http://www.afscmelocal34.org/
AFSCME Council 5, Local 34, Hennepin County Social Services and Related Employees
L 34 Banner – 09/2009
Issue Contents:
September 2009
General Assembly
Wednesday,
September 2, 2009
5:30 pm
Health Services Bldg,
Room 110
Special accommodations will be
made for our physically
challenged members. Please call
596-1003 or 348-0266 if
arrangements need to be made.
October 2009
General Assembly
Wednesday,
October 14, 2009*
(HSB 110)
*Note the Date Change due to the
Council 5 Convention in Duluth
Local 34 Banner
Hennepin County Board of Commissioners
L to R: Jan Callison, 6th District; Jeff Johnson, 7th District;
Peter McLaughlin, 4th District; Randy Johnson, 5th District;
Mark Stenglein, Vice Chair, 2nd District; Gail Dorfman, 3rd
District; and Mike Opat , Chair, 1st District.
Do You Know Your Board of Commissioners?
This is a great time to get started!
Over the next four months, these seven men and
women will be conducting the business of the County
that directly impacts you. We challenge each one of
you to take a direct role in meeting, observing or
contacting your Commissioners.
There are four important aspects of their service as
Commissioners ahead in these next four months:
1. Adopting a maximum Property Tax Levy
2. Conducting Board Budget Hearings with
the Departments/Service Areas
3. Approving a 2010 Budget on 12/15/09
4. Approving a Contract Settlement with
AFSCME before the end of 2009
September 2009
Page 2 – Local 34 Officers & Stewards,
Workplace Bullying
Page 3 – Highlights from the August
General Assembly, Contacts, Schedules
Page 4 – For Stewards and Members –
Attendance and Tardiness Laws and
Definition, County Rules of Conduct
Page 5 – 2010 AFSCME Family
Scholarship, Economic Stimulus
Package, PEOPLE and Good & Welfare
Page 6 – Update on SLWOP, Health Care
Facts, Non-Profits are Strained
Page 7 – ROWE and Availability, ROWE
Letter to the Editor, Client Service
Delivery Model (CSDM) in HSPHD
Page 8 – Negotiations Get Started in
September, Impact of PELRA
Page 9 – Profiling the Labor Relations
Roles, Labor Day Parade at State Fair
Page 10 – Scott Allard Book on Poverty
Reviewed and Discussed, County Board
Expands Sick Leave in case of Epidemic
Page 11 – High Cost of Obesity, Why Not
Single-Payer Healthcare?, Wasted Dollars
Page 12- Indiana Employees Win in
Court, Nationwide Furloughs, EFCA
Without a Card-Check Provision
Page 13 – Shar Knutson Elected 1st
Woman MN AFL-CIO President, Economic
Impact on Public/Non-Profit Sectors,
Budget Gimmicks, Facebook Woes
Page 14 – VP Moore’s View from the
Cheap Seats – Action Committee and
Property Tax Levy Campaign, Good &
welfare: Thank You Notes
Page 15 – VP Volkenant’s Column –
Health , County Board Schedule, Council
5 Convention, Labor Chorus, TBI Fight
Page 16 – President Diederich’s Column:
APEX, MAT, Census, Convention, Negotiations
-1-
Note: Submissions for the Oct. 2009 newsletter should be sent to the Editor by Friday, Sept. 18. Submissions for the Nov. 2009 newsletter will be due by Oct. 16.
Local 34 Officers & Stewards
President:
Jean Diederich
Vice Presidents:
Vicki Moore
Wesley Volkenant
Chief Stewards:
Cliff Robinson
Cathy Cowden
Recording Secretary:
Rita Salone
Treasurer:
Patrick Regan
Membership Secretary:
Kela Williams
Sergeant-At-Arms:
Chalmers Davis
Members-At-Large:
Andrea Lazo-Rice
Ibrahim Adam
Angel Alexander
Jacquelin Poole
Jacqueline Coleman
Randy Duncan
Stewards:
8/1/09
348-0266 – 880
348-5939 – 140
348-9592 – 630
348-7542 – 961
543-0301 – L890
596-1003 – L890
348-8760 – L890
596-0954 – 630
521-3056 – N704
348-2249 – 959
348-2313 – 961
596-1863 – 630
348-4246 – 961
543-2605 – N706
348-2368 – 612
Zachary Rice
348-2274, Century Plaza 1
Ester Killion
596-7858, Century Plaza 1
Mara Hill
596-0947, Century Plaza 2
Miguel Salazar
596-7465, Century Plaza 2
Nancy Scarlotta
348-9452, Century Plaza 2
Fatuma Kassim
596-8457, Century Plaza 2
Halima Said
596-1761, Century Plaza 2
Jamoda Williams
596-8948, Century Plaza 4
Nafisa Farah
348-8787, C Plaza 4- ComHlth
Diane Fossen
543-2506, NorthPoint Dental
Shawnice Reid
543-2699, NorthPoint Medical
James Stevenson
596-9220, STS
Jim Edin
763-221-4443, STS
Phillip Gray
348-5771, Juvenile Justice Ctr
Terry Grace
348-7308, Juvenile Justice Ctr
Aboubker Ouassaddine 543-0373, Family Justice Ctr
Bob Velez
543-0323, Family Justice Ctr
Keyur Desai
348-3611, Family Justice Ctr
Kathy Kelly
348-6593, Family Justice Ctr
Susan Frame
348-0293, Govt Center A15
Brian Arneson
348-7641, Govt Center A16
Carolyn Johnson
348-8586, Govt Center A16
Monica Jochmans
348-4192, HSB 5
Penny Wile
348-7133, HSB 9
Kristine Heckler
752-8332, Crystal Drop-in Ctr.
Elena Izaksonas
521-3056, 4th Precinct Station
Ed Kusleika
(596-0153), ACF – HomeMonitor
Pamela Shones
763-413-3113, 1800 Chicago
Maureen Glover
348-4492, 1800 Chicago
Dennis Moore
879-3560, 1800 Chicago
Jeff Meyer
348-5880, 1800 Chicago
Martha Dille
348-2765, Grain Exchange
Barbara Olson
612-543-1325, MHP Telecommuter
Trustees
Audie Lussier, Osman Aweis, Vacant
Delta Dental Trustee
Monica Jochmans
Local 34 Banner
Healthy Workplace Issues:
Workplace Bullying as a Public Health Concern
Those of us who favor stronger organizational and legal
responses to workplace bullying must do a better job of
articulating it as a critical public health issue. A 2007 national
public opinion survey conducted by Zogby International
pollsters in partnership with the Workplace Bullying Institute certainly verifies that
bullying at work is a public health concern, with 37 percent of respondents reporting that
they have experienced workplace bullying at some point in their work lives, and 45
percent of these bullying targets reporting stress-related health consequences. Other
studies have put the frequency of bullying even higher.
The percentage of workers who experience bullying at work is comparable to the
percentage of children who experience bullying at school. However, although some 35
states have enacted various laws dealing with school bullying, as of this writing no state
has enacted a specific workplace bullying statute. Here in the U.S., those concerned
with school bullying are demonstrating success in characterizing it as a public health
problem.
Transnational bodies such as the World Health Organization and International Labour
Organisation have recognized the costs of workplace bullying to workers and employers,
and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has hosted roundtable
discussions of experts on workplace bullying, linking it to workplace violence. Hopefully
these are signs that we are closer to classifying the widespread and destructive effect of
workplace bullying as a legitimate public health concern.
David Yamada, “Minding the Workplace”
http://newworkplace.wordpress.com/2009/07/30/workplace-bullying-as-a-public-health-concern/
Why Severe Workplace Bullying Can be
So Traumatic
Why is severe, malicious workplace bullying so traumatic for
many targets? A 1992 book by University of Massachusetts
psychologist Ronnie Janoff-Bulman, Shattered Assumptions:
Towards a New Psychology of Trauma, offers valuable insights.
According to Janoff-Bulman, victims of intentional, malevolent harm may find that the
mistreatment they experienced fractured their core beliefs about human relationships.
They now face unique and difficult psychological challenges:
Although the ruthlessness of the perpetrators may differ, survivors of intentional, humaninduced victimization suddenly confront the existence of evil and question the trustworthiness
of people. They experience humiliation and powerlessness and question their own role in the
victimization. . . . These survivors are forced to acknowledge the existence of evil and the
possibility of living in a morally bankrupt universe. The world is suddenly a malevolent one,
not simply because something bad happened to the victim but because the world of people is
seriously tainted. Trust in others is seriously disturbed.
Janoff-Bulman used “Shattered Assumptions” as the title for her book because the
traumatization process involves the shattering of three commonly held, fundamental
beliefs “about ourselves, the external world, and the relationship between the two”:
The world is benevolent.
The world is meaningful.
The self is worthy.
Few of us would be so naive as to think that work will be free of the normal ups and
downs of human interaction. But workplace bullying, at least in its severe form
(repeated, malicious, and health endangering), goes horribly beyond “normal.”
Janoff-Bulman’s conceptualization reminds me of so many conversations I’ve had with
bullying targets who characterized their experiences as a profound and stunning breach
of trust. Understandably, they often approach their next jobs with a high level of alert
and apprehension.
David Yamada, “Minding the Workplace”
http://newworkplace.wordpress.com/2009/07/25/why-severe-workplace-bullying-can-be-so-traumatizing/
September 2009
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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 612-543-0353
Internet Web Site Developer:
John Herzog – 952-492-5233
UPCOMING LOCAL 34
MEETING SCHEDULE
September
2nd General Assembly - HSB 110
16th E-Board - HSB 917
October
14th* General Assembly - HSB 110
21st E-Board - HSB 817*
September 2009
S M T W T F S
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30
October 2009
S M T W T F S
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Upcoming AFSCME Training
Basic Steward Training
Council 5 Office
September 2-3
Financial Responsibility Training
Brainerd (Baxter) Holiday Inn Express
September 9
Who We Are
AFSCME’s 1.6 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
Highlights from the August General Assembly—August 5, 2009
Officers attending were: Jean Diederich, Wes Volkenant, Cliff Robinson, Vicki Moore,
Chalmers Davis, Patrick Regan, Rita Salone, Jacquelin Poole, Angel Alexander, Kela Williams,
Cathy Cowden, Jacqueline Coleman, Andrea Lazo-Rice and Randy Duncan
Excused Absence: Ibrahim Adam
Written Reports were submitted by Vice Presidents Volkenant and Moore, by Chief Steward
Cowden, by Treasurer Regan, by Membership Secretary Williams, and by Business
Representative Nelson. Highlights: 1) Treasurer Regan reported that we have spent 76% of
our Total Yearly Budget as of July 2009. However, in July we only spent about 28% of the
month’s income, and our Local’s assets were very sound. 2) Membership Secretary
Williams reported six new Local 34 members and addressed a PEOPLE drive underway at
Century Plaza. 3) Much of VP Volkenant’s report is in his column on page 15, but his report
also shared personal thoughts on the eve of negotiations and the connections he sees
between our lowest-paid County workers and the poverty we see around us. 4) Chief
Steward Cowden attended Council 5 Chief Steward training in July, she reported that we
continue to deal with a number of discipline issues, as well as ROWE challenges, and she
reported that the stewards will meet September 22nd for their quarterly training session. 5)
VP Moore reported on the changed days for HSPHD Meet and Confer and our intention to
address ROWE at the August meeting. She also reported on her work with the Hennepin
Action Committee, as it plans actions and activities during Negotiations, around the theme
of “Doing Our Part.” Later, VP Moore also reported receiving many responses to her July
newsletter article on SW licensure issues. 6) Business Representative Nelson updated us
on grievances, in particular how APEX changes will impact the stability pay grievance. He
also reported on a series of meetings with the County Board Commissioners, addressing
our response to the SLWOP program and the impact the Governor’s choices is having on
HCMC, as their uncompensated care woes impact our budgeting process. Finally, he
outlined the Negotiations schedule.
