http://www.afscmelocal34.org/
AFSCME Council 5, Local 34, Hennepin County Social Services and Related Employees
AFSCME – 2008 Day on the Hill at
the Minnesota Capitol
Executive Director Eliot Seide
Addresses the AFSCME Faithful!
May 2008
General Assembly
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
5:15 pm
Health Services Bldg, Room
110*
*Please Note this Room Change
for the May Meeting
and Note the Local Will be Serving
a Buffet to Honor Departing and
Incoming Officers & Stewards
Special accommodations will be
made for our physically challenged
members. Please call 596-7455 or
348-0266 if arrangements need to
be made.
June 2008
General Assembly
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
(HSB 112)
Local 34 Banner
L 34 Banner – 05/2008
Issue Contents:
Help Build a Movement to
Reinvest in Minnesota
Bridges shouldn’t fall in America. Unfortunately, our
languishing infrastructure is only part of the story. We
know something has to change when we see all the
plant closings and layoffs, our starving education
system, broken health care and slashed services.
It’s time to take a look at over 30 years of an
economic agenda that has left workers behind and
explore ways to replace that agenda with our own.
That’s why the Labor Education Service is sponsoring
a conference to discuss strategies for building a
movement to reinvest in our communities. Called
"Crisis of Disinvestment: Organizing to Rebuild Our
Communities," the conference will be held May 30
and 31 on the U of M’s St. Paul campus.
This conference is designed for rank-and-file union
members, as well as experienced union leaders and
activists, and friends in the community. Offering a
range of workshops, speakers and activities, the
conference "will foster a sense of hope about our
ability to organize and develop tools for rebuilding our
state and communities," said LES’s Howard Kling.
Registration is $65 before May 2 ($75 after) and
includes conference fee, materials, Friday lunch and
refreshment breaks. View an agenda and register
online at www.reinvestnow.org. (See page 2 for more)
May 2008
Pg 2 – Officer/Steward List;
More on the Crisis of
Disinvestment Conference;
AFSCME International
Convention – July 28-August 1
Pg 3 – Notes from the April GA
Pg 4 – Notices; Upcoming
Meetings Calendar
Pg 5 – Bleaker Hopes for
Retirement; Thank You Notes;
Awards & Scholarships News
Pg 6 – Part 2 of County
Administrator Johnson’s
Remarks on Positioning
Ourselves for the Future
Pg 7 – Health Care News:
State’s Health Reform Plans
Pgs 8–9 – County’s Political
News: Cooney and Callison to
Fight to Succeed Koblick on
Board; Jeff Johnson Endorsed
by GOP to Replace Steele; New
Deputy County Administrator
Pg 10 – VP Volkenant’s Column
– HSPHD Budget Issues; Metro
Area Contracts Signed; Hard
Times for American Workers
Pgs 11-12 – Our President‘s
Lengthy Column: 2008
Convention Nominations,
Filling an E-Board Vacancy,
County Budget, Seniority Lists,
E-Board Retreat, Dignity &
Respect, Health Care Savings
Plan Coming Soon, President’s
Upcoming Medical Absence
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Local 34 Officers & Stewards
5/1/08
President:
Jean Diederich
348-0266 – 880
Vice Presidents:
Mary Kay Windels
348-7546 – 961
Wesley Volkenant
348-9592 – 630
Chief Stewards:
Cliff Robinson – contested seat 348-7542 – 961
Cathy Cowden – contested seat 543-0301 – L890
Recording Secretary:
Rita Salone
596-1003 – L890
Treasurer:
Patrick Regan
348-8760 – L890
Membership Secretary:
Kela Williams – contested seat 596-0949 – 630
Sergeant-At-Arms:
Margaret Yzaguirre – contested seat 348-2194 – 630
Members-At-Large:
Andrea Lazo-Rice
Ibrahim Adam
Angel Alexander
Betty Pharr
Jacquelin Poole
348-2249 – 959
348-2313 – 961
596-1863 – 630
348-8263 – 630
348-4246 – 956
Stewards:
Zachary Rice
348-2274, Century Plaza 1
Ester Killion
596-7858, Century Plaza 1
Miguel Salazar
596-7465, Century Plaza 2
Nancy Scarlotta
348-9452, Century Plaza 2
Fatuma Kassim
596-8457, Century Plaza 2
Jamoda Williams
596-8948, Century Plaza 4
Diane Fossen
302-4704, North Point Dental
Shawnice Watson
302-4638, North Point Dental
Edgar Kusleika
348-3633, Msgs, Home Monitring
James Stevenson
596-9220, STS
Phillip Gray
348-5771, Juvenile Justice Ctr
Terry Grace
348-7308, Juvenile Justice Ctr
Aboubker Ouassaddine 543-0373, Family Justice Ctr
Bob Velez
348-4869, Family Justice Ctr
Grace Anderson
543-0595, The Village
Susan Frame
348-0293, Govt Center A15
Brian Arneson
348-7641, Govt Center A16
Maureen Glover
348-4492, Govt Center A16
Carolyn Johnson
348-8586, Govt Center A16
Monica Jochmans
348-4192, HSB 5
Penny Wile
348-7133, HSB 9
Elena Izaksonas
821-4539, 4th Precinct Station
Dennis Moore
879-3560, 1800 Chicago
Jeff Meyer
348-5880, 1800 Chicago
Trustees
Jim Evans, Audie Lussier, Osman Aweis
Delta Dental Trustee
Monica Jochmans
Local 34 Banner
Hennepin County AFSCME: A Full Service County Made Excellent
AFSCME International Convention
San Francisco, California
July 28 – August 1, 2008
Local 34 has voted to elect five delegates and six alternates
(President Diederich is an automatic delegate) to represent the
Local at the 38th International Convention, which will be held in San
Francisco the week of July 28. Because of the costs involved, the
Local will likely be sending just the elected delegates, or any
alternate replacing an elected delegate prior to the convention. The
Local will be covering the cost of registration, the cost of
transportation to-from the airports, the cost of round trip airfare, and
the cost of seven nights’ hotel lodging. A per diem at the IRS rate
for San Francisco has been authorized, as well.
Delegates and Alternates will be elected at the May GA meeting.
For more, see President Diederich’s column – last page!
CRISIS OF DISINVESTMENT CONFERENCE
FRIDAY, MAY 30 AND SATURDAY A.M. MAY 31
U of M - ST. PAUL STUDENT CENTER
The Labor Education Service is sponsoring a conference to discuss strategies for
building a movement to reinvest in our state and communities. Called "Crisis of
Disinvestment: Organizing to Rebuild Our Communities," the conference will be
held May 30-31. This conference will offer a range of workshops, speakers and
activities designed for rank-and-file union members, as well as experienced union
leaders and activists. Registration is $65 before May 2 ($75 after) and includes
conference fee, materials, and Friday lunch and refreshment breaks.
Local 34 voted to send up to four members – with costs paid; if you’re reading this
before May 2, please contact President Diederich if interested.
Council 5 Business Representative:
Matt Nelson
651-287-0578
e-mail Matt at: matt.nelson@afscmemn.org
Council 5 Contact Information:
300 Hardman Avenue South,
South Saint Paul, Minnesota 55075-2469
(651) 450-4990 Fax: (651) 450-1908
To Contact the Newsletter Editor: Call or e-mail—
Wesley Volkenant - 612-348-9592
For Distribution concerns, contact Rhonda Griffin at 612-348-8328
Internet Web Site Developer: John Herzog – 952-492-5233
May 2008
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News from the April General Assembly—April 9, 2008
Officers attending were: Jean Diederich, Wes Volkenant, Clifford Robinson, Patrick Regan, Rita Salone, Mary Kay Windels, Kela Williams, Chalmers Davis, Andrea Lazo-Rice,
Vicki Moore, Ibrahim Adam , Margaret Yzaguirre, Angel Alexander Excused Absences: Katie Farber and Cathy Cowden
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Motion/Seconded to contribute $100 to Wes Quick as a contribution to the Pediatric
Brain Tumor Foundation Minnesota Ride for Kids fundraiser. Motion approved.
