Winnipeg Home Care Local 97

Annual General Meeting

March 12, 2007

Norwood Hotel

 

1.      Call to order – meeting was called to order by Dawn Thompson at 1850

2.      Additions to Agenda – agenda was accepted as circulated.

3.      Approval of Agenda – agenda was approved as circulated.

4.      Provincial President’s Report – Maureen Hancharyk

5.      Treasurers Budget – Cindy Cameron and Chris Wensel – Darlene Leier adopted to approve the budget, Sharon Bauman seconded the motion – the budget was approved as circulated.

6.      Auditors Report – Cindy Cameron and Chris Wensel – maintain we are seeking a new auditor for the next fiscal year.  Todd Hamin adopted to approve the audit, Sharon Bauman seconded the motion – the auditors report was accepted as circulated. 

7.      Members present all voted in favor of the budget – the budget was passed.

8.      Local President’s Report – Dawn Thompson

Master Rotations – the employer is working on Master Rotations that are fair and equitable for all nurses.  The next Master Rotation meeting is scheduled for May 3, 2007.

Work Place Safety and Health (WPSH) – the union has been involved with the employer regarding safety and health concerns. Strides are being made however this has been a slow process.  Nurses continue to be encouraged to fill out Occurrence Reports and Injury/Near Miss Reports.

There are about four Return to Work meetings a week for nurses who are on WCB, MPI and LTD.

The Workload Staffing Reports are a great tool however nurses are not using them.  The how to fill them out guide is located on your MNU boards and on the Local 97 Website. 

There continues to be a huge problem with communication however the union is making good strides with the employer. For example it was decided at Nursing Advisory Committee (NAC) that the DPN’s hours would be 730 to 345 from the previous 700 to 300.  This information was communicated to the Team Managers (TM) and Nursing Resource Coordinator’s (NRCs).  Many of the nurses were not made aware.  The DPN communication books were not updated in some areas. The union has made the employer aware that the nurses were not notified.

Milton Sussman the VP of the WRHA attended the last Union Management Meeting.

The Downtown nurses and St. James nurses have been very proactive dealing with specific concerns in their areas and the union has worked with the area nurses to make positive changes.

There have been concerns with the employer giving Casual Nurses shifts over Part Time Nurses.  This is against the Collective Agreement.  In one particular case the Part Time Nurse advised the union. The union contacted the Team Manager and the Part Time Nurse was awarded the shift.  Nurses have to continue to come forward when their rights under the Collective Agreement are being violated.

MNU local 97 needs new members.  If any one is interested they can talk to any of the executive and/or area reps.  New members will start slow; have the support of MNU and on-going mentoring. 

There is discussion related to an increase in mileage based on what CAA says.  A nurse asks what the CAA rate is.  Dawn responds she believes approximately .60 per km.

Area reps and executive are thanked for all their hard work.

9. Nominations – Darlene Leier and Yvonne Maguet

There are two areas with no representation which are Seven Oaks/Inskter and River Heights/Fort Garry – these area have no Area Representative or Workplace Safety and Health Representative.

Executive

President: Dawn Thompson – wins by acclamation

Vice President: Chris Wensel – wins by acclamation

Secretary: Leanne Newman – wins by acclamation

Treasurer: Cindy Cameron – wins by acclamation

St James Assiniboine - Darlene Leier - wins by acclamation

Respite Representative - Darcy Spikula - wins by acclamation

River East/Transcona - Alison Lievana - wins by acclamation

Clinic Representative - Cindy Cameron - wins by acclamation

Downtown/Point Douglas - Andrea Zaluski - wins by acclamation

St Boniface/St Vital - Yvonne Maguet - wins by acclamation

Inkster/Seven Oaks - no representative

River Heights/Fort Garry - no representative

Workplace Safety and Health

St James Assiniboine - Darlene Leier - wins by acclamation

Respite Representative – no representative

River East/Transcona – Terry Earl Sparling - wins by acclamation

Clinic Representative – Tanya Girouard-Stringer - wins by acclamation

Downtown/Point Douglas – Joan Pearson - wins by acclamation

St Boniface/St Vital – Sharon Bauman - wins by acclamation

Inkster/Seven Oaks - no representative

River Heights/Fort Garry - no representative

     
Nursing Advisory Committee

      Automatic inclusion of the President and Vice President

Leanne Newman - wins by acclamation

Darcy Spikula - wins by acclamation

     
Union Management

      Automatic inclusion of the President and Vice President

Nominated: Todd Hamin, Cindy Cameron and Alison Lievana

Darlene Leier reports that everyone received two ballots and are to write the names of the two members that they wish to be on the committee.  Ballots are collected and counting begins.

