MSO'S STAFFINGG RATIO ARBITRATION UPDATE:
Here is the award from the Staffing Ratio Arbitration, heard on Sept. 1, 2010. Please note that while we did not win the arbitration, the arbitrator holds the employer accountable for not over-burdening the employees. This means when new or additional duties are added, you have the right to ask either (1) what MNEA is taking away to balance out the new duties, or (2) that MNEA prioritize your work (YOU SHOULD NOT DO THE PRIORITIZING) so that you know what things fall to the end of the list, in case you can't get everything done.
Staffing Ratio Award:
The Employer did not violate the labor agreement
when it issued a job description for the position of
Executive Secretary to the Executive Director and
Legal that provides that this position provide nonconfidential
secretarial support to other managers
who do not have an assigned secretary. The
grievance is denied.
One caveat is in order. Management must make sure
that the managers who are served by the new secretarial
position here in issue do not overburden the employee assigned
to the position. The arbitrator does not see anything in the
new job description which would necessarily constitute an
unreasonable workload. However, it is the responsibility of
the managers who share the secretary’s services to make sure
that they divide her time and effort in a reasonable way.
MSO'S OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED ARBITRATION:
MSO and MNEA went to arbitration on February 22, 2011 on this isssue. At the beginning of the hearing, it was decided that we could settle it without the arbitrator. The final agreement included MNEA meeting with the remaining employee who MNEA had not met with (per the contractual process) to discuss the changes to her job and allow her to provide input.
OTHER ISSUES FOR MSO:
We currently have two grievances underway.
One is regarding the major changes made to the way the Business Technician's job description was written after Barb left.
The other is regarding a reprimand received by an employee without MNEA going through the contractual steps outlined in the contract. Additionally, many of our "active" union members are being held to standards which are not being applied to every employee. This is a major concern and MSO is very concerned that MNEA is discriminating based on union activity. We'll keep you posted.
We will update this in the near future to let you know what MSO's next action will be regarding these issues -- as well as some new ones that may be looming on the horizon.