Motion/Seconded to contribute $500 to the AFL-CIO Workers Memorial Garden project
on the State Capitol grounds. Motion approved.
Motion/Seconded to contribute $100 towards the cost of food for Local 3400’s CCPT
(Child Care Providers)/AFSCME Recognition event on May 9. Motion approved.
Motion/Seconded to elect 5 delegates (President is automatic delegate) and 6
alternates at the May General Assembly, to the July 28-August 1 AFSCME International
Convention in San Francisco. The Local will pay for 5 days’ lost time, round trip airfare,
seven nights’ lodging, registration fees, per diem rate for San Francisco for 6 days at the
IRS rate up to $70 per day, and mileage and transportation to-and-from the airports.
Motion approved.
Motion/Seconded to approve the appointment of Maureen Glover as the Union
representative to a new Front Door Access Committee. Motion approved.
Kela Williams asked for volunteers to assist with a rescheduled AFSCME recognition
event at Century Plaza.
John Herzog, Local 34 webmaster, reported on officer bios posted for the Scott County
local, and suggested we do something similar on our website.
President Diederich asked that members consider assisting at the Local office with
binding copies of our minutes and newsletters.
Cliff Robinson brought to our attention S2819 and HR5613, two bills to be voted on by
late-April, which will deal with a moratorium on Medicaid changes that crippled our
Targeted Case Management funding.
President Diederich noted the success of the recent Local 34v Officer’s Retreat and that
a follow-up retreat has been scheduled at Council 5 on August 15th – and will look at
the Local’s future, and how we conduct our business.
The President noted the importance of an April 21st meeting with County Administrator
Richard Johnson, to discuss the budget and the rollout of the Health Care Savings Plan.
Membership Secretary Williams submitted a written report summarizing new member
orientation and dues authorizations she had worked on the past month.
Vice President Volkenant’s written report shared officer’s expectations from our March
28 Retreat and discussed a seniority/fair share report he had created identifying
members by work location per the seniority report and highlighting Fair Share fee
payers at each location.
Chief Steward Cowden is dealing with an injury and will be out for up to a month. The
Chief Stewards have scheduled an all-Steward training day for April 25.
At-Large officer Farber reported in writing from Anoka County on the first week of her
Volunteer Member Organizing efforts in Anoka County. Other volunteers included Vern
Wagner, Ester Killion and Brian Backberg – and more of us are needed ongoing.
Business Rep Nelson reported on the successful conclusion of the Mileage grievance, as
well as lobbying efforts on the Medicaid legislation. He reported on the troublesome
devaluation of homes in Hennepin County and that effect on property taxes. And he
reported on an STS Crewleader who was caught in the middle of a gang-banger shooting
incident which left her stressed and traumatized – and yet hassled by the County’s
refusal to recognize a worker’s comp claim for her woes.
Guest Speaker Jim Niland, Council 5 Political Director addressed the state’s $935 million
deficit, key bills in St. Paul, the County Board races, notable metro State House races,
PEOPLE’s role in the campaigns ahead, our Local’s role in contributing to campaigns,
and candidate screening opportunities. Motion/Seconded to increase Local 34 PEOPLE
contribution to $150 per month, beginning April 1. Motion approved.
Notes from Executive Board Meeting –
April 16, 2008
 Labor Education Service, U of M, Notice of May 3031, 2008 Crisis of Disinvestment Conference.
Motion/Seconded: Send up to 4 members, paying
their lost time for Friday, registration, mileage &
parking. Motion was approved.
 Request from AFSCME Council 5 - Corrections &
Veteran's Affairs Policy Committees for
contributions to help with their "Adopt a Room"
efforts at the Minnesota Veterans Home. Motion/
Seconded: To donate $340 to the Council for the
"Adopt a Room" project. Motion was approved.
 Request to sponsor Duane Gatzke - Local 2829
member and member of the Council 5 Executive
Board - for his participation in the PEOPLE Fun Run
at the 2008 International Convention. Motion/
Seconded: to donate $100 to Duane Gatzke if he
runs in the Fun Run. The motion was approved.
 Vice President Volkenant shared a report of the
April 16 Meet & Confer meeting. Wes highlighted
several of the items, including the new ADS Case
Manager of the Day policy and issues related to the
budget, the Horizontal Redesign Initiatives and
regionalization. There was considerable discussion
about possible layoffs, the layoff process as outlined
in Article 6 (Seniority) in the contract, possible
involuntary reassignments, and the possible
retention of less-senior staff by County/HSPHD
Administration due to "business reasons."
 The Board members created an annual timeline/
calendar of Local 34 business and activities (copy
sent to the Recording Secretary). The President
requests that the timeline be placed in our Standing
Rules and be added to the New Officer packets.
 Chief Steward Cowden reported that OSHA is
checking into new lighting at Century Plaza, where a
complaint has been filed that the lights are too
bright, and are generating too much glare.
 President Diederich reported that Nancy Erickson,
the new President of the Social Work Supervisors
Association has requested a meeting to discuss
budgetary staffing implications. She also reported
that Supervisor Anne Semenak has asked Local 34 to
appoint a representative for a Front Door QA Phone
System project. Vicky Moore will be appointed.
Upcoming AFSCME Training
Member Reporter Training – Council Metro Office, May 2 (10-4)
Basic Steward Training – Council 5 Metro Office, May 7-8 (9-4)
Local 34 Banner
May 2008
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Good and Welfare
New to the County?
Just transferred into Local 34?
The Good and Welfare Committee was established to send
remembrances to dues paying members at times of happiness or
sorrow. This includes marriages, the birth or adoption of a child,
prolonged illness or hospitalization, or the death of a member,
immediate family member or significant other.
To sign up as a full union member, for Delta Dental
Insurance information, or to get answers to questions
about AFSCME and membership benefits, please
complete this form and for the time being, send it to:
In the case of surgery or prolonged illness, or for the birth or
adoption of a child, flowers or plants can be sent to a member.
Kela Williams, Membership Secretary
Century Plaza – 2nd Floor – 630 , 612-596-0949
In situations involving the death of a member or a death in the
family of a member, memorials can be sent. (“Family” is defined
the same as in Article 16 – Funeral Leave – in our contract; it
includes: spouse, child, significant other, aunt/uncle, father/mother,
sister/brother,
grandparent/grandparent-in-law,
grandchildren,
niece/nephew, or a person regarded as a member of the member’s
immediate family).
Name _____________________________________
Job Title __________________________________
Work Location _____________________________
In the event of members getting married, retiring, gaining U.S.
citizenship, or for a death in the family of a member or in the
case of the death of a member, a card can be sent to the family.
Mail Code _________ Phone _________________
I’m especially interested in:
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Please send all requests for remembrances to the Chairs for the Good
and Welfare Committee - Lisa Durkot (MC 965), Marcia Dietz
(MC L890) and Cathy Cowden (MC L890). The referrals must
include the name of the member and the reason for your request.
If the request is for a plant or flowers, you will also need to include
the person’s home phone number for delivery purposes.
I want to sign up as a full member
I want to sign up for Delta Dental
Council 5 Contact for Delta Dental Questions:
Cindy Pince – 651-287-0564
Are you interested in setting the Local 34 website as your Microsoft Explorer home page? If so, go to the website address listed above. Click on “Tools” in
the menu bar at the top of your page. Select “Internet Options.” Under the “General” tab, find the option for Home Page, and copy the Local 34 address
there. The next time you bring up your Internet connection, the website will be your new Home Page.
Sign Up for the PEOPLE Fund
The AFSCME People Fund is AFSCME’s political action fund, and is used to support our endorsed candidates. If many members pledge
as little as $2.00 a payroll period, our ability to get our endorsed candidates elected will be greatly enhanced.
At $4.00 per pay period, a contributor receives an AFSCME green jacket.
Please contact Jean Diederich at 348-0266 to sign up now!
Do You Have Friends Who Would Like to Receive Our Newsletter?
GET UPDATES!
