 AM-3:00 PM E-mail: dpierre@LL.doc.state.mn.us O
President’s Report:
*Sat in on two investigations. There was one resignation. *Attended a Convention in
Washington D.C. May 5-9. There is a
lot going on at the National level that affects Corrections.
The Federal System is trying to make PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) a
Federal Mandate. The Union does not support this on many levels.
If an inmate accuses a staff of rape, the accusation becomes a Civil
matter and it will always remain in that staff's file whether the staff was
innocent or guilty. The Federal
PREA would also be in direct violation of our contract.
It hasn't passed yet and hopefully it won't.
Tim also met with AFSCME International President Gerald McEntee.
Also discussed union organizing in Kentucky, Oregon, and Colorado. *Attended the State-wide Labor
Management Meeting. Several issues
discussed were as follows: -Universal Sick leave call-in form. An employee should get a copy of the form when they call in
sick A state-wide -Moose Lake issues: When a staff goes to a new
rotation or shift, the scheduling supervisor is not giving that -Shot gun training: The whole reasoning behind
reducing the number of Officers trained annually with the shot gun -Supervisory Conferences: Retention of Materials
in a Supervisory File. Apparently,
Stillwater was keeping Supervisory Conferences for seven years.
After much discussion, that supervisor was basically told that it goes -Assistant Commissioner Crist had a
Legislative Update: The DOC got
more money then other Departments. The
DOC (Institutions) are 100% funded. Central Office took a cut at the operation level.
Some STS Crew Leaders -Mantoux Testing: Some staff that are allergic to
the standard mantoux test are requesting to have a different test in place (chest x-ray for example). This hasn't passed yet but
is expected to in the near future.
If you have any questions,
comments, or concerns, please contact: Tim HendersonPresident Work: (651)717-6100 Cell Phone: (612)669-9035 Work Hours: 6:30 AM-3:00 PM (Weekdays) E-mail Work: thenders@LL.doc.state.mn.us þ
Vice President’s Report:
Sat in on several investigations. The stewards have also been busy with investigations and
assisting fellow union members. Officer
Paige LeMay and Maintenance Carpenter Steve Kotval recently attended the 2-day
Basic Steward Training in St. Paul and are now our newest stewards.
LeMay is on 3rd watch and Kotval is on 2nd watch. The Labor Management Meeting was
held on 5/21/08 at 1:00 PM. The
topics discussed were: Motorcycle parking, possibly create a Sergeant position
at the hospital, hospital/medical transports on first watch, painting issues,
and Management discussed work areas
(Units 2-8).
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns,
please contact: Darby Bunnell
Vice-President/Chief Steward Work: (651)717-6100
Extension 405
Cell Phone: (612)978-1645 E-Mail Work: dbunnell@LL.doc.state.mn.us E-Mail Home: DNBUNNELL1@MSN.com The
Arbitrator has made a decision on the Trade Issue. Basically, he concluded that the Employer can't limit the
number of trades but the form will remain and the Employer can still deny a
trade. If a trade is denied because
the Employer has concluded that the Employee is not "Reliable, capable,
and/or qualified" to do the trade, the Employee still has a right to grieve
the denial.
This
ruling from the Arbitrator was very difficult to decipher and understand.
We don't agree with the ruling and we anticipated a much clearer ruling
from the Arbitrator. With this said, We the Union have been dealing with several
issue's from Article 5 shift exchanges for a very long time. We have had members
and supervisors consistently find "so-called" grey area's in the
language to manipulate for a very long time. The language has certain terms that
continue to be scrutinized and manipulated i.e. reliable, capable and qualified
etc...
The
arbitrator's ruling wasn't in the favor of either party and that's why we split
the payment.
We
will continue to grieve certain shift exchange denials which will hopefully set
some kind of precedence and we will continue to work with the Commissioner's
Office on handling the Arbitrator's ruling.
The
Council 5 staff reviewed the entire Arbitrator's ruling and had very in depth
conversation, I must remind you that although the ruling wasn't what we wanted
it's binding arbitration.
If you have any questions,
comments, or concerns, please contact: Sid Helseth Business Agent-Council 5Sid.Helseth@afscmemn.orgWork: (651)287-0529 4
Committee Reports: None
J
Old Business:
We will be giving out four scholarships valued at
$500.00 each to four union member's sons or daughters who will be going to a
higher education institution this Fall 2008, based upon their essay. The applicant must be a dependant
(as defined by the contract) to a member in good standing of local 2728. The applicant must submit an
essay of 500 words or less explaining, "How to organize and build a
Union". The deadline is 6-16-08 and must be sent via e-mail to me (ascore@ll.doc.state.mn.us).
A scholarship committee will
select the four best essays based upon content, creativity, grammar/spelling,
and ideas presented. The scholarships will be awarded
at the July 16th, 2008 meeting at 4:00 PM at the Centennial Fire Station in Lino
Lakes. Any questions, feel free to
contact me or President Henderson. There was a carry-over motion
made at last month's union meeting: Delegates need to bring a report back from
conventions did not pass Yes-6
No-11 Abstain-1 $ New Business: A new motion was made about giving AFSCME member Duane $100 towards PEOPLE when he races in the 5K at the AFSCME International Convention in San Francisco in July passed Yes-24 No-2 Abstain-1 ^ Discussion: Lots of discussion about shift exchanges, the Labor Management Meeting, and the Vet's Home. P Good and Welfare:
Mark H. (Death in the family) Ken W. (Death in the family) Marie E. (Medical) William G. (Medical) Jeremy C. (New baby) Dawn H. (Death in the
family)
Meetings adjourned at 11:30
PM
at the Centennial Fire Station on 5/22/08
Minutes
Submitted by Amy Score ascore@LL.doc.state.mn.us Secretary
- AFSCME Local 2728 Work:
(651)717-6100 Work
Hours: 2:40 PM-10:40 PM The
Next Union Meetings will be on the following date and times:
June 18, 2008
–Central Office, St. Paul, MN: 4:00 PM
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