Today management met with the union to discuss delayering management. The following hand out was provided by management. This was described as how they broke out the issues.
Management Layers - Definitions
Institution - a state hospital, residential habilitation center, juvenile rehabilitation center or a total confinement facility RCW 71.09.020 operated by the department and under the control of the Secretary as specified in RCW 72.09.020 operated by the department and under the control of the Secretary as specified in RCW 72-01-050 and 72.050.010. The CEO or Superintendent directs the operations of facilities on a 24/7 basis and is responsible for the residents of the facilities. Staff assigned provide a range of direct services to the clients in residence, and oversees a broad range of support services. The Consolidated Support Services provides support services to state institutions and will be included in this group.
Regional Programs - community based service delivery offices located statewide designated to provide social and health service programs. At the forefront of regional programs are the line staff who interact directly with client and provides needed services. Community programs include community service offices, homes and community, residential care, child support, children's services, developmental disability field offices, and residential or community facilities.
Administrative Units - All central services provided to an administration or the department. To include all back office functions such as contracts, fiscal, payroll, purchasing, IT, communication, human resources, quality assurance, research, training, organizational development, and coordination, office management functions located in the Administration's headquarters or in outstations or satellite offices. Included in this group are Disability Determination Services, Fraud Investigation.
June 22, 2011
Reducing Layers of Management (De-Layering) Informal Discussion
For Management: Glen Christopherson, Peggy Pulse, Wendy Long, Autumn Sharp, Ellen Andrews
For Union: Debbie Brookman, Julianne Moore, Gayle Chamberlain-Smith, Michelle Stelovich, Kandy Kraig, Gabe Hall, Joey Ignacio, Donelle Pond, Fred Curry, Ted Olson, James Robinson, Daniel D’Haem (became ill and left)
Management information provided:
Goal is to have no more than these levels between Secretary of DSHS and first front line level:
5 in Administrative Units
6 in Regional Programs
7 in Institutions
Line level is zero. Secretary is 1 or 5 depending on how counted. Secretary is one for purposes of this discussion. We are not interested in removing line level supervisors. The questions is how do we manage and maintain oversight and not have span of control out of hand? Where we put the pressure is the question.
There will be fewer management positions. 18 million dollar reduction required in administrative overhead and other types of savings. 6.7 million have not been identified in savings. 6.7 million is savings we may achieve through this or maybe not. 80 positions need to be identified to make up the savings.
Management: We are not trying to move represented work to unrepresented positions. That’s why we want to work with you. The focus will be on middle management. We can’t say it wouldn’t impact a represented supervisor. We have not yet determined what positions we will look at. Regional consolidation will have impacts. The effort to delayer is known by the parties bargaining consolidation. Project manager Jim Hunt is coordinating. There are anomalies in HRMS and those have to be cleaned up. There were 9 levels of supervision in some places a month ago ( ADSA, CA, and ESA). Could be a data clean up issue. Management wants a more consistent approach to management across DSHS.
DSHS has no span of control standard now but may have later. ISSD now has 5 layers maximum. DSHS will have a larger span of control than other agencies. Management is working with a database rather than organizational charts. DSHS does not have a good organizational chart software program. Due to daily changes in positions, we need a database system that is more easily updated. How does management get employee input from across the agency? Management needs a mechanism to get input from workforce.
Union concerned about exempt and WMS staff bumping into the bargaining units.
On the database, employee line level is zero but may be labelled for example 7. The clean up on the database will take weeks. Maintenance is different and ongoing.
Union: We’ve identified a number of areas where we believe a work group would be able to provide the input you requested. We’d like the meetings to occur on work time. We’d also like some work time allowed to talk to co-workers about what the concerns might be.
How does the proposed maintenance consolidation work with the delayering? Specifically Mike Allen has been identified as over the project as well as CSS. The workers in temporary training positions are affected in what way? For example one of the workers is currently preparing for a post that was eliminated last year. The Union is concerned about exempt and WMS staff bumping into the bargaining units.
Management said there are 2902 fewer people working for the state as of June from 3 years ago.
The parties will meet again on June 30th.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
DSHS Institutions and SOLA Pay Statements
Today, your union met with management in a demand to bargain over printed and mailed earnings statements. Management wants all DSHS employees to print their own earnings statements from a computer at work or at home to save money. In previous discussions, management asserted a cost of $6000 a month to print and mail the statements. Since other data that was provided at that meeting proved to be untrue, we are not certain of the veracity of this dollar figure.
What we are certain of is WAC 296-126-040 states:
1. Every employer shall furnish to each employee at the time of payment of wages an itemized statement showing the pay basis (ie., hours or days worked), rate or rates of pay, gross wages, and all deductions for that pay period.
2. An itemized pay statement means a separate written statement from the paycheck issued to employees on each payday. Pay periods shall be identified on the pay statement by month,m day, year and payment date.
3. The pay statement may be furnished or made available electronically provided each employee has access to receive and copy it on the payday. If an employee cannot receive an electronic pay statement at work or at home on the established payday, the employer must provide a written pay statement to the employee on the payday.