There is now a quick and simple way for you to become informed on a wide variety of issues concerning AFSCME Local 34. Just sign yourself
up for our free on-line newsletter! Please follow the directions below…
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Send an e-mail to the following address: cwvolkenant@msn.com
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In the Subject Line or Text, state “Subscribe to 34 Newsletter”, identify who you are, and send it off

You will receive a confirmation e-mail within a week; you should have the latest issue attached, so you can determine if
you will be able to receive – and read – the e-mail newsletter attachments
Note: if at any time you want to stop receiving these updates, all you have to do is send an e-mail to the address listed above, state “Unsubscribe”
in the Subject Line or Text, and your name will be removed from our list. ** You can also access us from our Local 34 Website at:
http://www.afscmelocal34.org ** For Netscape users, you may need to press “Reload” to get the most current version.
UPCOMING MEETING SCHEDULE
May
7
21st
GA - HSB 110** E-Board - HSB 917
Local 34 Banner
th
June
May 2008
4th
GA - HSB 112
18th
E-Board - HSB 917
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Important Note to Local 34 Members –
President Diederich’s postponed surgery has been
rescheduled for mid-May. She will be absent – and
incommunicado – for up to 8 weeks. Accordingly, from May
13 through possibly July 4, Vice President Volkenant will be
her substitute for chairing our General Assembly and EBoard meetings and for attending the monthly AFSCME
Presidents’ meetings.
Good & Welfare:
Thank You Message
AFSCME Local 34
Dear Student Supporter:
On behalf of the Nellie Stone Johnson Steering
Committee and the scholarship recipients, I would like
to thank you for your payment to the Nellie Stone
Johnson Scholarship Dinner. Please consider this letter
your receipt for:
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One Table of Eight
Check # 321754 - $490.00
Because of generous donors like you, the Nellie Stone
Johnson Scholarship has been able to offer financial
support to minority students who have a union
connection. The program has provided well over
$150,000 in scholarships to more than 100 state
universities, community and technical college students.
Thank you for contributing to the Nellie Stone Johnson
Scholarship!
Sincerely,
The Nellie Stone Johnson Steering Committee
St. Paul, MN
www.nelliestone.org
AFSCME/AFL-CIO News About Awards and Scholarships
AFL-CIO Community Services Awards:
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Bea Kersten Community Services Project Award
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Terrel D. Merriam Community Services Award
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Minnesota AFL-CIO Youth Volunteer Award
Nominations are due by May 23, 2008 to the Minnesota AFLCIO (Organizing Director Candace Lund, 651-227-7647 or 1800-652-9004).
AFSCME ‘s Jerry Clark Memorial Scholarship 2008
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Scholarship for two students – children of AFSCME
members – currently sophomores majoring in social
sciences
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$500/year junior and senior years, plus an
internship opportunity with the International’s
Political Action Department
Applications can be downloaded at www.afscme.org.
Applications must be postmarked by July 1.
Winners to be announced August 1.
Local 34 Banner
Bleaker Hopes for a Good Retirement
by Nancy Trejos - Washington Post Staff Writer - Thursday, April 10, 2008
Fewer American workers are confident that they will have enough money
to retire comfortably, according to a new survey. The percentage of
workers who said they were very confident about having enough money
for retirement decreased from 27 percent last year to 18 percent this
year, the sharpest one-year drop since the Employee Benefit Research
Institute, a private nonprofit group that focuses on retirement and
economic security issues, began the survey 18 years ago. Current retirees
were also less confident about their prospects for financial security. Last
year, 41 percent of retirees surveyed were confident about their
retirement, compared with 29 percent this year.
Researchers attributed the growing pessimism to concerns about rising
health-care costs, a flagging economy and declining home values. The
sentiment was spread across all age groups and income levels but was
particularly strong among younger workers and those with lower incomes,
the researchers said.
"For years, confidence in being able to have a financially comfortable
lifestyle remained steady without major year-to-year movement, including
through a surge of good times in the later 1990s and the downturn and fear
following 9/11," said Matthew Greenwald, president and chief executive of
Matthew Greenwald & Kamp Associates. The results reflect public unease
about not just the future but also the present state of the economy, the
researchers said. When asked what they consider the most pressing
financial issue facing most Americans today, just 5 percent of workers and
4 percent of retirees said it was saving or planning for retirement. Instead,
they cited the cost of living, medical expenses, mortgage payments, debt,
energy costs and job uncertainty.
Michelle Cover, a 36-year-old Fairfax County social worker is not as
worried about her retirement as she is about a looming recession. She and
her husband continue to contribute as much as they can to their 401 (k)
plans and their Roth individual retirement accounts but have cut back on
other spending. Cover also shares ideas with her neighbors and friends
about budgeting. They do a lot of carpooling, tell each other about good
sales and try to entertain at one person's house in the neighborhood so as
not to waste gasoline. "We've been more conscious of watching our
pennies, being careful with our spending, being conservative about where
our money goes . . . because we know the economy is not good right now."
Despite concerns about their financial security, a large number of workers
continue to have inadequate retirement savings, a problem that the survey
has found year after year. Forty-nine percent of workers reported total
savings and investments of less than $50,000, while 22 percent of workers
and 28 percent of retirees said they have no savings of any kind.
Nonetheless, there was some evidence that people are becoming more
conscious about the need to plan for retirement. Forty-seven percent of
workers said they or their spouses have tried to calculate how much money
they will need for comfortable retirements, up from a low of 29 percent in
1996.
Both workers and retirees said they were less confident that the Social
Security system will continue to provide the same benefits received by
retirees today. And only one-third of workers expect to have access to
employer-paid health insurance in retirement, a drop from last year of
about eight percentage points. "From one perspective, it is disheartening
but understandable that retirement confidence has gone down,"
Greenwald said. "However, it is my view that a lot of the confidence
observed in previous years was false confidence, and perhaps people are
now getting more realistic and this is a precursor to more effective financial
preparation for retirement."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/09/AR2008040903900_pf.html
May 2008
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How is the County Positioning Itself for the Future? (2nd of 2 Articles – see April for Part 1)
At 2008's first meeting for county directors, managers and supervisors, County Administrator Richard Johnson spoke about "Positioning Hennepin County
for the Future." The meeting was held Friday, Feb. 29, at Thrivent Financial Auditorium. This is the second half of his remarks.
http://hcnet/PA/PARepository.nsf/23232f781fb6a016862569c300558949/af6281cc82c3cc73862573fa00570762?OpenDocument#Managers%2C%20supervisors%20meeting%20hel
Preparing For the Future
So given these change drivers and trends, what do we need to do to prepare for the
future? I believe it’s two primary things . . . One: We need to continue to deliver
essential services effectively and efficiently. And two: we need to continually evaluate
what we do, why we do it, does it need to be done or can it be done by someone else.
Also, occasionally we need to take on the projects and issues that no other level of
government can or is willing to tackle, such as ending homelessness . . . collaborating
to ensure that all Hennepin County youth graduate from high school . . . building a
ballpark . . . or merging a library system. First, we must do the essentials – what
we are charged with by law and by policy – and we must do them well, such as:
□ Building roads and other infrastructure that contribute to an integrated transit
system helping people and goods move easily and safely throughout the county and
the region.
□ Promoting public health, access to health care and a clean environment.
□ Working to see that people are protected and safe, and that they have access to
government information, licenses and public records.
□ Supporting people’s self-reliance and opportunities for success through essential
services, affordable housing and access to life-long learning.
□ Assuring that residents have equal protection of the laws under a system designed
to be fair and reliable.
The irony is, if we do these things well, the public hardly notices we’re there: The
county’s 1,800 lane miles of road are quickly plowed after a snow storm . . . our libraries
are open and the book our customer wants is available . . . people can access a primary
health clinic when they need it. And as we consider these services and service levels,
we have to ask:
 Can we be all things to all people? That’s not reasonable or achievable.
 Can we accept being merely good enough in some areas? I think that is reasonable
and rational, given limited resources.
 How can we better engage our customers for better results – for them and for the
county? We need to find ways to do this.
 Can we listen to and partner more with the community? I’m quite sure we can.