The Local approved sending 34 delegates (76 were possible) to the 2009 AFSCME Council
5 Convention in Duluth, October 8-10, paying for two days’ lost time, three nights’ lodging
(in the Sheraton), $35/day per diem, and mileage. Delegates will be elected at the
September 2 General Assembly.
Local 34 approved a motion recommending acceptance of changes in our contract
language as noted in the Letter of Understanding re: APEX, which was mailed to the
membership. This will result in positive changes for part-time staff, in particular.
The Local approved a motion to cover mileage for appropriate participants attending
follow-up LULA training in St. Cloud (at the Civic Center) on September 12.
The Local approved a $100 contribution to the 2009 Game Fair in Ramsey, as requested
by the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation.
Chief Steward Robinson reported on a contract ‘housekeeping’ item – Psychiatric Social
Workers at the County Home School are now known as Correctional Counselors. He also
reported on our continuing efforts to deal with spurious disciplinary decisions by
Management in locations such as 1800 Chicago Chemical Health, NorthPoint and MHP.
Vern Wagner and Chris Cowen (Council 5) updated us on Action Committee efforts for this
year’s negotiations, handing out schedule cards for the Board sessions on Levy and
Budget, and passing around Phone Bank sign-up sheet. This year’s theme is “Doing Our
Part” and among those in Local 34 taking an active Action Committee role are: Vicki
Moore, Sally Hoover, Andrea Lazo-Rice, and the Committee Chair, Vern Wagner. A
membership event is being considered for the week of September 21.
The General Assembly adopted one Supplemental Negotiation item to submit to the
Master Committee. Submitted by Wes Volkenant, it will be available to members to read
and consider on or after September 8, when the Union proposal is sent to Labor Relations,
and then posted at the Council’s Hennepin Negotiations website (and at the Local 34 site).
We decided not to submit one proposal rejected in previous years because HSPHD
management has indicated its own interest in pursuing changes for that classification.
President Diederich reported on two items: 1) the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation list
of Local 34 delegates is not up-to-date. It will be dealt with at the August E-Board meeting;
2) we’ve had a request to help the organizing efforts at a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)
center in Duluth – site of the Council 5 convention. Our Social Workers have been asked to
sign a petition objecting to the use of taxpayer dollars in fighting the union-organizing
campaign; a copy of the Local 34 response is on page 15 of this newsletter. Our Local
strongly supports the Duluth workers fighting their TBI employer.
September 2009
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New to the County?
Just transferred into Local 34?
To sign up as a union member or to get
answers to questions about AFSCME and
membership benefits, please complete this
form and send it to:
Kela Williams, Membership Secretary
CP – mail code 630 – 612-596-0954
Name _______________________________
Job Title
_____________________________________
Work Location
_____________________________________
Mail Code _________
Phone _________________
I’m especially interested:
□
□
I want to sign up as a member
I want to sign up for Delta Dental
To receive Delta Dental Insurance information:
contact Cindy Pince at Council 5– 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 on the front page. 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.
Do You Have Friends Who Would Like
to Receive Our Newsletter?
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…
 Send an e-mail to the following address:
cwvolkenant@msn.com
 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. For Netscape users, you may need to
press “Reload” to get the most version. You can also
access us from our Local 34 Website at:
http://www.afscmelocal34.org
Local 34 Banner
For Our Stewards and Members Who Need Assistance:
Questions have been coming up concerning Attendance and
Tardiness policies, especially as HSPHD moves into a ROWE
(Results-Only Work Environment).
Here are two articles on these issues from the US Legal website:
Attendance Law & Legal Definition
Attendance in the employment context is a primary job function. Most
employees must be present at their job site on a regularly scheduled basis to do
their jobs. Most employers have a policy that addresses all the issues of
attendance, including lateness, sickness, personal business, family and medical
leave, and disability concerns. An attendance policy is used to set objective
criteria for when absenteeism requires disciplinary action.
http://definitions.uslegal.com/a/attendance/
Tardiness Law & Legal Definition
Tardiness - Employer policies require employees to be at work on time, ready to
perform the duties of their position. Continuity of service, coverage, and
production all rely on the dependability of staff being at work, on time, and
prepared to perform the duties of their position. An employee who is frequently
tardy, is usually subject to discipline. Docking of pay is permissible under
certain conditions. An employee is considered tardy when he/she fails to report
for duty at the time scheduled and/or fails to return to duty promptly at any
point during their normal schedule.
Employers often take a progressive disciplinary approach to tardiness.
Counseling therefore becomes essential to the process of correcting an
employee's tardiness problem. The steps taken in progressive discipline may
be:
 verbal counseling
 written warning
 letter of reprimand
 suspension
http://definitions.uslegal.com/t/tardiness/
Next, here’s an employer which clearly identifies attendance and tardiness for employees:
 http://hr.uchicago.edu/policy/p502.html
What does Hennepin County say about attendance and tardiness?
SECTION 16: RULES OF CONDUCT
16.3 General Rules of Conduct
g. No employee shall conduct himself/herself in any manner which shall reflect
negatively on the County. Such conduct will be considered to be misconduct (or
gross misconduct) and shall be subject to disciplinary action unless the
employee can prove to the appointing authority the existence of significant
mitigating circumstances sufficient to modify or eliminate the disciplinary
action.
Such conduct shall include, but not be limited to, the following behaviors:
tardiness and/or absenteeism….
We have found that there is no specific definition to be found in the contract, the
Administrative Rules, or the HSPHD Administrative Manual. Check with your appropriate
service area for further instructions.
Attendance Policy Discussions on the Internet include:
 http://www.fodors.com/community/fodorite-lounge/workplace-attendance-policy.cfm
 http://www.employer-employee.com/absent.html
 http://www.hrhero.com/topics/absenteeism.html
 http://www.shrm.org/Publications/HRNews/Pages/TardinessTermination.aspx
September 2009
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Good and Welfare
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 –
as defined in the Contract.
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.
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).
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.
Please send all requests for remembrances to
the co-Chairs for the Good and Welfare
Committee - Lisa Durkot (MC 965), Marcia
Dietz (MC L890) or Merry Brigham (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.
2010 AFSCME
Family
Scholarship:
 10
Scholarships
 $2000/year
 For a
graduating H.S.
senior whose
parent or
guardian or
responsible
grandparent is
an AFSCME
member
 Full-time
degree
program at
four-year school
 Deadline –
December 31,
2009
 New Labor Department numbers show that employers cut just 247,000 jobs in July,
“the fewest in a year, and the unemployment rate dipped to 9.4 percent. It was a
better than expected showing that offered a strong signal that the recession is
finally ending.”
 A report card on the stimulus plan offered by economists suggests “increased
government spending has helped the economy begin to bottom out faster than it
would have otherwise.” “Government — federal, state and local — is helping take the
economy from recession to recovery, said Allen L. Sinai, chief economist at Decision
Economics. “I think it’s the primary contributor.”
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/07/thinkfast-august-7-2009/#comments
 Hennepin County Rolls Out New Website to Track Economic Stimulus Projects
and Funding - June 25, 2009
Sign Up for the PEOPLE Fund
Hennepin County has rolled out a new website which shows the progress and results the
county has achieved in securing federal stimulus funds and implementing projects. The
Hennepin County Board has been approving projects since last February to be submitted
to the federal government for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act. The program is providing billions of dollars in funding nationwide for infrastructure,
job training, education, health care, housing, transportation and other projects. A chief
goal of the program is to create jobs and support economic recovery.
The AFSCME People Fund is AFSCME’s political
action fund, and is used to support our endorsed
candidates. If many members voluntarily pledge as
little as $2.00 a payroll period, our ability to get our
endorsed candidates elected will be greatly
enhanced. At $4.00 per pay period, a contributor
receives an AFSCME green jacket. Please contact
Jacqueline Coleman at 543-2605 to sign up now!
The new Hennepin website provides a funding overview, including a status report about
where projects are in the pipeline for funding, when funding is expected and when it has
been awarded. Projects are categorized on the site under the five main areas of funding
affecting the county – environment, health and human services, housing and urban
development, justice, and transportation. Hennepin County chief goals are to promote
projects that create jobs, support a greener county, and ensure transparency and
accountability on the use of funds. As projects progress, information on the website will
show the number of jobs generated and the impact of projects on the community.
http://www.co.hennepin.mn.us/portal/site/HCInternet/menuitem.f25c437125254e89710ece04b1466498/?vgnex
toid=6018080b40d12210VgnVCM10000049114689RCRD
Local 34 Banner
September 2009
-5-
Data from Nonprofits Reveals Strained Safety Net and Growing Human Needs
SLWOP - Updated
Labor Relations/Human Resources released this detailed
breakdown of SLWOP commitments as of July 2009, by
Departments, by AFSCME Locals, by other organized groups,
by Managers/Supervisors/Directors vs. employees, etc.
