by Amy Achilles
Statewide DTB/UMCC Issues as of 12/16/11
(Does not include grievances/arbitrations)
A DTB was filed on 12/8/11 in response to notice that CSD plans to standardize their statewide LEP processes. (Also see note below in tele-work) A team has not yet been determined and a meeting date in late 1/2012 has been offered but not yet confirmed.
SB 5921 was signed by the Governor and retained the language in section 27 establishing an employee incentive pilot related to Workfirst performance. The bill requires the Department to implement a pilot by January 1, 2012, and to report to the Legislature on pilot implementation and outcomes by January 1, 2013. The department has not determined how they plan to implement this yet but we would expect to receive formal notice and plan to file a DTB as soon as that is received. On 8/17/11, I confirmed CSD has not yet developed any plan on this issue. In 10/11 I received a copy of an email that shows that management is working on developing their plan. I sent an inquiry to HR and CSD and the response was that a notice would be coming very soon. Notice was received and a DTB was filed on 11/1/11. A meeting occurred on 12/12/11 and a second session is tentatively scheduled for 1/13/12 to exchange proposals. The team is Billie Malcolm, Annie Namyniuk and Gayle Chamberlain-Smith.
A memo went out in Region 3 on 10/24/11 describing changes to the work or work processes of the WFPS’s and SW’s. It is unclear at this time what this means and whether or not a DTB needs to be filed so I had a brief teleconference with CSD to get more information. This will be on the agenda for the upcoming statewide CSD UMCC.
A pre-authorization audit process, which had already been occurring for some time in the CSO’s, was announced in the CSC on 10/20/11 and raises significant concerns about the effect this will have on our members ability to meet expectations related to phones. I have discussed these concerns with Babs and she committed to getting some more concrete data and specifics about the process. It has been determined that this will be on the agenda for the upcoming statewide CSD UMCC.
A DTB was filed 10/20/11 in response to notice that the CSD intends to close Othello, relocate staff from Colfax and consolidate the three Spokane offices into two. Spokane has been resolved through informal discussions at the local level, it has been determined that Colfax will remain open and we are currently awaiting more information from CSD/HR regarding Othello.
A DTB was filed on 10/19/11 regarding staff reassignments in the CSC. At the statewide CSD UMCC management explained that they received approval to hire a number of positions. A large number of FSS and OAS positions were a part of that approval, nowhere near filling the vacancies in CSD but a good thing none the less. From the UMCC summary: “CSD has recently received authorization to hire 52 FSS’s and 24 OAS’s. Of those positions, all of the OAS’s will go to the CSC to free up the FSS’s currently working in HIU to do financial work. In addition, the CSC will receive 6 of the FSS’s. So, the end result will be about 18 FSS’s added to the CSC. The CSO’s will receive the remaining FSS’s authorized for hire as well as an additional 8 WFPS’s.” This DTB is solely related to the reassignment of the FSS’s currently in the HIU. On 12/7/11 staff from HIU, Gayle Chamberlain-Smith and myself met and reached an MOU with management that protects members’ classification, location, workload and even the types of tasks they are assigned. The team was Gayle Chamberlain-Smith, Tracy Boose and Addie Rodriguez.
You may recall that in 4/10 a DTB was filed over the pilot contracting out portions of work to CHPW related to Disability Lifeline. Good news! On 10/20/11 it was announced that the work will no longer be going CHPW and will remain in the BU. This return of work is a topic on the agenda for our upcoming statewide CSD UMCC.
A DTB was filed on 3/17/11 in response to management’s intent to relocate the King North CSO to the North Seattle Community College Campus effective 5/6/11. The team appointed to this is Justin Fellores, Greg Gunther and Herbie Martin. The meeting occurred on 4/28/11. The main issue per the CR was parking costs and free parking has already been arranged. Other issues such as safety committees, bulletin boards etc. were addressed at the meeting. A follow up meeting occurred on 8/17/11 to address outstanding issues. This was productive and a summary went out to the team and the Seattle CR. Update – I just received word that King North’s PA system will be installed! This DTB is now closed.
A DTB was filed 1/7/11 not in response to a notice, but to a change in leave approval practices at the Mt. Vernon CSO. A lengthy information request was sent in order to prepare we’ve just had our first meeting on 4/19/11. Resolution has not been reached and follow up is in process, we are still awaiting an information request. I have attempted follow up on this issue several times w/ the HRD rep with not much response, so we decided to pursue follow up from CSD by placing it on the statewide agenda. Since that time I received a request from HRD about what more was needed and I have requested a follow up meeting. The team appointed is Marci Douglas-Bumgarner, Diane Linnell-Merry and Terea Gilmore.
A DTB was filed 9/7/10 regarding the CSC implementing a statewide tele-work project. This has been completed and is now closed. Six monthly follow up teleconferences have also now been completed and a detailed summary of the final meeting went to all CSD reps. The next step was to expand the opportunity to about 70 more people in the near future. At the CSC UMCC on 8/9/11 we were informed that there are 75 slots available and that about 130 members have expressed interest in those slots. The selection will be based on the agreed upon criteria. We were also informed that, due to a technological glitch, the setup of the 75 new participants may be delayed by about a month. The latest delay is a result of trying to figure out how to even out some of the workload that comes in to “points of contact” in the office from the tele-workers, LEP being an example. (See above) It is still management’s intent to move ahead with the approved tele-workers as soon as possible.
Under the new CBA, statewide CSD UMCC’s occur. The first one occurred on 9/27/11 at the ESA building in Olympia and a summary was sent out to the team and CSD reps. The second one is scheduled for 1/13/12.
A CSC UMCC last occurred on 8/9/11 and a detailed summary was sent out to the team and CSD reps.