Roads . . . libraries . . . health care . . . and services for those in need are what we
do every day. Yet – especially in the last couple of years – we have been involved with
some other, more complex and highly visible challenges. With the permission of the State
of Minnesota, we undertook in 2006 to work with the Minnesota Twins to fund and build a
new ballpark. The funding includes a special Hennepin County sales tax, but also a
major financial contribution by the Twins organization. The ballpark is under construction
on the north side of downtown Minneapolis.
… new ventures. For our organization, this means being open to new ideas …
constantly developing our knowledge and skills … using new technologies …
preparing for increased public scrutiny … and having managers who are equipped
for and committed to organizational development and change that moves us
forward. As we anticipate and adapt to change, we will find success in collaboration
that crosses organizational boundaries … in strategic partnerships and alliances…
in creating a cohesive culture around a core enterprise of customer service … and
in appreciating our organization’s heritage while choosing to move past tradition.
Creating a cohesive culture in our work force and in our workplaces around
customer service – that’s the business we all are in … from the elected
commissioners serving their constituents … to a health care specialist who is
immunizing a child … to a heavy-equipment operator clearing a county road of
snow. Whether we are issuing a license to someone across a counter or over our
website … or we are caring for residents in our correctional facilities with dignity and
respect … or helping a young mother with her parenting skills … or providing
human resources or budget or public relations assistance inside our four walls … I’ll
say it again: It’s all about customer service.
Where Should we Focus our Efforts?
How should we focus our efforts to become more nimble in delivering services,
changing the ways we operate, and responding to customers? One thing we can
do is find good partners. Our partnerships, with academic institutions …
corporations and businesses … non-profits and others contribute an incalculable
amount to the quality of life of individuals and families in Hennepin County and in
the greater metro area. When nonprofits and other of our partners are active and
successful, the work of helping low-income people, for example . . . or those
involved in the criminal justice system . . . is shared and extended far beyond what
government can do alone.
Examples of our partnerships are:
o With the University of Minnesota . . . to capture value for both organizations
through important community-based research, sharing of academic and
practitioner expertise, and providing students with field experience.
o With Best Buy’s Children’s Foundation . . . to fund technology education for
teens at Hennepin’s Augsburg Park Library in Richfield.
o With cities and school districts around the county – starting first in
Minnetonka and Orono . . . to recycle organics into compost from food scraps
and food-related paper products at a number of schools.
For Hennepin County, developing partnerships means the work of all those involved
is shared and extended far beyond what any one of us can do alone.
In 2007 the state agreed to allow the Hennepin County and Minneapolis library systems
to merge into a unified system of 41 libraries under Hennepin County. The combination of
these systems – which lend 5 million books, CDs and DVDs in more than 37 languages
each year. . . and provide 1,600 public computers connected to the Internet – will make
for an overall more efficient operation of library services in Hennepin County. It was
accomplished January 1. These two efforts had a good deal of publicity, and especially in
the case of the ballpark, considerable opposition. However, they reflect, I believe, our
ability to solve complex issues and demonstrate leadership on major initiatives.
Another thing we need to do is take an asset-based approach to assessing the
community. When we can share in the expertise and efforts of partners who
already are filling a niche or who can do something better than government can, we
have no need to duplicate those efforts in our approaches. Another way to express
this community engagement is that we must look for ways and means to help
and support the community in making its own decisions. We can improve our
customer service by putting our resources where they are most needed . . . rather
than where other groups or agencies already are working successfully.
Those qualities are expectations we have of ourselves and I believe the public has come
to expect of us as the largest unit of local government in Minnesota. And whether it’s the
everyday services that the public simply relies on to be there, or it’s solving major,
complex issues, the point of all of it is to contribute to the quality of life for all of us.
Bottom line: We’ve got to examine more consistently “how” we do business. And we
need to ask “why” more often:
Hennepin County will be 156 years old March 6. As a local government and as a work
force, we have a proud and long history of “can-do.” Unfortunately, a downside to the cando attitude is when it leads to too much effort for not enough return. That can be an
expensive approach to providing services. To meet the challenges of right-sizing our
efforts, what do we have to do? Well, the short answer is … we must be good at steering
how we handle change. To be successful, we must be good at knowing when a way of
doing business needs to be modified or dropped in favor of developing new methods and
Local 34 Banner
o Why are we doing this work?
o Is this work worth doing or should we be focusing on something else?
o How can the work be done more efficiently … either by us or by someone else?
The answers should help us respond with agility to an ever-changing environment
in order to improve what we do with customers and the community. In positioning
Hennepin County for the future … our best direction and success will be
found in the questions we ask ourselves and in how we answer those
questions… and in our ability to steer how we handle change.
Thank you.
May 2008
-6-
Health Care News
State Health Reform Runs into Dose of Reality
By Beth Hawkins - Thursday, April 17, 2008 - http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2008/04/17/1507/state_health_reform_runs_into_dose_of_reality
When policymakers call for the formation of a blue-ribbon committee, some read it as a politically palatable way to close the door on a thorny issue. Pity Gov. Tim
Pawlenty, then, for appointing a group of experts last year to find a way to make health care in Minnesota more effective, affordable and accessible. The problem?
The two bipartisan commissions spent 10 months digging into the nitty-gritty plaguing health care in Minnesota and issued a series of recommendations that enjoy
broad support from businesses, labor unions, health care providers and health insurance companies. In recent days, legislation based on the work passed the state
Senate and House of Representatives and was handed to a conference committee for fine-tuning. The reform's creators say they can slash health care
spending by 20 percent while increasing the quality of care. The plan will cut Minnesota's uninsured rate in half by 2011, they say, provide coverage to
133,000 people, and reduce costs for middle-income families currently struggling to afford insurance. To accomplish this, during the next three years
state agencies need to spend some $270 million from the Health Care Access Fund — the same fund the governor proposes to use as part of his plan to
erase Minnesota's nearly $1 billion budget deficit. All of which means Pawlenty may find himself in the dicey position of vetoing a reform he called for, crafted in
part by his hand-picked allies, and supported by numerous members of his own Republican caucus. "It seemed to meet the criteria the governor had," said Sen.
Linda Berglin, DFL-Minneapolis, a driving force behind the reform effort. "That was how it seemed we agreed on it. Now we don't agree on it."
The reform has its roots in a longstanding disagreement between Pawlenty and DFL lawmakers over who should qualify for state-sponsored health coverage. Since
1992, Minnesota hospitals and health care providers have paid a 2 percent tax into the Health Care Access Fund. The money is supposed to fund expanded care,
primarily via MinnesotaCare, the state's insurance program. At Pawlenty's request, in recent years lawmakers have increased eligibility guidelines for the program,
restricting the number of people who qualify for coverage and, in turn, creating a surplus in the fund. Faced with a budget crisis for fiscal years 2004 and 2005,
Pawlenty tapped the account to shore up Minnesota's general fund. At the same time, thousands of people were bumped off MinnesotaCare — even though many
were paying for coverage. Meanwhile, the number of uninsured continued to climb, even as Minnesota businesses began complaining to policymakers that the rising
cost of insuring employees makes it impossible to compete in the global marketplace. Unchecked, Minnesota's health care costs are projected to rise to $50
billion by 2013 — to put that in perspective, it's $15 million more than the general fund.
At the close of last year's session two brand-new panels, the Legislative Commission on Health Care Access and the Governor's Health Care Transformation Task
Force, began holding hearings. In addition to representatives of various branches of state government, the task force included representatives from health
plans, provider organizations, organized labor, the Mayo Clinic and large employers. "Business has figured out that without a major government public-policy
role, this will not happen," said Peter Benner, a former AFSCME health care negotiator and a member of the panel that crafted the reform. Task force member
Maureen Reed says. "The state that solves this will not only be the state that cares for its residents, it will be the state that will attract business." The basic bargain,
according to Berglin: To the extent it can be proved the quality of care is going up, and could produce savings to offset the cost, lawmakers could extend state
coverage to more people. In late March, the Senate version passed by a two-thirds margin. Following hours of contentious debate, the House has passed a
somewhat narrowed version. Pawlenty could not be reached for comment, but his spokesman has told reporters Pawlenty had never supported the bill and would
veto it, if lawmakers went ahead with planned votes.