The categories shown below are for:
1) Total Employees in Department
2) Number Committed to SLWOP
3) % Participating
4) SLWOP Hrs. Committed
5) Budget Savings ($)
Grand Totals - 7494
50%
103,308
Countywide - Dircts/Mgrs/Supvrs –
1120
740
66% 18,622.5
3771
$747,182
Countywide – Employees 6374
3031 48%
84,757.5
$2,333,073
All AFSCME Units –
4129
2076 50%
$1,467,089
58,204.7
$3,080,255
AFSCME 34 - Social Service Unit –
1914
1024 54%
29,444.7
$800,917
All non-AFSCME Units –
1322
278
21%
7,647.8
$240,450
All Non -Organized –
2043
1417 69%
$1,372,715
37,527.5
Non-Organized Dircts/Mgrs/Supvrs –
835
607
73% 15,057.9
$605,597
Non-Organized Employees –
1208 810
67% 22,469.6
$767,119
Some Departments' Figures:
NorthPoint Health & Wellness –
138
52
38%
1,380.0
$42,899
Community Corrections & Rehab –
1004 326* (347 have taken) 32% (*34%) 8,403.6 $265,227
Metropolitan Health Plan –
151
90
60%
2,501.5
$77,209
Human Services & Public Health –
2777 1684
61% 47,385.1
$1,381,982
Health Care - Facts and Figures!
 The number of uninsured Americans reached 47 million in
2006, and it continues to rise.
 An estimated 2.3 million more people are losing health
coverage each year. Every day, 14,000 Americans lose
their health coverage.
 Only 81% of the public currently has some sort of health
insurance coverage. More than 5 million Americans, ages
55-64, do not have health insurance. In 2006, there were
nearly 2,713,000 people between the ages of 25 and 64
living in Minnesota. Of those, 9.9 percent were uninsured.
 Forty-one percent of women earning between $40,000 to
$60,000 a year spent more than 10 percent of income on
out-of-pocket healthcare costs. That’s an increase of 20
percent between 2001 and 2007.
 The average monthly unemployment benefit is $1,432 and
the monthly cost of a family health insurance plan is
$1,057, not including the deductibles or co-pays for
prescriptions or doctor and hospital visits.
 The “donut hole” coverage gap in Medicare Part D means
that each year about one in four seniors will spend several
months paying full price for their prescriptions while still
having to pay their premiums.
 Eighteen thousand Americans die every year for a lack of
access to health care.
Local 34 Banner
By Scott Russell | Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009
http://www.minnpost.com/stories/2009/08/13/10858/data_from_nonprofits_reveals_strained_safety_net_and_growing_human_needs
 Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis reported 4,577 household visits to its Branch
I food shelf in the first half of 2009, a 43 percent increase compared to the same period
last year.
 Family & Children's Services has seen large increases in requests for subsidized counseling
— with 360 clients served in the first quarter of 2009 compared to 86 in the first two
quarters of 2008.
 The Phyllis Wheatley Community Center in north Minneapolis says 40 percent of families
with children in its early childhood program are delinquent paying fees.
The data comes from MAP for Nonprofits, which administered a $5 million emergency grant
program for the Pohlad Family Foundation. Agencies got up to $90,000 and have to spend it
between July 1 and Dec. 31, a sort of mini human-services stimulus plan. As part of the grant
application this spring, agencies had to quantify the growth in demand for services.
Waiting Lists and Unanswered Calls
According to MAP's summary, waiting lists and overstretched services are commonplace.
 Project for Pride in Living reported a 20 percent increase in demand for job training
programs, in one case "with 1,200 people competing for a program designed to serve 85."
 The Bridge for Runaway Youth reported more shelter stays, walk-in crisis sessions and
families needing crisis counseling in 2008 compared to 2007. It closed the waiting list for
its Transitional Living Program, and the waiting list for case management and support is up
58 percent.
 The Community-University Health Care Center, which serves low-income families in south
Minneapolis, is getting 2,200 scheduling calls a week, 1,000 more than can be answered.
 Family & Children's Services reported up to a six-week wait for counseling services because
of increased demand. President Molly Greenman said the longer waits happen in particular
for working families who have limited options for hours. "A six-week wait when you are
dealing with issues like depression or violence or family conflict or a kid who has ADHD is
pretty unbearable," she said. "A wait of six weeks is equivalent to no service at all."
Tight Budgets
Many foundations and philanthropists have focused on meeting basic needs. The federal
stimulus package has helped in some cases. Yet clearly money is tight from both government
and givers. Family & Children's Services offers a range of programs, including anti-violence
work, family support and counseling. Its budget is down $600,000, or 10 percent, in 2009.
Greenman is working on the 2010 budget now, "a very sobering task," she said. Tim Benz,
vice president of development and communications for Catholic Charities of St. Paul and
Minneapolis, said in the fiscal year just ended June 30, the organization had raised $8.15
million in individual and corporate giving, a 10 percent drop. "Revenues are lagging behind
demand, no doubt about it."
The Community-University Health Care Center (CUHHC) has benefited from stimulus money,
but its budget has only increased modestly, from $11.8 million in 2006 to a projected $12.9
million in 2010. That's less than a 10 percent increase spread over four years. Colleen
McDonald, director of development and programs for CUHHC, said uncompensated care
(sliding fee write-offs and bad debt) has doubled in two years, from $384,514 in 2006 to
$780,912 in 2008. "The false impression that some folks have had is that since we are
getting economic stimulus money, we don't need any more help," she said.
More Uninsured?
With health care reform on the front burner, a couple of stats jumped out.
The Community-University Health Care Clinic saw 10,667 unduplicated patients in 2008, up
15 percent from the previous year. Twenty-six percent of them didn't have insurance. Since
receiving federal stimulus money in February, McDonald said the Center has served 1,094
new medical patients—38 percent of whom are uninsured. "An additional 173 established
medical patients had lost their insurance coverage during this time," she wrote.
Catholic Charities has a prenatal care program that serves uninsured and low-income women
in partnership with Health East. It saw a 91 percent increase in demand, from 411 served in
the first three quarters of fiscal year 2008 to 784 in the first three quarters of 2009.
Stephanie Abel works at the program and said they see people who are falling through the
cracks. "They are working poor and make 'too much money' to be eligible for state-funded
assistance, but don't make enough money to pay for insurance on their own," she said.
Scott Russell covers nonprofits and can be reached at srussell@minnpost.com.
September 2009
-6-
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor:
Hennepin County Human Services & Public Health
Department is in the midst of the ROWE pilot with 500
employees. ROWE stands for Results Only Work
Environment. The pilot is funded by MNDot. Their
interest is in managing traffic. ROWE originated in
the metro corporate world. More information about
ROWE is available on the intranet.
It would be good to wait for the evaluation of the
pilot, perhaps as early as November, 2009. In the
meantime, there are questions. The pilot is the first
known incidence, across the country, that ROWE is
being tried in a government setting.
In the
‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section of the Intranet
ROWE section, we read "some jobs (making widgets)
are easier to figure out than others (servicing customers)
but in the end, every job can be measured." The Social
Service environment goes beyond the private sector
distinctions of production/information/service areas.
There is a difference between customer service and
client service. The measurement of the difference
may be tricky.
"Results" is a key word in the program title. There is
a lack of detail to date in information about goals and
measurement. Again from the FAQ section on the
Intranet, as well as the introductory article, we read
two statements: “(1) Mangers and employees work
together to set clear expectations and measurements,"
and (2) "You [managers/ supervisors] can still be there
for your people [when they are off-office-site] by giving
them clear goals and expectations." In the Social
Service field, there has been research into
management styles. One model finds four types of
styles: dominance, influencing others, steadiness,
cautiousness/ compliance to their standards (Carlson
Learning Company, 1992.) Some managers will have
a personal style that is far from the philosophy of
ROWE.
There are teams in ROWE. They are organized
around tasks, and may evolve to be more ad hoc and
short-term. Other legitimate reasons for teams exist
in the world, such as understanding of overall
mission and direction. ROWE may short-change the
range of work conversation. Another Intranet quote
states, "If your manager sets unrealistic expectations or
piles on too much work, then...it's your job to stand up for
what best services the business." My idea is that not
only are we responsible to act as individuals at work,
but we act as members of legitimate groups.
AFSCME is one such group, for example. ROWE may
tend to isolate workers. As a group, we can try to
keep up with new developments together.
Sharon Burton
Front Door at The Village
Local 34 Banner
ROWE:
One of the interesting questions that comes up in ROWE discussion is “how are you
available when you’re not working?” From the Blog site “Cali&Jody” by ROWE cofounders Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson, comes this July 30 response
(http://caliandjody.com/blog/)…
“Ultimately, this question gets to how much technology has changed things. In 1950,
when you were sleeping, you really weren’t available by any means - you were
completely unavailable. But today, as one ROWE session participant put it, “I guess my
virtual self is always available.” In other words, when you’re sleeping, you’re still able
to receive information or be asked questions through e-mail, voice-mail, etc. The key is
that you decide when you will receive the information or respond to the questions.
Always available to receive, but not always available to respond… “
Client Service Delivery Model :
In March 2009, the Exec. Committee made three key decisions that move us into the future:
1. Approved an integrated Client Service Delivery Model for the department.
2. Determined that major functions within this new model will be managed across the department,
rather than within a specific service area.
3. Agreed to take the next several months to define an organizational and
management structure to fully implement this model by mid 2010.
Testing the Client Service Delivery Model (CSDM)
What originally began as the development of a business process model for regionalization has
transformed into the Client Service Delivery Model (CSDM) that all of HSPHD will use. The CSDM
incorporates the work from several of our redesign efforts including Children's Services, Adult
Services, Case Management, Call Center and Regionalization. Implementation of the CSDM will
affect everyone in HSPHD, not just those who will move to a regional hub site.
Before implementing the Client Service Delivery Model across HSPHD, we are testing the process
to find out what works and what we may need to modify. From approximately September through
December 2009 the third floor of Century Plaza will become the CSDM test site. It will simulate
the new model and house 75 staff from eligibility, social services and support areas.
We are testing CSDM from a regional perspective. Since the Northwest region will be our first hub
site, we will route clients from zip codes 55428, 55429 and 55430 to participate in the test.
Clients will experience the test environment as soon as they enter Century Plaza's third floor lobby,
working with integrated teams to access services and complete a Broader Needs Assessment.
From an August 13, 2009 E-Mail from Debbie Erickson, Supervisor, Eligibility Supports Access Team:
What is CSDM? What is the impact on you?
In Fall 2010 all of HSPHD will transition to a new model for client service delivery called The
Client Service Delivery Model (CSDM). This innovative approach to increase our effectiveness in
providing services to clients will affect how each of us performs our jobs and integrates our
processes. Much of this work will be accomplished with teams -- Integrated Service Teams,
Initial Consultation Teams, Access Teams, Specialty Teams and Process Teams.
How will Things Change for Eligibility Supports? Differences in the Old and New Way of Doing Business
Old
Separate check-in areas for Adults and Family
clients
MFIP group orientations
HSR interviewers are specialists (Family or
Adult)
Applications taken by individual teams
Cases processed by the team that took the
application
Teams interview only clients that are assigned
to them
There are several supervisors for interviewers
The Adult’s area has no Team Service Center
for walk-ins
September 2009
New
One check-in area that screens for both Adults
and Families.