A nurse representative from the WPSH Committee reports that nurses who have concerns need to bring their WPSH concerns in writing to their representatives.

Deb Stewart: Introduces herself a MNU Labor Relation Officer and states that the MNU Local 97 executive is an amazing cohesive group and has made great strides with management.  There are currently no grievances and management give the local executive a huge amount of mutual respect.

10. Open Discussion

Nurse: Asks should the positions in St. Boniface continue to be posted bilingual even though the positions have not been filled

Deb Stewart: There was a Labour Board Ruling at St. Boniface Hospital which proved that the bilingual posting was a bonafide labour requirement.  The Manitoba Labour Board ruled in favor of the employer.  The employer has the right to designate a certain number of positions as bilingual.  The union has no recourse in this manner. 

Madeline Graham: Provincial Collective Bargaining Committee (PCBC) maintained that Tache Nursing Home negotiated a clause that allowed nurses who were already working to take French language lessons. 

Deb Stewart: Staffing shortages have been a result of this ruling.  It is being tracked regarding how many times a job gets reposted if it is not filled due to lack of qualified nurses applying for the position.  The information collected will be discussed with the employer. 

A nurse notes that the charts in St. Boniface are English only.

Nurse: Mentions that an occurrence with a particular client occurs daily, therefore nurses have been filling out occurrence reports daily.  The area nurses have been told by management to stop filling out occurrences daily. 

Dawn: Reports that an occurrence report is to be filled out every time an occurrence occurs.  Dawn to follow up with the Team Manager.

Nurse: Reports that there is no time on the NRS.

Dawn: Reports under the Collective Agreement Article 4 Management Rights the employer has the right to direct the work of its nurses.  The nurses need to be responsible for ensuring the care codes for each client are on the NRS.  Dawn advises nurses that we work a 7.75 hour day and should receive two 15 minute paid coffee breaks and an unpaid lunch.  If a nurse is not able to get their work done within the 7.25 hour time frame they are to problem solve with the NRC and fill out a Workload Staffing Report if they are missing their breaks and lunch.  Discussion ensued.

Deb Stewart:  Discussed the importance of the care codes. The NRC needs to be part of the solution and ensure that the days are planned fair and equitable.  There needs to be area staff meetings and good communication between the nurses and the supervisors.

Nurse: Do we get over time to fill out Occurrence Reports and Workload Staffing Reports.

Deb Stewart: The Occurrence Reports should be filled out on employer time.  The Workload Staffing Report does not have to be filled out on employer time.  A nurse will not get overtime to fill out a Workload Staffing Report.

Nurses: Will LPN’s in the new master rotation work every third weekend?

Dawn: The next master rotation meeting is May 3 and the employer is working on making the master rotations fair and equitable.

Nurse: Sometimes LPN’s have 20 clients on their day and care is being compromised.

Dawn: The nurses should use the Workload Staffing Report and write down that they were not able to uphold the Standards of Practice according to the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Manitoba or the College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba.  The information on the Workload Staffing Reports goes to NAC and action happens.

Nominations continued: Darlene Leier reports that the vote counting was completed and Cindy Cameron and Alison Lievana will be the members of the Union Management Committee.

Nurse: Reports that during her evening shift she had to do a nursing visit that required her to have to park 2-3 blocks away from the residence.  Due to safety concerns she called After Hours and was told that a WRHA Security Guard would meet her.  The guard met her and waited for her in the lobby during the nursing visit.

Dawn: Reports all nurses should be made aware that a security guard is available for evening nurse usage.

11.  Meeting adjourned at 2040.