Two things underlie virtually all of the reform's provisions. The first is that 80 percent of health care dollars are spent on just 20 percent of Minnesotans, many
of whom suffer from chronic ailments such as heart disease and diabetes but can't afford insurance. The second: Hospitals and clinics have no incentive
to prevent illness in the first place because providers are paid per procedure. Making sure the chronically ill get preventive care is a huge opportunity for
savings, according to Reed. "Right now, as good as our clinics are in Minnesota, a person with diabetes has an 11 percent chance of getting the best care," said
Reed. "Imagine you owned an airline that flew to Phoenix. If people's chances of getting to Phoenix were 11 percent, your airline would be out of business real
quickly." To that end, the reform would create "health care homes," clinics or doctors who would be paid a fee to coordinate care for people with expensive ongoing
conditions. It also dedicates $100 million over three years to public health campaigns to lower rates of obesity, smoking, and alcohol and drug abuse.
More significant, task force members say, are major changes in the way health care providers are paid. The details run on for pages, but the gist is that providers
will decide on prices, which they will make public. This information will be juxtaposed against benchmarks evaluating the quality of the provider's care. Hospitals
and clinics will bid to care for groups of patients; those whose scores suggest they deliver the best value will be reimbursed a premium. Patients who choose
providers with lower scores will pay the difference. To critics, the plan smacks of "capitation," an experiment in cost containment from the early 1990s. Doctors got a
budget for each patient in their practice; whatever they didn't spend by the end of the year they got to keep. The practice was largely abandoned when it became
clear people didn't get enough treatment. Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, takes it one step further, insisting the plan will lead to rationing. Consumers will no longer be
able to choose procedures that aren't deemed "clinically effective," he warns. Task force members say the difference with this reform is that clinics and hospitals will
have to estimate up front what they believe it will cost to care for a particular group of patients each year, but will still be paid for every procedure. "Every time
someone presents to the hospital, it's a reimbursable event," said Benner. "If the number of events exceeds [standards], the rate of reimbursement is
lower." Conversely, reimbursement will be higher for providers who manage to limit the amount of care patients need. Similarly, there are safeguards that
Reed says will eliminate "cherry picking and lemon-dropping" — attempts to game the system by providing care only to healthy people. According to state
Department of Health calculations, the changes to the payment system could reduce health care spending by $2.3 billion by fiscal year 2011. Most of the
savings created would go to subsidies to keep the cost of care for families below caps set out in the bill. Minnesotans with incomes below 300 percent of
federal poverty level, or $62,000 for a family of four, will spend no more than 6 percent of their gross income on care. Families below 400 percent, or $83,000 for
four, will spend a maximum of 8 percent, or $6,700. Subsidies will be available both to people in state insurance programs and who are eligible for employersubsidized coverage but can't afford it on their own.
Emmer and other lawmakers who voted against the bill were critical of the eligibility guidelines, too. "A family earning $80,000 would qualify? That's not what these
programs were intended for," he said. "It's a huge step toward socialized medicine when you increase eligibility to 400 percent of poverty. All middle-class families
should be competing in the marketplace," he said. The middle class can't compete in the marketplace, Benner counters. "Ten or 20 years ago, the
affordability issue was clearly not what it is today," he said. "The affordability problem for 'poor people' was not one that affected working people or
middle-class people. Clearly, that has changed." Minnesota isn't the only state facing a health care crisis, noted Reed, a former HealthPartners medical director.
But it could be the first to propose a solution that simultaneously addresses all three elements she says need reforming: cost, quality and affordability.
Local 34 Banner
May 2008
-7-
Hennepin County Political News
This year, three Hennepin County Commissioner races are on the ballot. Board Chair, Randy Johnson, a Republican from Bloomington,
and oft-endorsed candidate by AFSCME is running for re-election to the Board. Commissioners Koblick and Steele have chosen to retire
this year, leaving Districts 6 and 7 open to new faces. On these next two pages, let’s take a look:
Linda Koblick announced her decision to leave the Board at the
Hennepin County Republican convention. Two candidates have
emerged for the seat, and were screened by AFSCME in early-April.
They are Minnetonka Mayor Jan Callison and John Cooney, a former
aide to Congressman Jim Ramstad. Here is some information about
these candidates:
Ramstad Aide Joins 6th District County Race; Minnetonka
Resident John Cooney will Challenge Minnetonka Mayor Jan
Callison in Race to Succeed Koblick
BY JOE KIESER -
Town briefs
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/16149712.html?pt=y
Election Day is months away, but candidates for the Hennepin
County Board of Commissioners already are throwing their hats into
the ring. Minnetonka Mayor Jan Callison announced last week that
she intends to run for the 6th District seat being vacated by Linda
Koblick. Callison has been a mayor and council member in
Minnetonka for 14 years.
SUN NEWSPAPERS - (Created: Monday, March 10, 2008)
After serving political candidates and public officials behind the scenes,
Minnetonka resident John Cooney has decided to step into the spotlight. A
former aide to both U.S. Rep. Jim Ramstad, R-Minnetonka and Hennepin
County Sheriff Rich Stanek, Cooney announced his bid for the Sixth District
seat on the Hennepin County Commission.
Cooney, 31, is the second Minnetonka resident to announce a candidacy for
the spot to succeed Linda Koblick, who decided a few weeks ago to retire
from her seat. Minnetonka Mayor Jan Callison announced Feb. 25 that she
would be candidate for the seat.
Cooney said he has the experience, vision and energy for the position, and
that he can help tackle the challenges the county faces. He said his campaign
will concentrate on three issues during his run for the county board.
Cooney said he wants the county to focus on funding priorities such as
public safety and transportation, but also is in favor of limiting spending.
"The county has a $1.6 billion budget," he said. "We do a lot of good things
with that money, but I'm concerned about raising taxes on people."
After stepping out from behind the scenes in political circles, now is the right
time for Cooney to make his first bid for public office, he said. "I've always
had a desire to run for office and this is an open seat," he said. "It's different,
it's exciting and I love every minute of it."
A graduate of the University of Minnesota and Wayzata High School, Cooney
served as Ramstad's campaign manager in his U.S. House races in 2006, 2004
and 2002. He worked for a year as Stanek's chief of staff. Since then, Cooney
founded a printing business, which specializes in the needs of small, mid-size
businesses and non-profit groups.
The Sixth District comprises 14 cities, including Deephaven, Eden Prairie,
Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka
Beach, Orono, Shorewood, Tonka Bay, Wayzata and Woodland.
http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2008/03/12/local_news_update/fw13cooney.txt
Mayor Jan Callison
Jan Callison has been a Minnetonka resident for 18 years. She served as
an at-large councilmember from 1994 until being elected to the position
of mayor in 2006. Prior to her time on the council, she served on the
Minnetonka Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Adjustment.
We Can do More at the County Level
To the editor:
Several weeks ago, I announced my intention to run for the Hennepin
County Commission. I made this decision after thinking long and hard
about where my skills and commitment to this area can best be used.
Ultimately, I concluded that I can do more for the people of this area at
Hennepin County.
I truly appreciate the honor and privilege of being mayor of Minnetonka.
As mayor, though, one of the lessons I have learned is how important
Hennepin County is to our residents' quality of life and to the future of
our communities. It plays a crucial role in roads and transit, public safety,
economic development, and services for families and youth. It needs to
meet these needs in a reasonable, cost-effective manner.
My service on the Minnetonka City Council has prepared me well to face
these challenges and taught me the skills that solving them requires
understanding the issues, creating partnerships and relationships, being
willing to listen and fiscal discipline.
Hennepin County Commissioner District 6 {Republican} My commitment to this area and desire to serve it are strong. I hope that
you will give me the chance to continue that service by electing me to
Delegates endorse John Cooney
Delegates from precincts in Hennepin County Commissioner District 6
endorsed John Cooney on the first ballot at the South View Middle
School in Edina on Thursday, April 3rd. The Hennepin County
Commissioner seat is an open seat due to the retirement of Republican
Commissioner Linda Koblick.
http://www.cd3.org/
the Hennepin County board.