Individual MFIP orientations
HSR interviewers are generalists
Applications taken by an ES Access team
Cases processed by processing staff
ES Access Team interviews all walk-in clients (for
the test clients are from the zip codes 55428,
55429 and 55430 in the NW Region)
There is one supervisor for the ES Access Team
A Team Service Center exists for all walk-in
clients.
-7-
We Didn’t Always Have a Right to
Negotiate Our Contracts: PELRA
http://www.rnoon.com/law_for_laymen/education/pelra.html
The Public Employee Relations Act, Minnesota Statutes
Chapter 179A, regulates the relationship between public
employer and employee in Minnesota. PELRA, like other
similar statutes in other states, seeks the balance the
legitimate desire of labor to organize against the need of
the public to maintain essential services. Public labor
relations carry over many issues from private employment,
but with special public sector wrinkles.
Public employees actually have two separate areas of
influence over their working conditions. One arises from
their rights and obligations as employees of their public
employer. The second arises from their voting power as
citizens, and their ability to organize powerful political
action and lobbying organizations.
Fifty years ago, this was not the case. Public employees
were not effectively organized. The teaching profession
viewed the union movement with suspicion, and regarded
collective bargaining as inconsistent with professional
obligations. Public employees lacked the right to strike or
to engage in collective bargaining, for national labor laws
did not extend their protection to public employees. PELRA
now establishes the right of public employees to engage in
collective bargaining. It also contains some modest
protections for public employees who are not in collective
bargaining units.
Employee Rights and Obligations
Minnesota Statutes Section 179A.06 lists the rights and
obligations of public employees. They include:
 Expression of views An employee has the right to
express or communicate a view, grievance, complaint, or
opinion on any matter related to the conditions or
compensation of public employment or their betterment,
so long as this is not designed to and does not interfere
with the full faithful and proper performance of the
duties of employment or circumvent the rights of the
exclusive representative.
 Right to organize This includes the right by secret ballot
to designate an exclusive representative to negotiate
grievance procedures and the terms and conditions of
employment with their employer. Confidential employees,
supervisory employees, principals, and assistant principals
may form their own organizations. There are limitations on
the rights of confidential and supervisory employees.
 Fair share fee A collective bargaining unit may assess
dues on public employees who are not members. The statute
establishes a grievance procedure to challenge the amount
of these fees.
 Meet and Confer Labor law establishes certain decisions
which belong to management, and are thus not subject to
collective bargaining. Professional employees may meet to
discuss terms of employment which would historically not be
subject to collective bargaining.
 Meet and negotiate To engage in public employee
collective bargaining.
 Dues check off To require the employer to cooperate
with dues withholding to the bargaining representative.
Local 34 Banner
September: Negotiations Get Underway
Within the next two months, your AFSCME negotiators hope to produce a fair contract
settlement for you to vote on before the end of this year. Here is our planned
schedule of negotiations:
 September 8 – AFSCME submits its initial proposal to Hennepin County Labor
Relations. All seven Hennepin AFSCME bargaining units (Locals 34, 2822
(Clerical), 1719 (Correction Officers), 2864 (Library & Professional), 552
(Probation & Parole), 2938 (Legal Unit and Legal Essential Unit) have come
together to put forward a joint proposal (and each Local may have a handful of
Supplemental issues it will be proposing). This proposal will be on the web site.
 September 14 – First Face-to-Face Negotiation Session. Hennepin County will
submit its initial proposal in response to the AFSCME proposal. Rules for the
sessions will be agreed to, introductions will be made, and some of the
“housekeeping” pieces will get acted on first – changing dates, for example.
With a shorter, tighter schedule, it is possible both sides may make an additional
proposal at the first session. You will receive an AFSCME Table Talk contrasting
both sides’ positions after this session.
 September 29 – Second Negotiation Session. This will be on a Tuesday due to
the Yom Kippur scheduling conflict on September 28.
 October 19 – Third Negotiation Session.
 November 2 – Fourth Negotiation Session (1st Session with a State Mediator).
By this time, both sides will have met face-to-face for nearly 20 hours, and there
may have been as many as a half-dozen counter-proposals submitted by each
side. Whether there has been progress or stalemate, the Mediator(s) will
separate both parties and begin the task of listening to each side and bringing
the proposals back-and-forth to each group.
 November 16 – Final Scheduled Negotiation Session (2nd Session with a State
Mediator). A settlement could be reached before this date, though traditionally
this date has resulted in all-night/into-the-next-day sessions that have brought a
final settlement that goes to the membership – and the County Board. The
County Board – in particular, the County Board Chair – is a very interested
observer and potential late participant in arriving at the settlement proposal.
Since the 1993 negotiations that did not reach settlement until the Spring of
1994, these mid-November sessions have resulted in settlements that could be
approved before the end of the year.
 Late November/Early December – Contract Settlements Printed Out for
Members/Votes Held in Each Local to Approve Contract Agreements.
Negotiation sessions will primarily be held in the Government Center Auditorium
(except the re-scheduled 2nd Session and potentially the Mediation Sessions). The first
three sessions are scheduled from 2:30 - @8:00pm; the two Mediation sessions are
scheduled to start at 9:00am.
How Can You Help? This year, once again, a number of members are volunteering
their time as part of the “Action Team.” Please join in on the activities and events
that they schedule in concert with our various stages of negotiations. Our phone tree
efforts and Table Talks will keep you informed of negotiation updates and upcoming
events. Watch for the Hennepin AFSCME locals to bring the membership together in a
mid-to-late September activity.
Most of you have not and will not participate in our Negotiations sessions. Our three
Hennepin Business Representatives – Matt Nelson, Steve Marincel and Jeff Dains
speak for all of us to Labor Relations’ Director Bill Peters, at a front table. Your Table
Team representatives fill one side of the Auditorium (and later will likely spread out in
one of the County’s courtrooms) opposite their Management counterparts. On page 9,
we take a closer look at some of those key roles in this process. Each round, AFSCME
hires one of its own to be its note taker during the sessions; in 2005, Wes Volkenant
of Local 34 filled that role; this year, Alexis McCarthy of Local 34 will do the same.
These sessions require coolness “under fire”, especially as negotiations near their end.
Optimally, both sides seek “win-win” results and an agreeable settlement.
September 2009
-8-
Save This Date! Labor Day – September 7, 2009 – Labor Day Parade at the Minnesota State Fair
Who are the People that Represent
Hennepin County vs. the Labor
Representatives from AFSCME?
In Hennepin County, Labor Relations (with assistance
from representatives of the Human Resources
Department – such as the Benefits office) represents the
County/the County Board in negotiations. They are led
by Bill Peters, who is joined by Greg Failor, Christine
Yates and Jennifer Peterson, who are the direct Labor
Relations’ reps for the six AFSCME locals. See the job
descriptions at the right.
From the: Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2008-09 Edition: Human Resources, Training,
and Labor Relations Managers and Specialists:
Employee Relations. An organization’s director of
industrial relations forms labor policy, oversees
industrial labor relations, negotiates collective bargaining
agreements, and coordinates grievance procedures to
handle complaints resulting from management disputes
with unionized employees. The director of industrial
relations also advises and collaborates with the director
of human resources, other managers, and members of
their staff, because all aspects of human resources
policy—such as wages, benefits, pensions, and work
practices—may be involved in drawing up a new or
revised union contract.
Labor relations managers and their staffs implement
industrial labor relations programs. Labor relations
specialists prepare information for management to use
during collective bargaining agreement negotiations, a
process that requires the specialist to be familiar with
economic and wage data and to have extensive
knowledge of labor law and collective bargaining trends.
The labor relations staff interprets and administers the
contract with respect to grievances, wages and salaries,
employee welfare, health care, pensions, union and
management practices, and other contractual
stipulations. As union membership continues to decline in
most industries, industrial relations personnel are working
more often with employees who are not members of a
labor union.
Dispute resolution—attaining tacit or contractual
agreements—has become increasingly significant as
parties to a dispute attempt to avoid costly litigation,
strikes, or other disruptions. Dispute resolution also has
become more complex, involving employees,
management, unions, other firms, and government
agencies. Specialists involved in dispute resolution must
be highly knowledgeable and experienced, and often
report to the director of industrial relations. Conciliators,
or mediators, advise and counsel labor and
management to prevent and resolve disputes over labor
agreements or other labor relations issues. Arbitrators,
occasionally called umpires or referees, decide disputes
that bind both labor and management to specific terms
and conditions of labor contracts. Labor relations
specialists who work for unions perform many of the
same functions on behalf of the union and its members.
Class Title: Labor Relations Director – Bill Peters
Under general direction, performs work involving the direction of the County’s Labor
Relations activities, and develops, negotiates and administers the County’s labor
contracts and agreements.
Job Functions (Duties/Responsibilities):
1. Assists the County’s Administration in the development of appropriate positions
regarding employee relations.
2. Participates in and directs staff in the negotiation of agreements with the County
employees through their formal representations.
3. Communicates county alternatives together with Union demands to appropriate
departmental and management officials in the County and recommends policy
positions.
4. Assists departments in developing appropriate positions on contract demands,
grievance issues and other labor relations matters affecting their particular
department.
5. Assists departments in the development of negotiating teams.
6. Meets with various employee organizations and management groups and
communicates laws and policy affecting County operations as they relate to labor
relations.
7. Informs County Administrator and other appropriate officials of the status of
bargaining as it progresses.
8. Participates with Human Resources staff in strategic planning regarding
compensation practices and procedures.
9. Supervises the development and maintenance of appropriate labor relations data
and records.
10. Represents the County in proceedings such as bargaining unit determination
hearings and appeals, mediation and arbitration of labor agreements and arbitration
of grievances.
Class Title:
Labor Relations Advocate –
Greg Failor, Christine Yates, Jennifer Peterson
Under direction, performs work in the administration of all employee/labor relations
activities.
Job Functions (Duties/Responsibilities):
1. Represents Hennepin County in the collective bargaining and negotiations
processes with employee bargaining units.
2. Informs and provides support to managers/supervisors and employees of their
rights and responsibilities under bargaining agreements, applicable laws, and
Human Resources Rules.
3. Prepare and present cases in arbitration and administrative proceedings; unit
determinations; representation elections and mediation proceedings.
4. Participate in the development of bargaining strategy including the analysis of
salary and benefit data.
5. Create appropriate procedures for addressing employee grievances under
collective bargaining agreement provisions, or Human Resources Rules.
6. Conducts research; prepares briefs and other documents as is necessary for
arbitration or administrative proceedings.
