PEF/OASAS STATEWIDE LABORIMANAGEMENT MEETING
1450 WESTERN AVENUE, ALBANY, NY
DECEMBER 12, 2007
MINUTES
Present:
PEF MANAGEMENT
Vernetta Chesimard, Chair Karen Carpenter-Palumbo, Commissioner
Michele Schultz Kathleen Caggiano-Siino
Diane Sullivan May Ann DiChristopher
Patricia Lavin Thomas Montgomery, Chair
Frederick Becker, Field Representative Denise Horton
Josephine Rice, Recorder Cary Michaels
Paula Bradwell
Steve Hanson
Kay Champagne
Kathryn Patenaude
Monica Wilson
ISSUE
1. Budget Update
DISCUSSION
Commissioner: Management reported that the budget had been submitted and that negotiations were already underway seeking increases. OASAS asked for a number of increases in the especially important areas of prevention, treatment and recovery. Paying for these initiatives in light of the projected $4.3 billion deficit will be difficult. Management indicated that there was very little additional information to share at this time, but that they could say that there was no indication that significant cuts would be necessary. They went on to express their hope for growth and shared their plan to seek funding for new initiatives, saying that moving money from program to program will be done as needed. Management said numerous new appointments and several promotions have been made recently.
ISSUE
2. Staffing Update
DISCUSSION
Management said that the Department of Civil Service (DCS) agreed to hold exams for Addiction Counselor 3, ATC Assistant Director, Addiction Program Specialist 1, 2, 4; Addiction Planning Analyst 1, 2, and 3; and Addiction Program Specialist 2 (Gambling) titles in June. OASAS Program Manager used to be examined for via the promotion Battery Examination, only, but now DCS needs to develop a technical management exam as a replacement. Management further said that there are transfer mechanisms that might be used to make some appointments instead of using an eligible list. Staff turnover typically averages 100- 125 employees per year through attrition. The Commissioner discussed her efforts to welcome new employees with telephone calls to welcome them and to encourage their input and ideas. The Commissioner responded to a specific PEF question around OASAS working with Department of Correctional Services (DOCS) on a program that will track the approximately 26,000 inmates to be released this year, with about 20% of those inmates with drug or alcohol problems. The Commissioner said DOCS was not staffing those projects with State employees, but rather was using staff from not-for-profit programs. Management said that OASAS staff will be involved in some of the training needed to get the initiative underway. The Commissioner said that we must look at what we need to do in order to determine its impact on the State as a whole.
ISSUE
3. PEF Priorities Submitted to Commissioner
DISCUSSION
The Commissioner spoke about changes in the OASAS organizational culture and the efforts to promote openness and good communication. She went on to discuss plans to better educate and inform staff and providers using the Learning Thursdays initiative, a web-conference forum that will go live in early January. These sessions will be made available to the entire NYS addiction treatment provider community. The Commissioner also said that they are looking at awarding CEUs for those who attend the Learning Thursdays sessions, and that OASAS is partnering with the treatment community to develop curricula for the CASAC credential. Management also noted that a survey is going out to 300 OASAS staff as part of the agency’s effort to gain a prestigious Best Companies to Work For designation. Selected staff will be asked questions about workplace issues and about their feelings of worth and involvement in the agency’s mission. OASAS is the first NYS agency to pursue this distinction. Management also discussed the “open chair” concept where employees can arrange to sit in on any staff meeting, including Executive staff meetings, to aid in their understanding of agency operations.
Management said they need to manage the talent OASAS already has and so a “talent pool” will be created in the interest of planning for the future leadership of the agency. PEF voiced support for the idea and said that employees who are not selected need support for their growth and development and should be told why they’re not among those chosen. The Commissioner said that staff who are not among those selected are free to come forward to inquire as to why they were not picked, and that self-nominations will be considered. Management said they hope to groom about 100 staff for leadership roles, indicating that a training program of 18 to 24 months in duration will be implemented for that purpose. PEF will be asked to assist with the development of this concept. Management said we need to look at the demographics of retirees and other departing employees,
and that a mix of middle and senior managers, along with professional staff, is what is desired. On the topic of staff development, the Commissioner offered the example of M/C designated employees soon being required set up individual development programs, citing this as a good chance for interchange between supervisors and employees and for professional growth.
The Commissioner went on to say that we have teams doing strategic mapping at every stage, and that we need to roll out supervisory training specific to our organization. She said we don’t have enough staff to do the job and so must get more from everyone. PEF expressed concern about the depth of the management structure and the difficulty of getting issues and ideas pushed upward. PEF also expressed concerns about retaliation against employees who voice a need for change. Management responded that retaliation would not be tolerated, and that they know they must better educate managers to be open and receptive to change. PEF voiced support for the effort and indicated that it has had favorable impact already.