Mayor Jan Callison,
Minnetonka
http://mnsun.com/articles/2008/04/05/opinion/mt03callisonlet.txt
(Created: Wednesday, April 2, 2008)
Thanks to everyone who participated in another successful Day on the Hill, April 1-2! As the photo on
Page 1 shows, we had a great turnout for this PEOPLE-sponsored activity. AFSCME was in the House!
Local 34 Banner
May 2008
-8-
Jeff Johnson Would Change Business as Usual in Hennepin County
Johnson Wins Hennepin County Endorsement
February 19, 2008 – North Star Liberty Blog – Matt Abe
http://northstarliberty.blogspot.com/2008/02/jeff-johnson-would-change-business-as.html
http://northstarliberty.blogspot.com/2008/02/johnson-wins-hennepin-county.html
February 24, 2008 – North Star Liberty Blog – Matt Abe
Jeff Johnson would represent more than "same chairs, different names" on the
Hennepin County Board. Johnson outlined the top three reforms he would
pursue if elected Hennepin County Commissioner:
1. Zero-based budgeting. "Every spending program should be coupled with
criteria by which its success will be measured," said Johnson. "If, after a year,
the program is shown to be unsuccessful, it shouldn't be funded again."
Hmmm. If we had this at the Legislature, maybe Hennepin County businesses like Target
or UHC would be Minnesota's top employer — rather than the State of Minnesota. What
a different place this was when we had more people actually producing something,
rather than figuring out new ways to tax major employers like Northwest Airlines right
out of Hennepin County and the state!
2. Seriously consider privatization, in part or in whole, of HCMC. Johnson
believes, as do most conservatives, that the market is generally better able to
provide health care (and just about everything else except redistribution of
wealth and social engineering) than government. What a great way to put the
health care debate front and center, and perhaps even lead the nation toward a marketbased solution.
3. Require welfare recipients in Hennepin County to show they are in the
United States legally in order to receive benefits. "Hennepin County residents
have a long history of generosity to those in need," says Johnson, "but that
generosity must not be abused by political correctness run amok." Common
sense tells us: we don't have to deport millions of illegals, just enforce existing laws and
they'll leave on their own.
Ronald Reagan said in his first inaugural address, "In this present crisis,
government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem." By
bringing change to Hennepin County, Jeff Johnson would at the very least
make the problem smaller.
Editor’s Note – not all 7th District Republicans were happy with Johnson’s
endorsement – from a Minnesota Democrats Exposed blog responder…
http://www.minnesotademocratsexposed.com/2008/02/22/handicapping-the-hennepin-county-commissioner-race/
“… Jeff won the seat and in the process may have lost a spot on the county
board for Republicans. Johnson in his stupendous idiocy talked about
privatizing HCMC, effectively pissing off every lobbyist and employee in the
one foul swoop. Johnson’s people stacked the event with resources from his
Legislative auditor campaign and took the seat of the person most qualified
(Limmer). Now we are in a position with a less qualified candidate, less
motivated, with a worse record in contested elections. AFSCME has already
started looking for candidates and they will put at least 100 grand to fight him
(since these statements about the hospital were made). Not even 5 minutes in
the front runner spot and he screws up royally. And don’t kid yourself, despite
the fact that this is a very Republican district, we can still lose. It’s a weird
election year; the Dems have way more money (and they’re pissed), and there
is no party affiliation listed on the ballot. At this point the best thing for real
conservatives to do would be find an independent conservative to run because
Johnson may already be done! But thanks to all those who showed up to screw
over Limmer and the rest of Hennepin County. I guess the endorsement of
Commissioner Steele and Michelle Bachmann for Limmer and his 30-year
history of “Getting things done” wasn’t enough to overcome this coup.”
{From a blog report at the Hennepin County Republican
convention on February 23.}
8:50 am – There is some hardball going on between the
campaigns of Warren Limmer and Jeff Johnson, who are vying
for the endorsement for Hennepin County Commissioner in
District 7. Johnson has distributed flyers with positive
comments about him from conservative blogs, including North
Star Liberty, Minnesota Democrats Exposed, Fraters Libertas,
dreckless, and Residual Forces. Flyers tout each candidate's
conservative credentials.
11:34 am - Randy Johnson is endorsed for Hennepin County
Commissioner District 5.
11:50 am - Jeff Johnson speaks. He emphasizes accomplishing
conservative reforms as commissioner, referred to his record
in the Minnesota House, pledged to out-campaign his
eventual opponent in the general election. Credentials report
is finally final. Of the 681 delegates seated in District 7, 409
(60 percent) will be needed to endorse.
11:55 am - Warren Limmer is up. Congresswoman Michele
Bachmann endorses Limmer via recorded audio. Outgoing
District 7 Hennepin County Commissioner Penny Steele steps
to the microphone. She receives enthusiastic applause, and
delivers an emotional farewell, before a strong seconding
endorsement. She says that Limmer will be a strong
campaigner. She emotionally announced that her husband's
job was recently outsourced, and that she considered running
for re-election, but decided instead that should Limmer win,
she will run for his state Senate seat. Limmer himself gives an
impassioned speech, saying that he would not form coalitions;
he is looking to fight the liberals on the county board.
12:52 pm - First ballot: Johnson 374 (54%), Limmer 310
(46%). 60% needed to win.
2:13 pm – {After} Recount: Second ballot: Johnson 377,
58.6% Limmer 261.5, 40.6%
2:40 pm - On the way home, I hear on the Northern Alliance
Radio Network that Jeff Johnson has won the endorsement
on the third ballot, with 61% of the vote.
Board Appoints Deputy County Administrator March 11, 2008 -- The County Board appointed David J. Hough as deputy county
administrator, effective April 7. The position has been vacant since former deputy administrator Richard Johnson was appointed
county administrator in August. Hough, a senior attorney in the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, joined the county in 1982 and
currently holds the position of manager of the office’s Civil Division. As special counsel to the County Board for the past 11 years,
Hough has significant experience in matters related to public policy and administrative issues, and has represented the county in
both criminal and civil matters. “With these skills,” said County Administrator Johnson, “Mr. Hough brings a unique perspective in
dealing with strategic issues across county departments.” Hough is a resident of Edina.
Local 34 Banner
May 2008
-9-
Hard Times for Workers
- Wes Volkenant
The Perfect(ly Unfortunate) Storm
A few years ago, a film by the name of The Perfect Storm, starring George Clooney,
detailed a 1991 hurricane that struck New England in its most vulnerable location that
season. Wikipedia defines the term “Perfect Storm” as: the simultaneous occurrence of
events which, taken individually, would be far less powerful than the result of their chance
combination. Such occurrences are rare by their very nature, so that even a slight change in
any one event contributing to the perfect storm would lessen its overall impact.
HSPHD and Hennepin County are facing a type of “perfect storm” as we move forward
through 2008 and begin looking to 2009. You’ve seen messages from County
Administrator Richard Johnson and HSPHD Departmental Manager Rex Holzemer,
forewarning of budgetary difficulties, and providing heightened concern about possible
layoffs in our future. This isn’t needless and unnecessary hype on their parts. See our
President’s thoughts on this on the next page of this newsletter. This election year, the
County faces many concerns – for example, foreclosures dot the landscape and are
hurting many Hennepin neighborhoods. Property tax values are lower, so the County
faces less property tax revenue – and can only increase it through a higher levy – difficult
to do in a period of greater foreclosures and squeezed personal budgets for its residents.
Our “storm” was accentuated by spending and policy decisions that affect us in two key
areas – Targeted Case Management (Medicaid policy rules) and Child Support (DRA
legislation of 2005). Our current HSPHD budget supports 2865 positions. In a WorseCase Scenario HSPHD would have to reduce 410 FTEs to a total of 2455 positions. How
do we get to such a disaster? Strangely enough, we start with what we cost. In 2009,
wages and benefits will increase by $11-12 million. But it’s not just our 2007 contract
settlement that’s responsible. No, the big culprit (about $9 million) is health care costs.
Curt Haats has been heard to say that in less than 5 years, the County’s responsibility for
health care costs per worker will be about equal to the wages of an OS III.