7. May act as chief spokesperson in contract negotiations.
Members of:
Minnesota Public Employer Labor Relations Association:
Public Sector Management Resource for Labor Relations Training, Information, and Networking
http://www.npelra.org/i4a/pages/Index.cfm?pageID=3530
http://www.npelra.org/i4a/
pages/index.cfm?pageid=1
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos021.htm
Local 34 Banner
September 2009
-9-
Flu Pandemic Plan Expands Sick Leave for Hennepin County Workers:
Hennepin County Adopts a Plan to Let Workers Borrow Against Future Sick Leave and Vacation if a Swine Flu Pandemic Occurs.
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/53619882.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUl
Out of Reach: Place, Poverty, and the New
American Welfare State (Paperback)
by Scott W. Allard
Product Description
Sweeping changes in welfare programs since 1996 have
transformed the way America cares for its poor. Today,
for every dollar spent on cash welfare payments, some
twenty dollars are spent on service programs targeted at
the working poor—job training, adult education, child
care, emergency assistance, mental health care, and
other social services. This important book examines our
current system and the crucial role that geography plays
in the system’s ability to offer help. Drawing on unique
survey data from almost 1,500 faith-based and secular
service organizations in three cities, Scott W. Allard
examines which agencies are most accessible to poor
populations and looks at the profound impact of unstable
funding on assistance programs. Allard argues that the
new system has become less equitable and reliable, and
he concludes with practical policy recommendations that
address some of the more pressing issues in improving
the safety net.
Review
"Some imagine that our programs to help the poor are
too generous. Scott Allard not only punctures this myth,
but does so in a remarkably constructive way that should
influence public policy for years to come. Because we
don''t pay enough attention to the geography of poverty,
he argues, our programs may actually exacerbate
existing inequalities. He makes a compelling case that
we need to pay more attention to how local communities
provide (or fail to provide) social services. And he offers
highly practical ideas about the role of faith-based
institutions that could take us beyond the dead-end
ideological debate over how our religious institutions can
help lift up the poor. Out of Reach makes an enormous
contribution to a debate that needs to be shaken up."
- E. J. Dionne Jr.
Income Inequality is at an All-time High
A recent update to a research paper by University of
California, Berkeley economist Emmanuel Saez has
found that income inequality is worse than it has ever
been in the United States:
As of 2007, the top decile of American earners, Saez
writes, pulled in 49.7 percent of total wages, a level
that’s “higher than any other year since 1917 and
even surpasses 1928, the peak of stock market
bubble in the ‘roaring” 1920s.‘”
Beginning in the economic expansion of the early
1990s, Saez argues, the economy began to favor the
top tiers American earners, but much of the country
missed was left behind. “The top 1 percent incomes
captured half of the overall economic growth over
the period 1993-2007,” Saez writes.
Commenting on the numbers in the updated report,
Nobel laureate economist and New York Times Paul
Krugman writes, “they’re truly amazing.” - Zaid Jilani
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/14/new-study-inequality/#comments
Local 34 Banner
Breaking Down the Silos by Elizabeth Kneebone - August 4, 2009
Beyond shedding light on the shifting realities of how we provide support for
low-income workers and families in this country, Scott Allard's book {see the
review at left} really brings home the extent to which place equals access (or
lack thereof) to a substantial chunk of our current safety net. The "holes" in the safety net-or the spatial mismatch between social services and the needs of low-income and poor
residents--that Allard illustrates clearly have implications for the effectiveness and equity of
poverty alleviation and work support efforts in the U.S.
And, as Allard points out, the geography of poverty is changing. Even before this recession,
more poor lived in the suburbs than the cities of our nation's largest metro areas. A recent
look at changes in unemployment and the demand for safety net services over the past
year also shows us that suburbs are bearing the brunt of the current downturn alongside
cities. Taken together, these pre- and mid-recession trends suggest that any existing
mismatches between services and need will only be exacerbated as the pool of the poor
population not only shifts geographically but grows overall. But knowing where the poor
live is only the first step to closing the service gap. The next step, and biggest challenge, is
figuring out how to respond to those changing trends.
Aligning services to meet the geographic reality of need means tackling the reality of a
fragmented and siloed safety net. Allard outlines in detail the extent of the fragmentation
in this system, from jurisdictional barriers to targeted funding constraints to the myriad
government, nonprofit, and philanthropic actors involved in cobbling together the services
and programs that make up our modern safety net.
One step in the right direction would be to adopt a more regional approach to social service
provision. The poor population is not as localized as community services often are. Rather
than stopping at neighborhood, city, or county limits, if service providers, funders, and local
government agencies could coordinate at a regional level, they may begin to overcome
some of the fragmentation inherent in the current structure and, in doing so, respond more
effectively to the shifting of the poor population across a region's city and suburbs. In
addition, the federal government could help close the service gap by playing a lead role in
breaking down policy silos that can lead to inefficient and ineffective program provision at
the local level. This kind of streamlining, though not easy, can make the limited pot of
money we spend on safety net services more effective at a time when there is more need
than ever for these kinds of supports.
In his book, Allard lays out a number of recommendations for how we can repair the
country's safety net along these lines. While the downturn obviously constrains options to
increase spending, the current environment seems like the right time to move forward on
organizational changes that could improve efficiency and better align the spatial supply of
services with the growing need. It'd be great to hear Scott Allard and the other participants
weigh in on how they think the economic climate might affect the efforts of local, state,
and federal stakeholders to implement these recommendations, or if the current situation
invites other responses that may not have been explored in the book.
For More Reading on Poverty and Income Inequality issues:
□ Suburban Poverty and the Health Care Safety Net
http://www.docuticker.com/?p=27246
□ Older Women are Struggling in this State
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/53255137.html?elr=KArksc8P:Pc:U0ckkD:aEyKUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU
LPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
□ Kid’s Counts No. 2 is a Warning Signal and Make No Small Plans for Kids in Minnesota
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/53175992.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/53175992.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ
and
□ Paul Krugman: Even More Gilded
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/even-more-gilded/
□ Robbing Us Blind: Income Inequality at All-Time High
http://www.examiner.com/x-3629-Philadelphia-Progressive-Examiner~y2009m8d14-Robbing-us-blind-incomeinequality-at-all-time-high
Did you know that for 2009, the total cost of health premiums to Hennepin County is projected
at $94 million? Fourteen million dollars in premiums are expected to be paid by county
employees and $80 million paid by the county. The total cost each month for family health
insurance is $1,710.66 – and of this, the county contributes $1,301.44 – and if you elect family
coverage, you pay $409.22 per month. In 2008, county health claims increased, which resulted
in a 2009 premium increase of nine percent.
September 2009
-10-
Health Care & Insurance News
Obesity: Now 9% of All Health Spending:
A new federal study finds that medical spending
for the obese is 42% higher than for those of
normal weight
By Catherine Arnst – July 27, 2009
As Congress debates ways to rein in the nation's rapidly
rising health-care spending, a new federal study suggests
that dieting might be as effective as reform legislation. The
study, published today by the journal Health Affairs, found
that U.S. medical spending on conditions associated with
obesity has nearly doubled in the past decade and is on
track to reach $147 billion this year, according to
researchers. That would be 9.1% of total medical
spending, up from 6.5% in 1998.
The researchers warned that obesity will continue to
impose major costs on the health system for the
foreseeable future. "Although health reform may be
necessary to address health inequities and rein in rising
health spending, real savings are more likely to be
achieved through reforms that reduce the prevalence of
obesity and related risk factors," they said.
The study was conducted by researchers from RTI
International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control &
Prevention (CDC), and the U.S. Agency for Healthcare
Research & Quality, and based on federal data collected in
1998 and 2006. It found that the rate of obesity increased
37% between 1998 and 2006, and as a result 25% of
Americans are now obese, up from 18.3% eight years
earlier. Obesity is defined as anyone with a body mass
index of more than 30, a measurement based on height
and weight.
"Undeniable" Link to Rising Spending
The detailed study piles up one troubling statistic after
another. Per capita medical spending for obese people is
$1,429 higher per year than for someone of normal weight,
a 42% difference. The condition now accounts for 8.5% of
Medicare's expenditures and 11.8% of Medicaid's.
Spending on prescription drugs alone for an obese
Medicare beneficiary is $600 more per year than for
prescriptions used by someone of normal weight.
Spending associated with obesity is almost entirely tied to
the cost of treating diseases closely associated with the
condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension,
and even cancer (about one-third of cancer cases are
linked to obesity). Diabetes alone costs the nation $191
billion a year. "If not for obesity, these costs would be much
lower," the researchers said. "The connection between
rising rates of obesity and rising medical spending is
undeniable."
At a CDC-sponsored conference in Washington
announcing the study, former President Bill Clinton noted
that "nearly one-in-three children and teens in the U.S. are
overweight or obese." He added, "We must all do more to
develop innovative solutions to combat the obesity
epidemic."
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jul2009/tc20090
727_266209.htm
Local 34 Banner
Why Aren’t We Talking About Single-Payer Healthcare?
by Jeff Rosenberg August 13, 2009
http://mnpublius.com/2009/08/why-arent-we-talking-about-single-payer-healthcare/
Americans say they don’t want to lose their employer-based insurance. But if I would
think more employers would be lobbying Congress in the hopes of not having to pay for
their employees’ insurance anymore. Employers are picking up a large share of the
soaring costs of health care, and it’s hurting their competitiveness. Over the past 27
years, the growth in employers’ cost for health benefits has exceeded inflation for all
but three and a half years. Often, it has been double the rate of inflation or worse. As
recently as the early 2000s, health care costs for employers were growing by over 10
percent every year.
The rising cost of health
care has largely been
borne
by
American
businesses until very
recently, as hard-hit
employers have begun
increasing
premiums
and reducing benefits.
Reducing the cost of
health care isn’t just
important for American
consumers, it’s crucial
for the success of
American businesses.
That’s a major reason
we should be talking about single-payer healthcare — it would be a major boon to
businesses whose employee benefits are eroding their competitiveness. Our auto
industry is the perfect example. How can we expect GM and Ford to compete with
Toyota when they have to pay for expensive health benefits and Toyota doesn’t?
The Obama Administration has taken single-payer healthcare off the table, but maybe
we should take another look.
There’s Lots of Money to be Saved on
Healthcare
by Jeff Rosenberg | August 12, 2009
http://mnpublius.com/2009/08/theres-lots-of-money-to-be-saved-on-healthcare/
Wow. This definitely helps to explain why the US spends
so much on healthcare, but gets so little bang for our
buck. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health
Research Institute, the US wastes $1.2 trillion every
year in healthcare expenditures. That is, of the $2.2
trillion spent each year, $1.2 trillion does nothing to
improve outcomes for patients.