The discussion then shifted and PEF asked about the posting of RFMH jobs on the agency’s Intranet. Management said that it was a matter for RFMH to handle, but that they will try to make the information available. In closing on this agenda item, PEF expressed its desire to meet with the Commissioner to discuss the top five priorities they submitted, based on her invitation to do so.
ACTION
A separate meeting will be scheduled to continue discussion around the remaining priorities submitted by PEF. Management will issue a communication about accessing the open chair meetings.
ISSUE
4. Telecommuting
DISCUSSION
Management expressed their intent to build a positive work environment for staff through the use of initiatives such as a telecommuting program, to allow for flexibility in meeting employee needs. Management said that a good deal of trust is necessary if the program is to be successful, and that managers must be willing to embrace such a program. A draft of a telecommuting policy had been forwarded to PEF for review and the policy committee was awaiting the union’s comments.
Management said telecommuting will be offered where practicable; PEF said they understand the need for more work to bring it to a reality. Issues around equipment, workers compensation and liability remain unresolved to date. The possibility of allowing ATC staff to participate is also being examined. PEF expressed interest in exploring work at home options for ATC staff, citing a need to look at job tasks that are applicable.
ISSUE
5. Exit Interview Process
DISCUSSION
Management discussed the existing practice in which Affirmative Action sends exit questionnaires to employees who have already departed, and indicated that the rate of response was far less than desired. PEF said that there is a wealth of information to be had and that the current process is too hit or miss. Management went on to say that data from returned surveys is now being entered into a data base. Management said they want a better method of getting feedback from departing employees, and would seek to share the results with managers and the union. They went on to say that we are looking at getting information from the departing employees sooner, hopefully, while they’re still working for us and readily accessible. It was agreed that the data is important and needs to be shared, especially on any feedback regarding the satisfaction with supervision because it can help us shape how the agency will proceed with training for supervisors.
ISSUE
6. Update Director of Nursing Position
DISCUSSION
Management said this is still an open issue, and one that they are continuing to assess. They said they questioned whether such a position would be fully utilized in the long term. They went on to share one alternative, which would be to create two new Nurse Administrator 2 positions— one upstate and one downstate — but said it was not in the current budget. PEF said they thought the request for the position had been submitted in the budget. Management said we first need to ascertain the need and that they could reclassify an existing item if need be. Management discussed the periodic meetings between the Nurse Administrators (NA’s) and Dr. Kipnis, saying that notices were sent to all NA’s, but that the meetings were not as well attended as hoped for. PEF said they hadn’t seen the agenda or minutes and voiced uncertainty as to what was being discussed, citing the varied interests of the participants. The Commissioner said we need to hear from the nurses and if that needs to be more normalized, let us know. The Commissioner said we need a consensus, so let’s not focus on the position, but the issue. PEF expressed their intent to consult with the NA’s to determine their interests.
ACTION PEF will consult with the Nurse Administrators.
ISSUE
7. Transfers
DISCUSSION
PEF said they actually wanted to discuss reassignments - not transfers - saying that OASAS needs a policy that would allow employees to be reassigned while keeping their current salary grade. They also said such a policy should permit lateral transfers without a requirement for supervisory approval. Management replied there was no requirement for such supervisory approval at present, but there does need to be a transition plan developed by both supervisors. A job vacancy may not always be required, but item fill levels partially determine if such reassignments are possible. An employee interested in transferring may contact the manager in that department to express interest in future openings. PEF said something more formal is needed. Management added that the individual’s own professional development plan and the acquisition of skills may be the most critical issue when seeking reassignments. PEF said they feel a reassignment policy should result in a person being placed on an eligibility list of sorts, and should an opening become available that candidates be chosen by seniority. Management responded that staff need to explore such reassignment opportunities for themselves, but invited PEF to develop a policy proposal if they wished to.
ACTION
Commissioner requested that PEF submit a copy of other reassignment policies.
ISSUE
8. AED Policy
DISCUSSION
Management said they were ahead of curve on the DOH mandates on AED’s due to be in place by 2010. They further stated that they are moving to assure that all OASAS AED’s are recalibrated by a 4/1/08 deadline set by DOH. They pointed out that the agency is not getting new AED’s, but rather is retro-fitting the existing ones with new computer chips. PEF emphasized the need for a policy and Management discussed the ongoing effort to develop a policy and protocol. PEF also expressed their feeling that more information about ordering parts, etc, and acquiring training is needed statewide. Management said they believed that all such concerns would be addressed when the efforts already underway are completed.
ACTION
Steve Hanson will work with Mary Ann DiChristopher on it.
ISSUE
9. Portable GPS Units for State Cars
DISCUSSION
PEF expressed concern with employees’ safety when traveling, especially alone, and said their members sometimes find maps and directions used in their business travel to be less than helpful. They went on to say that having GPS units assigned to the State cars would be helpful. Management agreed that it could be beneficial, but said that the cost is prohibitive especially with a significant budget shortfall looming ahead. Management suggested revisiting the idea sometime in the future.