Then there’s HSPHD’s vacancy factor of 120 positions. As of this writing, we have less
than 50 vacancies. While normally HSPHD has a fair amount of turnover – retirements,
dismissals, leaving for greener pastures – this job environment is tough, and we’re not at
a norm for vacancies. People are staying put – and safe?
Last year, Child Support got a one-time financial boost that helped us in 2008. Without
federal legislation to end the Deficit Reduction Act provisions affecting Child Support, the
$4.3 million need could eliminate up to 75 positions. Oddly enough, should $1.4 million
turn up somewhere, we would meet a standard for Federal matching dollars to make up
the full $4.3 million need.
Senate bill 2819 is scheduled to be heard as I’m writing this column. S2819 would put a
moratorium on the Medicaid policies impacting our TCM programs.
Without
Congressional and White House approval, we face another $9.5 million hit, and another
190 or so impacted positions (after trying to draw down 70 FTEs this year to deal with a
current $5 million shortfall).
County, state, and union efforts continue to work to mitigate this worse-case situation,
and whether or not HSPHD can salve some of these wounds by shifting budgetary
circumstances from other County departments, remains to be seen. We all must be
aware of the circumstances, however, and many of you have already taken to checking
seniority lists in the event of layoffs. Layoff procedures are covered in your Contract –
Article 6 (Seniority). At this time, the County does not have layoff plans; at this time, the
County Board has not even been approached to approve of layoffs. But clearly, this is a
time to be prepared.
There are quite a few HSPHD work locations I’ve yet to visit, but in late-April, I stopped by
our Powderhorn location, and had the opportunity to meet some of the dozen-or-so Local
34 members and Fair Share located there. If you work at sites outside of downtown,
please let us know if you have representation needs, if you’re getting these newsletters,
etc. And finally, my/our best wishes to President Jean – I’ll do my best to fill in for her!
Great News! Workers at Walker Methodist Health Center have won their first contract – five
years in the making! It covers 350 staff in AFSCME Local 3532 – plus 60 LPNs vote April 25
on a separate contract. Other new contracts in the area: Met Council (Local 668 – 2.3% for
2 years); City of Dayton (Local 2454 – 3.5% for 2 years); City of Lino Lakes (Local 2454 also –
3% wage & 2% health care increases for 2 years).
Local 34 Banner
May 2008
Today, we’re looking at recent depressing trends for
American workers. It is no secret that workers have
not fared well over the last several years, despite low
unemployment rates. But unemployment figures
don't tell the whole story:
While official unemployment has risen only
modestly, to 5.1 percent, the reduction of wages and
working hours for those still employed has become a
primary cause of distress, pushing many more
Americans into a downward spiral, economists say.
Moreover, this slippage is a critical indicator that the
nation may well be on the verge of a recession, if not
already in one.
Last month, the hours worked by those on American
payrolls dropped, compared with six months earlier,
according to an index maintained by the Labor
Department. The last time the index moved into
negative territory was February 2001, when the
economy was on the doorstep of recession. A similar
slide emerged in August 1990, one month into what
proved an even more severe downturn. From March
2007 to March of this year, the average workweek
reported in the private sector slipped slightly to 33.8
hours, from 33.9 hours, while overtime for
manufacturing workers fell by a larger margin. At the
end of last month, more than 4.9 million people were
working part time either because they could not find
full-time jobs or because their companies had cut
hours in the face of slack business, according to a
Labor Department survey. That represented an
increase of 400,000 since November.
Recently, the government reported that average
earnings slipped in March after accounting for the
rising costs of food and fuel — the sixth consecutive
month that pay failed to keep pace with inflation. As
people bring home paychecks that do not go as far,
they are forced to economize, eliminating demand
for goods and services that once captured their
dollars, spreading pain to providers like auto dealers
and lawn care providers. They, too, must trim their
outlays on pay, shrinking working hours more and
furthering the slowdown. . . .
Even before the rollback in working hours, pay was
barely keeping up with the rising costs of gas and
food. From February to September of last year, the
average hourly earnings for workers in the private
sector were still growing at a slightly faster clip than
the pace of inflation, according to the Labor
Department. But from November through March, as
employers began to scale back in a variety of ways,
wage growth fell below the pace of inflation, meaning
that paychecks were effectively shrinking. Now, work
opportunities are themselves declining, as the
downturn snuffs out business.
We’re often frustrated with the media's reliance on
one set of data, particularly unemployment figures,
in reporting on the labor market. No measurement
accounts for everything and the unemployment
numbers are often particularly misleading, as they
omit workers who have given up looking for jobs or
those who are working fewer hours than they
desire. – Jeffrey Hirsch
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2008/04/hardtimes-for.html#comments
- 10 -
President Diederich’s Column – continued from the back page…..
5.
The County Budget: I attended the bimonthly AFSCME Local President's meeting with our County Administrator, Richard Johnson on Monday, April
21, 2008. The main topic of discussion was the budget. Mr. Johnson did not pull any punches on the outlook for the remainder of this year and for
2009. HCMC, the Hennepin County Medical Center, will have less funding so we will most likely see higher uncompensated care costs. Health care
costs for employees will increase by 9.5% for 2009 based on our agreement with HealthPartners. The Human Services & Public Health Department
(HSPHD) will see over $14 million in cuts due to loss of funding for Targeted Case Management and Child Support. He stated that the County Board
has set Child Services and Child Support as high priorities and that not all of the cuts for HSPHD will be incurred by the department. He will look to
other County Departments to help share those costs. Property taxes are not going to be a viable source of income to count on for the 2009 budget
due to the high number of foreclosures, the loss on estimated market values for housing across the County and the earmark from those taxes for
the Library - 2.9% - that was set by the Legislature when the Hennepin County/Minneapolis Library merger was approved. We did ask about an
early buy-out program such as those that had been offered in the past. The last program is still being paid for now with vacancies still not filled so
they are not looking at doing this again. He will ask the Departments to have their proposed budgets to his office by the end of June so that he can
present his recommendations to the County Board in September. We did ask him if he had received responses from employees to his request for
suggestions on costs savings. Mr. Johnson said that he has received about 85 ideas which are being reviewed and will be passed on to the
respective Departments. He did state that he was very impressed with the content of the suggestions - they were well thought out - and appreciated
that people took their time to present them. The representatives from the unions thanked Mr. Johnson for his candor as it goes a long way to setting
the stage for open dialog.
6.
Seniority list. Many of you work in HSPHD so have had an opportunity to read the e-mails from Rex Holzemer. What County Administrator Johnson
voiced in his meeting was an affirmation of the news Rex has been sharing with us. The bottom line is that, barring a huge influx of money from
state and federal funding sources, we will face an unprecedented number of cuts in staff by the end of 2009. The worst case scenario, with no
rollbacks of funding cuts, or no monies from the state or county to fill in some of those cuts, is a loss of 410 FTE's (full-time equivalencies) out of a
Department with current FTE complement of 2865. We continue to hope that some of the cuts for child support reimbursement will be rolled back
with a bill before the House at the federal level. Targeted Case Management cuts could be put off with a bill for a moratorium until after the
administration under the President elected this fall takes office next year but that is only a temporary fix - if it passes. The bottom line for all of us is
that we need to contact our legislators and ask that they support the bills introduced and vote for them when they come to the floor. The other thing
that you should do is make sure to check the most recent Local 34 seniority list on the Labor Relations web site or the Local 34 web site. If you
think your hire/reinstatement date is incorrect, please send me an e-mail with an explanation so that we can forward it on for review. (Please note
that there have been some glitches in the list such as more than one listing for a job class and that we are working on them).
7.
Dignity & Respect. The Dignity & Respect pilot projects at the Library, the Service Center and Century Plaza will all be reviewed at the next
Dignity & Respect Meet & Confer in June. Each project will be responsible to have an update of their processes, what has been accomplished, what
the future goals are and what is next for them. Chalmers Davis and I are the Local 34 representatives to this AFSCME and Management Meet &
Confer group. We will keep you updated on the information after the June meeting.
8.