Just think about that number. Yes, obviously a study like
this is subject to some pretty large margins of error, but
approximately half of our health care spending is a
waste. I have a hard time reconciling that with
conservatives’ claims that the private market is doing a
great job at providing affordable, effective health care.
Here’s my particular favorite source of wasted spending:
navigating the nightmare of the private health
insurance bureaucracy.
“Every insurance company has its own forms,” [Dr.
Terry] McGenney said. “Some practices spend 40% of their revenue filling out
paperwork that has nothing to do with patient care. So much of this could
be automated.” Clearly the insurance companies have this down to a science; maybe
we should just skip reform and let them keep doing what they’re doing.
September 2009
-11-
Labor Unions, Labor History, Political & Legal Information
Victory for Indiana State Employees
August 03, 2009
An Indiana trial court has awarded more than $42 million to
current and former Indiana state employees who were
required by the State of Indiana to work 40-hour workweeks
from 1973 until 1993 even though other state employees
holding the same positions were required by the State to
work only 37.5-hour workweeks for the same pay.
The suit was filed on July 29, 1993, when attorneys William
A. Hasbrook and John F. Kautzman of Indianapolis-based
Ruckelshaus, Kautzman, Blackwell, Bemis & Hasbrook filed
the original class action complaint. The crux of the plaintiffs'
complaint was that the State was not legally permitted to
force state employees in particular job classifications to work
2.5 hours more per week than other state employees in the
same job classifications, while still paying them the same pay
as their lower-hour counterparts. Sixteen years and one fourday bench trial later, the Indiana court agreed and found in
favor of the plaintiffs, awarding $42.4 million in damages for
20 years the State continued making this demand of some of
its employees.
Over the course of the litigation, the case has been up and
down to the Indiana appeals courts multiple times, with the
plaintiffs emerging victorious each time. The case also was
overseen by a succession of judges, until Judge Hanley set
the case for trial in March of this year.
In 2008, the Ruckelshaus firm brought on Texas-based
litigation firm Susman Godfrey LLP as co-trial counsel. "The
Indiana state employees who are plaintiffs in this case had to
wait an extraordinarily long time for justice," says Steve
Susman of Susman Godfrey. "But now that justice has come,
these employees should finally be paid the full wage they
earned so many years ago."
"We thank our class representatives, all class members, and
the Indiana State Employees Association for their patience
and dedication in seeing the case through to this judgment,"
says Hasbrook. We are extremely pleased the Court
validated the claims of Indiana's hard-working State
employees."
The $42.4 million dollar judgment is believed to be among
the largest class action judgments against the State of
Indiana in its history.
http://www.trainingmag.com/msg/content_display/publications/e3
i8ccae23c8456ba46407538e90199c8db
Related Articles:
 http://www.indystar.com/article/20090729/NEWS/907290353/
Judge++State+owes++42M+in+back+pay
 http://indianalawblog.com/archives/2009/07/ind_decisions_j_7
1.html
Furloughs, Layoffs Hit Hard
Nationwide, more than 728,500 state employees in at least
21 states have been or will be furloughed to help their states
fight budget deficits, according to a report by Stateline.org. At
least 54,000 other state employees have been laid off.
Meanwhile, state tax revenue nationwide declined 11.7
percent in the first quarter of this year, the biggest drop in the
46 years for which these statistics have been kept. Revenue
declined in 47 states, according to analysis by the
Rockefeller Institute of Government. As a clear indicator of
how much job cuts are hurting state budgets, revenue from
personal income taxes plummeted 17.5 percent.
http://afscmemn.org/action-update
Local 34 Banner
Local Labor Organizers Lament ‘Card-Check’ Provision’s Seeming Demise
By Paul Demko 8/6/09
http://minnesotaindependent.com/41214/local-labor-organizers-lament-card-check-provisions-seeming-demise
Throughout the 2008 campaign, the “card-check” provision of the Employee Free Choice act was a
political lightning rod. Business groups hammered candidates across the country, including Al
Franken in Minnesota, with ads pillorying the proposal as an attack on workers’ rights. Organized
labor lobbied ferociously for the provision, which would allow workers to unionize when more than
half have signed cards indicating support for collective bargaining. They argued that it was
essential to rejuvenating the labor movement after decades of decline, and spent millions working
to get Democrats elected in the belief that they would pass the card-check provision. So when The
New York Times reported last month that Democratic leaders had quietly decided to drop the
controversial measure from the Employee Free Choice Act without so much as a vote, it came as
something of a slap in the face to organized labor.
While union officials insist that card check is not yet dead, it seems unlikely that the labor law
revision will ultimately be enacted. “It’d be really really nice if the Democrats would grow a little bit
of a backbone,” said Martin Goff, organizing director for UNITE HERE Local 17. “We have the
House, the Senate and the presidency.” Bernie Hesse, an organizer with United Food and
Commercial Workers Local 789, is similarly put off by the backpedaling from Democrats. “Why did
we do all this work?” Hesse asked. “That’s kind of a weird way to bargain, to start taking stuff away
before they even start marking up the bill.”
The need for an overhaul of the country’s labor laws is obvious from organized labor’s perspective.
The number of union workers has been in free-fall in recent decades. According to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics, roughly 12 percent of workers were union members in 2008, down from just over
20 percent in 1983, the first year for which federal statistics were kept. Union organizers blame
this decline in part on increasingly aggressive campaigns by employers to fight organizing efforts
and weak labor laws that only offer a slap on the wrist to companies that break the law.
Indeed, according to a study released in May by Cornell University professor Kate Bronfenbrenner,
companies have become more brazen in their anti-union tactics. The study found that more than
half of the companies examined threatened employees with wage cuts or shuttered work sites,
and roughly one third fired workers for pro-union activities. Even when workers did vote to organize,
the study found that more than half were without an initial labor contract after a year. “What’s
happened under the existing labor laws is that employers and their attorneys have figured out
where the holes are,” said Peter Rachleff, a labor historian at Macalester College. “They’re able to
intimidate workers, they’re able to create a climate of fear, they’re able to discourage workers
from availing themselves of their right to organize.”
The Employee Free Choice Act is designed to make such anti-union tactics more difficult for
companies to utilize. In addition to the card-check provision, it would also force binding arbitration
on companies if they fail to reach agreement on a labor contract after a year — a provision that the
U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business interests are equally alarmed by. The legislation
would also provide tougher punishments — including fines — for companies that flout the laws. But
Rachleff also argues that unions must share the blame for their decline. He believes that even if
organized labor ultimately gets everything it wants in the Employee Free Choice Act it won’t be
sufficient to rejuvenate their ranks. “I have low expectations of what the Employee Free Choice Act
would mean if it were passed,” he said. “I don’t think that the existing labor movement is prepared
to get out and organize even if the ground rules were to change.” Rachleff is not at all surprised
that Democrats appear to be backing away from the most controversial element of the legislation
and believes that labor leaders are complicit in the decision to drop card check. “Various union
leaders signaled to the Democrats that it was OK,” he said. “It’s just a sorry-ass situation. The
leaders of the existing labor organizations, they have to find things to make it look like they’re
doing something. Pushing the Employee Free Choice Act became something very convenient for
them to look like they were spending their members’ dues on good things.”
But local labor leaders insist that the card-check provision is not dead. Shar Knutson, president of
the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, was on a conference call with national union leaders on
Tuesday to get an update on the situation. “It’s still in play,” she said. “No one’s conceding
anything.” Eric Lehto, director of organizing for AFSCME Council 5, said the union will be mobilizing
its 43,000 members to lobby Minnesota’s legislators during the legislative break for Labor Day.
U.S. Sen. Al Franken immediately signed-on as a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act upon
finally being seated in Washington. But Lehto and other labor leaders believe Minnesota’s senior
senator, Amy Klobuchar, could more forcefully promote passage of the legislation, including the
card-check provision. “We would like to see Amy take more of a pro-active effort in pushing the
legislation and publicly advocating for it,” he says. Lehto believes it’s not too late to save the cardcheck provision that labor unions spent so much time and money advocating for during the last
election cycle. “I wouldn’t say it’s dead,” he said. “There’s still work to be done during recess. What
the final bill’s going to look like I don’t know.”
September 2009
-12-
Knutson Elected Minnesota AFL-CIO President - August 17, 2009 - http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4134
Shar Knutson, president of the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation {and former St. Paul AFSCME leader}, was elected Monday to lead the
300,000-member Minnesota AFL-CIO. Knutson will become the first woman president in the history of the statewide organization. See also Page 16 and http://www.startribune.com/business/53620942.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ
Next on the Economic Hit List:
Public and Non-Profit Sectors
The Great Recession is starting to cycle full throttle
through the public and non-profit sectors. Why?
In the public sector, budgets are taking a big hit as the
meltdown that began in earnest last fall translates into
falling tax revenues. If you’re following the deliberations
of state legislatures this year (and California in particular),
you know what I mean. In the non-profit sector, taxdeductible contributions are falling and foundations have
less money to give out. Wealthier non-profits such as
prestigious universities are seeing their endowments
shrinking and rainy day funds drying up.
What does this mean for the world of work and jobs in
these sectors? It’s not a pretty picture:
 Layoffs and hiring freezes
 Salary and benefit cuts and freezes
 Pressures to do more with less
 More employment-related lawsuits
 More bullying, incivility, and stress at work
And it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. At this
point, we can only hope that public and non-profit
employers will heed Margaret Wheatley’s advice to
engage workers rather than clamp down on them.
http://www.margaretwheatley.com/articles/Fearlessness-BEXaug08.pdf
The coming years probably will be rough ones, and
organizations that respond to this challenge in healthy
ways will be the ones that contribute to, and benefit from,
a recovery and turnaround.
David Yamada, “Minding the Workplace”
http://newworkplace.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/next-on-hitlist-public-and-non-profit-sectors/
Wheatley’s Call for Fearlessness
and Engagement
In an August 2008 article, noted organizational change
consultant Margaret Wheatley called upon organizations
to act fearlessly and to embrace employee engagement
instead of practicing authoritarian, top-down tactics:
If leaders took the time to engage people instead of clamping
down on them, not only would employees perform better,
they’d also be more innovative and focused. It would lead
to less stress, less illness, and more productivity. All the
actions right now are pushing the workforce toward
increasing levels of disengagement. People show up to
work to collect a pay check. The Gallup Organization did a
survey in the USA that indicated how people are feeling
about their workplace. Last year, more than 70 percent of
the American workforce felt disengaged, up from around
33 per cent in 2000. That’s what happens if you squeeze
fewer people to do more work, give them shorter
deadlines, measure their work using meaningless reports,
and, to top it off, treat them with profound levels of
disrespect.