ISSUE
10. Status of Emergency/Crash Carts/Boxes
DISCUSSION
Management reported on a meeting with the Nurse Administrators to assess the need and the types of carts that should be used. They are exploring the liability issue that was raised earlier and expressed a desire to find a balance that will help to insure patient safety while protecting staff at the same time. Management said nurses using the carts will operate under doctor’s orders.
Management said they will be sharing a forthcoming policy draft with PEF. Assessments need to be done at the local level to determine staff training needs and to decide what special equipment is to be included on the carts, in addition to the standard equipment. Management said the education and skills of the staff at each location will dictate what extra equipment can be stocked. PEF said the ability of off-shift staff to use advanced medical equipment and arrangements for swift interaction with MDs or fully trained staff needs to be established, too.
ACTION
Management will send PEF the policy draft.
ISSUE
11. Policy and Procedures for Kitchen Staff
DISCUSSION
PEF reported that the CK Post ATC had gone to cook/chill food service and that host psychiatric center had pulled their food service staff. Professional staff now have some level of involvement in food service and the union sees it as a health and safety issues and representative of out-of-title work. The Commissioner agreed and described her plan to have the issue explored and remedied as soon as possible; saying that the current situation is unacceptable, OASAS needs to revisit its service agreements with OMH host facilities. In response to PEF’s inquiry, Management said the need for training on a number of life saving techniques will be discussed at an upcoming ATC Directors’ meeting.
ISSUE
12. CASAC Hours for Time Worked
DISCUSSION
PEF proposed that counselors be given 5 CEU CASAC hours after they complete 5 years of service in title, and every credentialing period thereafter, based on on-the-job training and education acquired. They said it can be developed as a reward system. Management expressed doubt that they could permit work hours to substitute for education hours, but asked that PEF submit something in writing for the group to review. PEF then raised the issue of staff who never applied for a CASAC due to a reported miscommunication by an earlier administration over 10 years ago about grandfathering provisions. Management suggested a case-by-case examination of such situations and suggested that PEF reach out to B.J. Tripani in the Credentialing Unit. PEF said downstate not-for- profits are talking about the decline in the number of CASAC’s. Management said they are working on it and are reaching out to OTI about internships, and that they wanted to see the number of CASAC’s increase from currently 6,000 to the 10,000.
ISSUE
13. ATC Staffing Ratios for Nights, Weekends and Holidays
DISCUSSION
The Commissioner said this issue is being reviewed because the basis for the current staffing ratios is over 10 years old. She said the matter will be fully explored to determine the need for any change. PEF expressed support and enthusiasm for the effort and asked to be included in the process. Management said we have had increases in the overall fill level over the years. PEF said it has nothing to do with fill rate, but rather health and safety. They also said their main concern is staffing on nights, weekends and holidays. They said one nurse covering 80-100 clients is not acceptable.
PEF expressed their opinion that the newly hired ATC Directors need labor relations and labor/management training. Management said that such an effort is already underway. The new Directors and Assistant Directors are being brought together for a primer on various processes. Management invited PEF to meet with the group and the parties plan to make the necessary arrangements.
ISSUE
14. Outstanding Grievances
DISCUSSION
PEF offered their assistance in limiting the number of grievances and working toward preventing more in the future. They said the purpose of the labor/management process is to keep open lines of communications, creating positive relationships, and avoiding grievances. PEF suggested that the ATC Directors be encouraged to hold local labor/management meetings because that can also help to prevent grievances. PEF advised the group that the statewide PEF labor/management representatives are elected by the membership and that the union decides who sits on committees and sub-committees. PEF said that if there is a grievance back-log they can assemble a committee to review them to see if some can be dealt with or perhaps are now moot. Management suggested that if the union was more judicious as to what it pushed forward, and if there was more willingness
on the part of the union to tell members when a case is not viable, there wouldn’t be a grievance backlog. PEF says the member owns the grievance through Step 3. They went on to say that when people file grievances it means something — unhappiness - for example. PEF said that if they bring an issue to the grievance table it needs to be considered seriously. Management responded with information about the actual number of outstanding grievances, saying there are currently 17 outstanding with 11 of those residing at GOER awaiting Step 3 decisions. They said that contract negotiations tend to delay the Step 3 process temporarily. The Commissioner promised to make contact with GOER to ask that any dated cases awaiting Step 3 decisions be moved along.
ISSUE
15. Future Presentations on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), etc.
DISCUSSION
In response to PEF’s request, Management said that the Learning Thursdays forum would make an ideal outlet for sharing information on such topics on a statewide basis for a large number of participants. Management expressed support for the idea and made a few suggestions as to subject matter experts who could be utilized for this purpose.
Announcement - PEF announced that Diane Sullivan is the new Health and Safety Chair. Management asked to have Peggy Bonneau included in any related meetings of that committee.
The next meeting is scheduled for: March 26, 2008 at PEF Headquarters in Latham, NY beginning at 9:00 am.