Health Care Savings Plan presentations: As part of our 2008-2009 contract, we agreed that the County and the union would jointly sponsor
informational sessions at work sites around the County to educate our members about the Health Care Savings Plan (HCSP) to be offered as an
option to the Early Retiree Health Insurance Program (ERHIP). The meetings will be held in June so that members can study the information
presented and make an educated decision on which option they choose by the July 1, 2008 deadline. ERHIP is now offered only to those employees
hired prior to January 1, 2008 - anyone hired after January 1, 2008 automatically participates in the HCSP. Just keep in mind this is a one-time
irrevocable decision. You do not get to change your mind about your choice. If you do not choose, you will automatically default to ERHIP.
Some questions members have asked me are: Which program will be better for me if I retire before I hit age 65 and am Medicare eligible?
Which one is going to do me the most good if I leave the County before I retire? What do I need to consider if I think that I am going to retire
before age 65 and could benefit from ERHIP? What if I leave the County's employment and come back at a later date? What happens to the
money in the HCSP if I leave the County? I strongly encourage you to attend one of these sessions (notice of times and dates will be sent to you
in an e-mail so be on the lookout for it) so that any questions you might have can be answered by the folks from the Minnesota State
Retirement System (MSRS), the firm that will handle the HCSP for the County.
9.
Out on leave: Really, I do mean it this time. Due to an error on the part of a doctor, the leave that I was supposed to take the end of January
did not happen. Instead, I will be out of leave from May 13th to about the end of June. Wesley Volkenant is the 1st Vice President for this year so
please contact him for issues normally directed to me. If you are not able to reach Wes, Mary Kay Windels is the 2nd Vice President and can also
assist you.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about any items in my article. We have some tough times ahead of us but we are a strong,
capable group of people. We will be able to face the decisions we need to make - even when they are not easy ones to make.
In closing, I would like to share one of my favorite quotes as it pretty much sums up our current situation: "As we know, there are known knowns.
There are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there
are unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we don't know." - Donald Rumsfeld
Enjoy the weather - see you when I get back,
Jean
Who We Are
AFSCME’s 1.4 million members provide the vital services that make America happen. With members in hundreds of different occupations
— from nurses to corrections officers, child care providers to sanitation workers — AFSCME is the voice of the dedicated workers who take
care of America, and is a leading advocate for all working families.
Local 34 Banner
May 2008
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Nominations and election of delegates for the 2008 AFSCME International Convention
Nominations and election for the unfilled Member-at-Large position – May 21 E-Board meeting
Final - I hope - mileage grievance update
Local 34 Executive Board retreat
The County Budget
Seniority list
Hopefully by now, all the wet weather we had in April will have brought us some very nice May flowers.
Dignity & Respect
If not, I want my sunny weather back! The past few months have been busy and I have lots of
Health Care Savings Plan presentations
information to share with you; so buckle up and get ready to read.
Out on leave – really
1. Nominations and elections of delegates for the 2008 AFSCME International Convention: We will take nominations at the May 7, 2008 General
Assembly for five delegates and six alternates to attend the AFSCME International Convention on July 27 - August 1, 2008. It will be held in San
Francisco this year. The Local voted to send our complement of six delegates (the President is an automatic delegate) to the convention. The alternates
will be ranked in order, as, if an elected delegate is unable to attend the convention, the 1 st alternate will fill that delegate position. Expenses covered
are as follows: registration costs; up to five days lost time; seven nights lodging; per diem of $64.00 for seven days; airfare and transportation to & from
the airport in both Minneapolis and San Francisco. Any member interested in putting their name forward for this election should attend the meeting on
May 7th, or send me an e-mail by no later than noon on that day.
2. Nominations and election for the unfilled Member-at-Large position: Only five members put forth their names for the six Member-at-Large Executive
Board positions during the nominations process. Under the terms of our Constitution, the Executive Board will accept nominations from any member in
good standing for one year, from May 1, 2007, at the May 21 E-Board meeting, and will hold an election at that meeting. If you are interested, please
put your name forward either by attending the meeting, held at 5:30 pm in Room 917, Human Services Building (525 Portland Ave S) or by e-mailing 1st
Vice President Wesley Volkenant, by no later than Noon on Tuesday, May 20, 2008. Each candidate will have an opportunity to tell the Board why s/he
is interested in the position, and to answer questions from the Board members before they vote.
3. Mileage grievance update: We have finally reached a resolution to our class action grievance on the mileage policy. This is thanks in no small part to
the hard work of Barbara Harrison, who agreed to sign the grievance as an affected member, Matt Nelson and John Herzog, as well as the ongoing
feedback from our grievants - all of you who had been hit in the pocketbook with the change in the policy effective May 1, 2007. Your unwavering
support and determination made it very clear that you were not satisfied with and unwilling to accept the "just because" response to our question "What
is the basis for this change?" A special thanks goes to Curt Haats, Chief Financial Officer for the Human Services & Public Health Department for all the
time he spent answering our questions and relaying information to us upon request. The background and terms of the resolution to the grievance as
they can be found on the Local 34 web site at http://www.afscmelocal34.org/mileage_policy_changes_in_hennepin_county.htm, so I will not repeat them here.
There are two points that I do want to make about this:
1st - Please make sure that you read the instructions put out by the Department regarding how to determine if your home office meets the criteria
for "Principal Place of Business" and submit the form to your supervisor for approval. Also, you do need to submit your mileage reimbursement
forms for the period from May 1, 2007 through the effective date of the settlement. All back mileage requests will be handled as quickly as
practicable. There is no deadline given, but I would suggest that you submit now – you’ve waited long enough for this conclusion.
2nd - You do not need to be a Social Worker (this is the job class with the largest number of grievants but it is not the only job class) to be one of the
employees affected by this action. We have many other job classes who are "car available" and receive reimbursement for their mileage for client
visits, etc. As long as you work from home and meet the criteria for the "Principal Place of Business", you should check to make sure that you have
been compensated for all of your mileage since May 1, 2007.
Make no mistake, this is a huge victory for our Local and everyone involved deserves a round of applause. The losses faced by our members,
especially in light of the climbing rates at the gas pumps, was growing more prohibitive by the day. We had members thinking about leaving clients
they loved working with, and jobs they loved doing, because the County was not willing to cover the cost of gas for County business – a double loss
for all of us. Thanks to all of you for sticking this one out.
4. Local 34 Executive Board retreat: The officers of the Local attended an all-day retreat on Friday, March 28, 2008. One of the major topics of
discussion was our history and, stemming from that, where do we go from here. The face of our Local, the work that we do, the job classes we
represent, the clients we serve, the way we do business have all changed dramatically since our charter in April 1952. All of that will change even more
in the next ten years or so as we face budget shortfalls, mass retirements of the baby boomers, experience more technological advances which will
bring more changes with how we do our work, and see regionalization, so where we work will change. One issue that we agreed on is that we need to
advocate for ourselves and the work that we do when talking to Managers, Commissioners and the public. Some of the topics we agreed to review are:
look at our Constitution and Standing Rules to update and better define the duties of the officers, review our meeting structure, find ways to attract and
retain stewards, involve new members in Local activities, and develop new Local leaders. We also agreed that we will spend time at each of our
Executive Board meetings to discuss these topics so that our Local can be even more effective than we are now.
Wesley Volkenant put together a terrific Power Point presentation summary of our retreat which he shared with the Executive Board. A big thanks
goes to him for his wonderful summation of all our work. Also, thanks go to Judy Carlson, Council 5 Education Department, for serving as our
facilitator and keeping us in order - a daunting task at best! We have already worked on one topic at our April Executive Board meeting - a calendar
of activities that our Local does on a month-by-month basis as well as those activities we must do monthly. Thanks go to Kela Williams for
managing to capture all the duties and deadlines we lobbed at her. We have trusted that this information be passed on from outgoing officers to
their successors by word of mouth which has proven to be a very effective method –hit or miss at best. Now that we have this in writing, the
information will be readily available to our Local so that we do not miss a deadline in the absence of one of our officers.
For more of Jean’s article, turn back one page!
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May 2008
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