This piece appeared right before the recession went into
high gear. If anything, the experience of work has
become worse since that time, with more layoffs, stress,
and bad management responses. Wheatley’s advice is
needed now more than ever to help us reverse course
and build sustainable organizations.
http://newworkplace.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/wheatleys-call-for-fearlessness-andengagement/
Local 34 Banner
The Permanently Unemployed
by Jeff Rosenberg | August 13, 2009 http://mnpublius.com/2009/08/the-permanently-unemployed/
Digging out of debt keeps getting harder for the unemployed as more companies use
detailed credit checks to screen job prospects. Out of work since December, Juan Ochoa
was delighted when a staffing firm recently responded to his posting on Hotjobs.com with
an opening for a data entry clerk. Before he could do much more, though, the firm checked
his credit history. The interest vanished. There were too many collections claims against
him, the firm said.
In a way, I can understand the logic of businesses doing credit checks for hiring. As industry
experts say, “Employers, often winnowing a big pool of job applicants in days of nearly 10
percent unemployment, view the credit check as a valuable tool for assessing someone’s
judgment.” But in the depths of a major recession, a lot of people have gone into debt just
to be able to meet their day-to-day expenses. The irony of the situation is that performing
credit checks on them is probably stopping them from getting the jobs they need to get out
of debt.
Are we creating a new class of the permanently unemployed? That doesn’t bode well,
particularly considering that during the economic expansion, the vast majority of the growth
went to the very wealthiest. It seems that, no matter what state our economy is in, the rich
get richer and the poor get poorer.
When Budgets Get Rough,
States Get Gimmicky
Here's one creative way that state lawmakers helped balance Washington's
troubled budget: They assumed public employees will stay on the job longer - and
die sooner than expected once they finally retire.
California will save about $1.2 billion by cutting state worker paychecks one day
later than usual, shifting the payroll costs into the following fiscal year.
Alabama balanced its education budget by simply erasing the cost of classroom
supplies for schools. In Illinois, legislators are leaving a record $3.2 billion of the
state's bills unpaid for the current fiscal year, making vendors wait longer for their
money. Minnesota likewise has stalled $1.8 billion in aid payments to schools, and
Colorado lawmakers are delaying $88 million intended for Medicaid and children's
health insurance providers.
Relying on accounting gimmicks, however, is risky. Policy-makers are betting that
an economic downturn will end relatively soon, restoring enough tax revenue to
make up for the stopgap money. If the economy doesn't improve, the costs can
multiply - and the underlying budget problem still hasn't been solved.
The Dangers of Facebook
More evidence of why many of us warn others about their Facebook accounts. A
British worker added her boss at some point as a Facebook friend, but apparently
forgot that fact later, as she complained about her job and boss (I'm being selective
because of the language--check out the link for the
unedited version): "OMG I HATE MY JOB!! My boss is a
totally pervvy wanker always making me do [sh*t]
stuff just to piss me off!"
As expected, her boss then commented:
i guess you forgot about adding me on here? . . . [T]hat "[sh*t] stuff" is called your
"job," you know what I pay you to do. . . . [Y]ou also seem to have forgotten that you
have got 2 weeks left on your 6 month trial period. Don't bother coming in
tomorrow. . . . And yes, i'm serious.
http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/laborprof_blog/2009/08/the-dangers-of-facebook.html#comments
September 2009
-13-
Good & Welfare: Thank You Notes
Dear Brothers & Sisters of AFSCME Local 34,
Thank you very much for helping me celebrate my
birthday, my Locks of Love donation, and for your
contribution for my re-election to the {Ramsey}
County Board. I really appreciate your continued
support. Thanks again.
Victoria Reinhardt
Dear Friends,
Thank you very much for your generous donation of
$50.00 in memory of David Hondlik on 7/22/09.
Your support is very much appreciated. We will
send a letter of acknowledgement to Carol Hondlik.
Your contribution will continue to help us do what
we have always done: Information & Referral,
Project Starfish, Back to School supplies, Winter
Warm Wear, Toy Chest and The Community
Technology Center. We will continue to provide
space for and assist with Relate Counseling service
and Accountability MN’s tax preparation services for
the people in our communities.
Judy Billing, MSW, Executive Director,
Hopkins Minnetonka Family Resource Center
(now Resource West)
Dear Friend of EFJ,
Thank you for your generous contribution to
Educating for Justice and our ‘Team Sweat’
campaign. The work we do is not possible without
people like you. If you would like to get the latest
updates on the campaign, particularly during my
visit to Indonesia, please visit www.teamsweat.org.
Thanks again for your support.
Jim Kready, Director
Educating for Justice (EFJ)
$100 Contribution, 6/30/09
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your support of our 16th Annual
Wing Ding event on July 30th! Our records show
you purchased 4 tickets, for a total of $100. We are
excited to have you celebrate with us!
We help people like Maria, a single young mother
with a premature baby, whether they need
immediate shelter or crisis intervention, legal
assistance, counseling, parenting classes, financial
literacy or job search education. Tubman is now
the state’s largest nonprofit source of domestic
violence services, providing 25% of all emergency
shelter beds in Minnesota.
Thank you again for supporting the Wing Ding.
Sincerely,
Beverly C. Dusso, Executive Director and Vikki
L. Pfeilsticker, Event Chair – Tubman Center
Local 34 Banner
VIEW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS
Vicki Moore, Local 34 Vice President
First, I would like to thank all of the Social Workers who contacted me with their
thoughts and questions regarding Licensure. I will carry this information with me
into discussions with the Local 34 membership and with management. Please keep
the information coming. As much as we all would like to believe that this issue is
just going to go away as it has in the past, our world is changing and we need to pay
attention to the changes that are here and are on the horizon.
Local 34’s contract with Hennepin County expires 12/31/09. We are about to enter
into negotiations for next year’s contract. Many of you have engaged this process by
responding to the survey on how Hennepin County can save money – thank you!
Our next important task is at hand. Hennepin County gets money to fund our work,
primarily from the Federal Government, State Government and Property Taxes. We
all know that there is considerably less money coming from Federal and State
Governments and we are quickly learning that the safety net was very much
overlooked in the Federal Stimulus Package. This makes the money coming from
property taxes more important this year than in previous years.
On Thursday, September 3 at 9:30 a.m. and Tuesday, September 8 at 1:30, the
County Commissioners will be setting the Property Tax Levy for 2010. The Property
Tax Levy determines how much money will be raised from property taxes to help to
fund the work we do. I am asking each of you to use some of your Voluntary Special
Leave without Pay (so it’s not on County time) to attend one or both of these
hearings. It is important that we are visible at these hearings. We Are Doing Our
Part by voluntarily donating hours to keep the doors of Hennepin County open so
that the citizens of Hennepin County can be served. The County Commissioners now
need to do their part and set a maximum levy. We can support their leadership in
this area with our presence at these County Board meetings.
We would like you to sign up so that we know who will be there. I have sign-up
cards, as do other Local 34 Officers and Stewards. Vern Wagner is chairing the
committee organizing this effort. He also has cards. You can reach him at 612-3822050. You can reach me at 612-598-7071 or vicki_moore@yahoo.com.
Vern and the Action Committee are planning other ways we can all participate in
both Negotiations and the Hennepin County budget process. We will take care of
the details. All you will need to do is show up!
Hennepin County - Levy Phone Banks
5:30 pm – 312 Central Ave SE – 2nd Floor
August 25th and 27th, September 1st and 3rd
Help us reach fellow AFSCME members living in Hennepin County – ask them to call their
County Commissioners in support of raising revenue via the Levy for 2010!
County Board Budget Hearing Dates
Please Plan to Attend (You Can Use Your SLWOP!)
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Thursday, October 8 – 1-4pm – “Health” (MHP, NorthPoint)
Friday, October 23 – 9am-Noon – Medical Examiner and Libraries
Monday, November 2 – 1-4pm – Human Services (1st of 2 sessions)
Monday, November 16 – 1-4pm – Human Services (2nd session)
Thursday, November 19 – 1-4pm – “Public Safety” (Corrections, Sheriff)
Monday, November 30 – 1-4pm – Commissioner Amendments (1st of 2 sessions)
Wednesday, December 2 – 1-4pm – Commissioner Amendments (2nd session)
Tuesday, December 15 – 1:30pm – County Board Approves Budget
September 2009
-14-
AFSCME Council 5
Convention
Start: 10/08/2009 - 8:30am
End: 10/10/2009 - 12:00pm
Location: Duluth MN
DECC - Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center
Up to 34 Local 34 Delegates will be Elected at
the September General Assembly Meeting!
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Two-days lost time paid for delegates
Mileage paid to-and-from Duluth
Hotel (Sheraton) paid for three nights
Per Diem for food & incidental expenses
Come to the State Fair
Minnesota's unions will be well-represented at the
state's largest working class festival. Come see us
at the Minnesota AFL-CIO Labor Pavilion-the state
fair's first (and only) green building.
New this year: AFTRA and Equity members will be
your hosts at the Pavilion-introducing the State Fair
Labor Quiz, inviting fair goers to meet the workers,
and showcasing the accomplishments of
Minnesota's union members. And if you want to
showcase your family or your union local at the
State Fair, consider purchasing a commemorative
paver for $250. Call Diane O'Brien, 651-227-7647,
for details.
TC Labor Chorus
The new Twin Cities Labor Chorus will perform (and
lead sing-alongs of rousing labor songs) three times
during the Minnesota State Fair. The chorus will
sing at the House of Labor at the corner of Dan
Patch Ave. and Cooper St.:
-- Saturday, Aug. 29 at noon
-- Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 7 PM
-- Labor Day at 1 PM
The chorus will also march in the Labor Day parade
through the fairgrounds at 2 PM.
Anyone interested in interviews about the creation
and development of the chorus can call director
Josh Whitney-Wise at 952-818-5474 or co-founder
Michael Kuchta at 651-287-0537. The chorus
rehearses at 7 PM July 28, Aug. 11 and Aug. 25 at
St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Minnehaha and
Lexington Aves., Saint Paul.
Local 34 Banner
- Wes Volkenant
Labor-Management Health Care Committee: A key part of our July discussions
centered on our HealthPartners’ renewal and the County’s proposed benefit level changes. As of
@July 1, the County has 8715 enrollees – 2/3 of whom (5815) are “Single” coverage, while the
remaining 2900 are divided between the three types of “Family” coverage. In 2009, our health
insurance costs Hennepin County $96.1 million. In 2010, the required revenue to HealthPartners
is $114.9 million, or a 19.54% increase. Fortunately, we had previously negotiated a rate cap of
9.58% for 2010. And, an independent analysis by Deloitte finds that the HealthPartners’
calculation was excessive in two key areas – monies set aside in reserve and HealthPartners riskaversion “Claims Pooling” charge, so Deloitte calculated a different required revenue of 9.68% - a
result pretty darned close to the rate cap we have in place. We’ll revisit this in August.