Because SOLA is comprised of client homes where citizens with DD live, state computers and printers do not exist and if they did would be for client use. Therefore, management agreed that SOLA workers will not be required to use the electronic system.
The limitations of HRMS make it necessasry for an all or nothing approach. In other words, when the union proposed that workers be allowed to opt in or opt out of the electronic pay statement management wants to implement, management stated that HRMS cannot accommodate that.
Today the following members comprised our team: Claude Burfect, Lee Malinda, Sonya Evans, Gabe Hall, Julianne Moore, James Robinson, Carol Dotlich, Donnelle Pond, and Labor Advocate Debbie Lippincott
Present for management: Wendy Long, Peggy Pulse, Shane Escobel, Glen Christopherson, Jay Minton
Management wants employees to use Employee Self Service. Management stated that employees will have access to computers on all shifts. SOLA will not be affected at this point due to access problems. When the employee has no access to computers at work or at home to print their statement, the employee can fill out a slip to have payroll print it for them. All institutions can provide access except Fircrest and Rainier but management has assurance that both will provide computers and printers. HRMS will turn off statements for all employees in an institution. It cannot provide individual opt outs or opt ins. Employees who do not work on payday, can come in to work and get their pay statement.
The union bristled at the idea that employees have to report to work on their day off to get their earnings statement.
Union continues to request that this management plan not be implemented. The information management provided at last meeting about mail not being bulk and not zip code sorted turned out not to be true. Employees assigned to one on one client care cannot leave to get an earnings statement from the computer. We do not want to lose the ability to have a printed earnings statement. We cannot be clearer about that. We believe the law is on our side in this. Our members are not getting their rest breaks because there is no time. What management doesn’t seem to understand is that institution workers cannot just “go” anywhere. The patient demands and the safety concerns don’t allow workers to just “go” anywhere. There are real safety issues here and even peer pressure will dissuade workers from going to a computer to get their earnings statement. The more we pull people from their work with patients, the more injuries occur. Management plans to consolidate the business functions. We believe the inaccuracies will increase and the TSR leave confusion will leave employees unable to respond timely when errors occur. There are also concerns about confidentiality when printing statements on the units. Some computers must print into different buildings. Employee Self Service is still messed up. There are too many barriers and it makes no sense. The savings are relatively small, it disrupts patient care and some employees will require computer training.
LRO and Glen Christopherson said they will go back and explain that the current technology will not accommodate the plan to cease printing of earnings statements. Management stated that this issue of electronic earnings statements will not go away.
The union made the point that under the current circumstances of short staffing and workload demands as well as new consolidation issues and the shortcomings of the technology at this point, it makes no sense to move down this path. The costs of covering staffing while employees go to computers to print earnings statements would far outweigh any savings.
It was a good discussion. Management discussed doing a survey of our membership. The union warned that upsetting members in this way would be unwelcome. Moreover, the bargaining team is fully representative of our members and has the authority to bargain this issue. If a survey is sent out on this issue, please contact your Council Representative.
What we are certain of is WAC 296-126-040 states:
1. Every employer shall furnish to each employee at the time of payment of wages an itemized statement showing the pay basis (ie., hours or days worked), rate or rates of pay, gross wages, and all deductions for that pay period.
2. An itemized pay statement means a separate written statement from the paycheck issued to employees on each payday. Pay periods shall be identified on the pay statement by month,m day, year and payment date.
3. The pay statement may be furnished or made available electronically provided each employee has access to receive and copy it on the payday. If an employee cannot receive an electronic pay statement at work or at home on the established payday, the employer must provide a written pay statement to the employee on the payday.
Because SOLA is comprised of client homes where citizens with DD live, state computers and printers do not exist and if they did would be for client use. Therefore, management agreed that SOLA workers will not be required to use the electronic system.
The limitations of HRMS make it necessasry for an all or nothing approach. In other words, when the union proposed that workers be allowed to opt in or opt out of the electronic pay statement management wants to implement, management stated that HRMS cannot accommodate that.
Today the following members comprised our team: Claude Burfect, Lee Malinda, Sonya Evans, Gabe Hall, Julianne Moore, James Robinson, Carol Dotlich, Donnelle Pond, and Labor Advocate Debbie Lippincott
Present for management: Wendy Long, Peggy Pulse, Shane Escobel, Glen Christopherson, Jay Minton
Management wants employees to use Employee Self Service. Management stated that employees will have access to computers on all shifts. SOLA will not be affected at this point due to access problems. When the employee has no access to computers at work or at home to print their statement, the employee can fill out a slip to have payroll print it for them. All institutions can provide access except Fircrest and Rainier but management has assurance that both will provide computers and printers. HRMS will turn off statements for all employees in an institution. It cannot provide individual opt outs or opt ins. Employees who do not work on payday, can come in to work and get their pay statement.
The union bristled at the idea that employees have to report to work on their day off to get their earnings statement.
