AFSCME 2864 Professionals Union

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

AFSCME Local 2864 – Hennepin County Professional Employees
Meeting Minutes – Sept. 18, 2006

The Meeting at Brookdale Library was called to order at 6:00 p.m., with 7 members and business agent Jeff Dains present.

President Jan DeSirey presided.

Treasurer’s Report (in absentia)
Our current checking account balance is $494.24
Our current money market balance stands at $8691.72
Major expenditures from the previous 2 months included reimbursing DeSirey for attending the Midwest School for Women Workers in July.

President’s Report
DeSirey reported on the upcoming (9/20) joint Labor-Management Committee meeting, which will include both the librarians’ and support staff committees and their respective management members. The agenda will include a brief look back at “what we’ve learned” in our 8 years of existence, as well as the following topics:
* Invigorating a Positive Work Environment Through Staff Development
* Workload and Workflow Issues in 21st Century Libraries: How to Find Best Practices and Address These Issues as a System.

Business Agent’s Report
Dains, in response to a question from a member, briefly outlined some of the issues on the “Post Employment Health Account.” The County is eager for union locals to set up these accounts. Each local has to devise its own plan, which must then be passed by a vote in that local. DeSirey will work with members of Local 2822 (support staff) and other local officers to try to set up informational sessions. We are currently trying to pursuade our employer to allow staff time to attend.

Old Business
DeSirey gave an update on the Dignity and Respect initiative in the library. The team is hard at work on an action plan which will outline more concrete ways to further healthy behavior in the workplace, and plans eventually to produce a flowchart with options for handling a disrespectful or harmful behavior.

New Business

DeSirey reported that the AFSCME Council 5 annual conference will be held October 5 in Bloomington. Our Union can send up to four delegates to this statewide conference, and so far 2 people are attending: DeSirey and Vice-President Lisa Kjellander. Steward Holly Rakocy expressed interest and will check with her supervisors. (Update: Holly will be attending. Thanks, Holly!)
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for:
Wed. Nov. 15, 6 pm, large staff conference room at Ridgedale Library
(NOT: Tuesday Nov. 21 as originally announced. Too close to Thanksgiving.)



Respectfully submitted,Jan DeSirey, acting as Secretary