Interestingly, County operatives think the 9.58% is too much for all of us in this economy, because
the County is looking for ways to cut costs. And we’re on board with reducing that increase
because dollars that can be saved can be spent elsewhere, in particular on other concerns we may
have during our fall negotiations. So the County is looking at three possible scenarios; the first
scenario reduces the increase to 6.38% by increasing co-pays on pharmacy, office visits and
specialty office visits, and by increasing the Health Assessment co-pay differential; the second
scenario reduces the increase to 6.08% by introducing a $200 per person/$400 per family
deductible (which would not be in effect on prescriptions or preventative care, while keeping the
current co-pays); the third scenario combines the first two, and results in just a 2.88% increase,
which might be absorbable by the County – realizing there would be an impact on the users.
We’ve heard more members are willing to pay premium increases than these other expenses.
Local 34 Dental Committee: We met for the first time August 5th. The committee members are:
Cathy Cowden, Amy Chartraw, Monica Jochmans, Doyle Juenke, and me. This Committee was
approved by the June General Assembly to look at concerns I raised about how much was being
diverted from our wage structure to pay for our Delta Dental dental insurance. Although we’ve
decided to table further discussions until other Hennepin Locals have considered the program next
year, I’ve learned a lot along the way. Delta Dental, first of all, simply administers our self-insured
dental insurance program. Second, while our insurance may or may not have more of a monthly
cost than the County’s HealthPartners’ dental insurance, it is exceedingly better in the benefits it
provides – for example, we have a rash of 100% covered preventative care actions that the County
insurance fails to come close to. Third, we’re not in the Trust alone – anything we might do
impacts Locals 977, 1719 and 2822 as well. And, I finally understand how the County is
completing the “dental offset.” Back in 1985-1986, our members took a smaller pay raise in order
to fund the foundation of this dental trust. In subsequent years, an additional 23 cents – both
from us and the County has been diverted to keep the Trust viable. The Trust is healthy now – we
will not be seeking additional cents in this negotiation. But yes, we do have money set aside that
similar non-bargaining classifications do not. This remains a topic worth consideration, but it is far
more complicated, than first expected.
Meet & Confer: HSPHD canceled its July meeting, and by moving Meet & Confer to the 4 th
Wednesday each month, we find ourselves not meeting again until August 26. Vicki Moore
assembled many of our thoughts and concerns about ROWE last month, and ROWE will be a
primary topic for discussion later this month. We met in NorthPoint’s Meet and Confer comes on
August 7th. I proposed five topics for discussion: their 2010 budget plans; an update on the
SLWOP program at NorthPoint; an update on APEX changes for our health insurance premiums;
suggested changes to Chief Operating Officer Angelique Brown’s monthly Brown Bag lunch efforts;,
and what to do about Dental Hygienists who are being given a difficult time taking properlyrequested vacations and face the twin dangers of a doctor-in-charge who either denies vacations or
tries to force a trade of extra Saturday hours in exchange for vacation approvals, or flat out having
to “lose” those vacation hours that can’t be used. I’m so pleased we had personal testimony of
this situation, and although there were some difficult moments, the most heat was reserved for my
late complaint over a member’s denial of paid funeral leave time – which we will have to grieve.
Our issues continue with NorthPoint; we’ll finally be getting mediation re: the Hygienists! Wes
Letter from Local 34, July 28, 2009, to Lori Huffman, CEO of TBI Residential &
Community Services, Inc, Duluth (site of Council 5 Convention):
“It has come to our attention that the workers at TBI Residential and Community
Services, Inc., have been organizing their union with AFSCME Council 5. As Hennepin
County social workers and AFSCME Council 5 members, many of us whom place
residents in your group homes, we object to the employer’s misuse of tax dollars to fight
these workers’ rights to organize.”
September 2009
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Council 5 Convention - we received the convention call for
this event. It will be held in Duluth, MN on Thursday,
October 8, 2009 - Saturday, October 10, 2009. A motion was
passed at the August 2009 General Assembly to elect up to
34 delegates to represent our local with the local covering 2
days lost time, mileage to and from Duluth, 3 nights lodging
(Wednesday, October 7 - Friday, October 9), and a per diem
of $35.00 for three days. The business of the convention
begins with workshops bright and early on Thursday morning
- 9:00 AM - so we are asking our delegates to drive up to
Duluth Wednesday evening so that you can get a good night's
sleep before dedicating yourselves to the business of the
convention. Information about the workshops can be
found at http://afscmemn.org/afscme-council-5-convention if
you wish to see what piques your interest. Since next year is
an extremely important political year, we will spend Friday
concentrating on the Governor's race with a plenary session
in the morning spending time on that topic only. This will be
an opportunity for members to weigh in what they want to
see in an endorsed candidate. After all the cuts we have
seen in the funding for the programs we provide and the
suffering of our clients as a result of the current Governor's
handiwork, it is imperative that we participate in the
process of finding a strong labor and public service friendly
candidate and then work hard to get that person elected so
that we do not face a repeat of those actions.
The election of delegates will take place at the September 2,
2009 General Assembly. If you are unable to attend that
meeting but wish to have your name placed on the list of
members for the election, please send me an e-mail with that
request by no later than 12:00 noon on that day, Wednesday,
September 9, 2009.
MN AFL-CIO President- Shar Knutson, a member of
AFSCME Local 1842, City of St Paul Technical workers, and
President of the St Paul Regional Labor Federation, was
elected to succeed Ray Waldron as the President of the
Minnesota AFL-CIO. Ray will retire on October 1, 2009. That
election was held on August 17, 2009. She is the first woman
to head the Minnesota labor organization and brings years of
experience in the labor movement. Congratulations to our
AFSCME sister, Shar!!!
Regional Labor Federation Delegates - we still have spots
open for delegates to both the Minneapolis and St Paul
bodies. They both meet on the 2nd Wednesday of the
month. Minneapolis holds their meeting from 6:00 - about
7:00 PM in the Labor Center at 312 Central Ave,
Minneapolis. St Paul holds their meeting from 6:30 - 7:30 PM
with a Public Employee meeting from 5:30 - 6:30 PM at 411
Main St, St Paul. We have four open spots for each
body. One of the more important aspects of our local having
representatives attend the meetings is that we build bridges
for support of the member unions for our respective labor
struggles as well as presenting a strong, united front on
labor issues in the political arena. If this is something that
you might be interested in, please give me a call. Again, with
the work that we do directly impacted by the politicians
elected, we need to be a presence at those meetings to
speak up for ourselves and our issues.
Local 34 Banner
Letter of Understanding - the members attending the August 5, 2009 General Assembly passed a
motion to accept to the County's proposed Letter of Understanding for changes to our contract
necessitated by the new payroll system, APEX. Thank you to everyone who took time to ask the
questions about the effects the changes in the contract language will have on us in the future and
to those of you who attended the meeting to vote. The new language will appear in our next
contract but is effective when the APEX is up and running. And speaking of APEX....
APEX- new payroll system - if you have not already signed up for the mandatory training for APEX,
you should make sure to do so now. The training sessions can be found on the County's Learning
Center site on the intranet. According to the information we have been given, there will be a
change in the way we complete our timecards so it is imperative that everyone attends the
training. Those sessions will be held over the course of this month with room for all employees to
attend. My normal mode of operation is to wait til the last minute but I decided that might not be
such a good idea for something of this import so signed up for one of the first sessions. My hope is
that I will be able to ask as many questions as possible that you might have so that we get the
answers early on. Please let me know if you walk out of your sessions with questions as I might be
able to help clarify them for you or help you get the answers.
2010 Census - it is not too early to begin talking about the census that will be conducted next
year. Minnesota is one of the states that is cited as being in danger of losing a Congressional
Representative if our population numbers show a large decrease from the 2000 census. Right
now, the prognosticators say that we lost a good number of people when jobs left the state and the
economy took a downward turn. Local 34 has appointed one of our members, Rita Salone, to
represent us on the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation Complete Count Committee. This
group will work with unions, community organizations, churches, etc. to encourage all residents of
the state to participate fully in the census. One of the barriers that we will face are those members
of our communities who fear that they will be harmed if they talk to the census takers - some
because they think that the Immigration will come into their homes, some because they are afraid
of trouble with law officials, some because they do not trust any governmental entity. Since much
of the work that we do is funded with federal dollars, we have a strong interest in having the
census count be a success. When Rita asks for your assistance, please help her. You will hear
more on this effort as the year progresses.
Negotiations- we held our final meeting of the Master Negotiations Committee on August 17, 2009
to wrap up the work on the union's joint proposal as well the various local supplemental items.
Our Staff Representatives will fine tune the language and deliver that proposal to the Employer on
September 8, 2009. It will be posted on the Council 5 website with a link for the Hennepin County
negotiations by that date for your perusal. Our first negotiations meeting will be held on
September 14, 2009 at which time the Employer will present their counter-proposal to the Table
Team. We have five meetings scheduled this year - down five sessions from years past, as we
feel that we can be more effective with fewer meetings that go a bit longer into the evening. Look
for a Table Talk to be issued after the 9/14/09 session with information about the proposals.
The Action Team is chaired by Vern Wagner this year. He is looking for willing members to help
with the work of the committee. Send him an e-mail if you can help out.
Please read Vicki Moore's article with the information about the County Board meetings for the
2010 budget process and plan to attend at least one of those sessions.
MAT (Member Action Team) Coordinator - I am pleased to announce that Robert Velez has
graciously agreed to be our Local 34 MAT Coordinator. His appointment to this position was
approved by the Executive Board at our August 19, 2009 meeting. Bob will be responsible for
working with building contacts throughout our local to develop an electronic or e-tree for speedy
and effective dissemination of time sensitive news such as an update on the progress of the Table
Team or asking for people to attend a meeting. He will use the lists compiled by our stewards
when they mapped our work sites to get the information to those sites. This is a work in progress
and is part of the Executive Board's commitment to improving our local's communication with our
members. Your feedback is greatly appreciated as this rolls out.
"To build a labor movement we have to look beyond our own personal interests - look beyond our
own local -- we have to look beyond our own union and remember that ALL workers ... every last
one of them ... are our brothers and sisters. Not just when it's easy ... not just when I get my way ...
not just some days ... but every day -- every last day." - Richard Trumka
Happy Labor Day to all of you. Take time to sit back and relax - this is your holiday to
celebrate you - the worker!
Jean
September 2009
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