Union continues to request that this management plan not be implemented. The information management provided at last meeting about mail not being bulk and not zip code sorted turned out not to be true. Employees assigned to one on one client care cannot leave to get an earnings statement from the computer. We do not want to lose the ability to have a printed earnings statement. We cannot be clearer about that. We believe the law is on our side in this. Our members are not getting their rest breaks because there is no time. What management doesn’t seem to understand is that institution workers cannot just “go” anywhere. The patient demands and the safety concerns don’t allow workers to just “go” anywhere. There are real safety issues here and even peer pressure will dissuade workers from going to a computer to get their earnings statement. The more we pull people from their work with patients, the more injuries occur. Management plans to consolidate the business functions. We believe the inaccuracies will increase and the TSR leave confusion will leave employees unable to respond timely when errors occur. There are also concerns about confidentiality when printing statements on the units. Some computers must print into different buildings. Employee Self Service is still messed up. There are too many barriers and it makes no sense. The savings are relatively small, it disrupts patient care and some employees will require computer training.
LRO and Glen Christopherson said they will go back and explain that the current technology will not accommodate the plan to cease printing of earnings statements. Management stated that this issue of electronic earnings statements will not go away.
The union made the point that under the current circumstances of short staffing and workload demands as well as new consolidation issues and the shortcomings of the technology at this point, it makes no sense to move down this path. The costs of covering staffing while employees go to computers to print earnings statements would far outweigh any savings.
It was a good discussion. Management discussed doing a survey of our membership. The union warned that upsetting members in this way would be unwelcome. Moreover, the bargaining team is fully representative of our members and has the authority to bargain this issue. If a survey is sent out on this issue, please contact your Council Representative.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
DSHS Consolidation of Regional Business Services
DSHS Management has embarked on multiple consolidation efforts. The plans put forward thus far leave us scratching our heads. The information we have received to date leaves us with many unanswered questions and a great deal of alarm. When asked about the various projects, we are told Governor Gregoire directed it. In some cases, management states the true purpose is not to save money - it is to consolidate. Some members attending these meetings have remarked that it seems an element of communism has crept into DSHS. Others are concerned it is merely an attempt to make state government look incompetent and then push for contracting out.
Whatever point of view the members adopt, we lack sufficient information to bargain the impacts on our members, our clients and our services. The last meeting on this particular topic was May 19, 2011. The notes I took are below. Today, June 14th we will attempt again to gather information so that our members can provide feedback to the team. These meetings are informal at this point.
Consolidation of Regional Business Centers - May 19, 2011
Management: The focus of the project is not to save money - it is to better align us to do the job rather than to save dollars. Each business center would be responsible for support to two of the current regions. One office will be in each new region. All Business officers will be consolidated into one. The contracts in scope o the project are purchased goods and services. Client and personal service contracts are not in scope. FA5s will be responsible for coordinating. There will be high level staff in each region. There are 3 regions with 1 regional administrator in each program area (JRA, ADSA, ESA, CA, (DD and HCS). There will be one business manager in each region. Service level agreements will be signed between the business centers and the regional administrator. Management will consider allowing persons to work virtuallky from their current worksite or near their home.
Union asked how would these business centers be successful in navigating all the funding streams, audit reqwuirements, court decisions, etc.?
Management said they will ask that question.
DSHS HR Terri Beck said the determination of whether or not the persons are in the bargsaining unit is up to PERC. If the original position coming to the business cengter was in the union, it will stay and if not, it will not be in the bargaining unit. She stated Peggy Pulse is the expert.
Union objected to this and said this will have to be worked out.
Management: Every program will give up the FTE and money for the positions at the business center. Management wants to use existing staff to fill the positions. Management wants to move people in their existing classification initially but as attrition occurs they would change the job classes.
I will continue to try to post information as we receive it.
RESOURCES:
Whatever point of view the members adopt, we lack sufficient information to bargain the impacts on our members, our clients and our services. The last meeting on this particular topic was May 19, 2011. The notes I took are below. Today, June 14th we will attempt again to gather information so that our members can provide feedback to the team. These meetings are informal at this point.
Consolidation of Regional Business Centers - May 19, 2011
Management: The focus of the project is not to save money - it is to better align us to do the job rather than to save dollars. Each business center would be responsible for support to two of the current regions. One office will be in each new region. All Business officers will be consolidated into one. The contracts in scope o the project are purchased goods and services. Client and personal service contracts are not in scope. FA5s will be responsible for coordinating. There will be high level staff in each region. There are 3 regions with 1 regional administrator in each program area (JRA, ADSA, ESA, CA, (DD and HCS). There will be one business manager in each region. Service level agreements will be signed between the business centers and the regional administrator. Management will consider allowing persons to work virtuallky from their current worksite or near their home.
Union asked how would these business centers be successful in navigating all the funding streams, audit reqwuirements, court decisions, etc.?
Management said they will ask that question.
DSHS HR Terri Beck said the determination of whether or not the persons are in the bargsaining unit is up to PERC. If the original position coming to the business cengter was in the union, it will stay and if not, it will not be in the bargaining unit. She stated Peggy Pulse is the expert.
Union objected to this and said this will have to be worked out.
Management: Every program will give up the FTE and money for the positions at the business center. Management wants to use existing staff to fill the positions. Management wants to move people in their existing classification initially but as attrition occurs they would change the job classes.
I will continue to try to post information as we receive it.
RESOURCES:
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