Minutes from town hall May 21st.

 

PIPD New Master Discussion May 21/26

Mtg to provide info, answer questions, voice concerns and move forward together.

 

History

·         Local was only notified recently PIPD getting funding for 6 more beds and approx. 25 new lines. We will grow from 95 up to 119 RN positions. This is a significant increase in master and the baseline will be 22 days and nights.

1.      Ministry provides funding to the employer.

2.      PIPD made aware, directed scheduling created new master. Holes in existing one, so had to balance (16/16/18 RNs on any given shift).

3.      Master was sent to union, they made some changes to increase proposed 11shift lines to FT lines.

4.      A challenge is that our current master does not have the same amount of staffing each day, nor each shift. Ranges from 16-18. No consistent baseline, so this added a challenge to make it 22DX/22NX 24/7. Those are the holes. When master came to Local, there were several lines that had 11/12 shifts. Asked to work on it to make full time lines, to benefit the employees. We made 14 full time and 11 OTFT. Sent back to PIPD, and now here we are. Members expressed concerns about the master, how it looks, and people don’t want to select new lines.

5.      Staff scheduling and the local looked at other ways, tried to add in new lines without changing others, but it does not balance and isn’t fair (article 7.09). The local provided where there are challenges with the new lines and spoke to how we will have to be some changes (not all lines) to the current 95 lines. The local has spent hours trying to make it work and presented what the changes would be.

6.      Lori tried leaving current 95 and added new. Tried to make fair and equitable. Weekends don’t balance, not fair. Need to make some minmal changes to the 95 lines.

7.      Members where very unhappy with the staff scheduling version and knowing that there will not be as many global changes with the master that Lori is working on it & it seems better.

·         PIPD manager sent out original master (staff scheduling built) prior to town hall.  Local has done additional work and the master will look much closer to what it is today.

·         Local couldn’t find why the imbalance was with the baseline previously. Discussion around making the shifts compliment the LPN lines.

 

 

Questions

·         Why do ¾ times not have to work 3/4s of weekends?

·         Full time FTE 2/4 why isn’t ¾ weekend and half out of 4? Can we add more weekend pressure on the 3/4s?

·         Local wanted to see if could balance on days and nights, but not quite. The new lines will have 1 additional day or night in their split

·         Has anyone taken into account the LPNs on the unit?- they have their own master

We don’t have a consistent number of LPNs on every shift. Our current master included LPN’s into the baseline.  With the funding from the government, we are funded for 22 RN’s per shift and the LPN compliment is additional to this. Funding from the ministry was delegated for RN positions.

·         Is there a plan to shuffle work assignments on days with no LPNs?

No, then we would be at our baseline of 22 staff.

If we are above baseline – more opportunities for supporting the unit operationally

Local shared the new master that is being worked on for staff to see. – red showed errors that needed correcting. If there is no colour, there is not change. Tried to add on extra lines at bottom. Tried to balance all the new lines. Some may have one extra night, the existing lines are more even. Where there are red boxes are errors, not balanced and unfair weekends.

Questions

·         What if someone agrees to the line and wants to work more weekends? Is that a problem? People frustrated that it has to be fair and equitable.

There will be a few minor changes to the 95. The 0.47s have lots of single shifts, could put another shift with those. We do our best to try for every department to be fair.

·         Concern- there are people who have accommodations to days and others pick up the nights. Doesn’t look fair and equitable, no one has a choice.

Don’t know how many accommodations or night preferences there are. Manager can look that up. The provisional will make the master look different.

Article 7.09 refers to those that want to work night shifts. PIPD has lots of night preferences.

Determined that not many night preferences and many members trade

There will be some changes within the original 95 lines. It is a work in progress.

 

·         Concern- puts pressure on staff to be making trades. 6/6 is not a line for everyone. People want it to be flexible. Should be able to accommodate it.

The Local does not get to change the CBA. So must try for even.

 

Next steps

·         Overall the minor changes are a better compromise than the whole master being changed.

·         Staff will still have to pick new lines. They are to be picked based on seniority and FTE. Full time picks against full time etc. The 95 lines can pick before the new incumbents come.

·         When the ministry gave money, they said it needed to be done very soon. Normally there are lot of changes to make it even, staff choose line, do a provisional, and give 42 days notice. If we work on this new one, are you okay with forgoing the 42 days notice? If not, then the new master scheduling made will be the one that’s used.

·         Aug 23^rd is the start of the counting period. If we could get done sooner, we’d have to be on the same page.

Members will be provided a minimum of 4 weeks notice

·         PIPD used to have permanent trades, that was not compliant and not allowed. Now we do them month by month.

·         Why does the master have to be equal if we know we have so many that want nights. Why don’t you make the master with 5 days and 7 nights?

That will happen in provisional

 

This new master won’t look the same as the one scheduling had made.

ü  Local will review and make sure new lines are fair to the existing lines.

ü  Local will look at it again and see how it needs to change. Will reach out to PIPD if can’t figure it out.

·         Comment- why do we all need pick new lines, when the new people get hired, they have to choose from the vacant lines anyway.

We will select based on FTEs and seniority again as there will be changes for some. The new hires will get to choose from the new lines.

·         FYI - LOAs never go back to you. Trades do. Vacations will still be honoured. Blocks of annual vacation will go with you. If you accepted single shifts, and you’re no longer working them they won’t come out of your bank and you can ask for new vacation.

·         Will take a couple of weeks to have local and employer agreement. Then has to go to staff scheduling to help work through the selection piece.

·         Can a bedside nurse talk with the Local scheduling person? sure

·         Local received unkind emails, we always do try our best.

·         Staff feels like numbers on a piece of paper. The changes feel life altering.

·         Local tried very best to reply. Always open to feedback and conversations, not unkind emails. Encourage members to reach out and ensure information correct. We all have feelings.

·         Clarified weekend- consecutive hrs between 0001 sat and 0700 Monday.

·         Will email and post the new master once ready. Then people can plan lines they’d like. Staff can confirm seniority if it looks wrong.

·         Kyle? Will share a spreadsheet with members to sort their selections (like last time)

·         Line selection will happen and will try to start new schedule on Aug 23^rd. Unsure of how long scheduling needs for line selection. HR will confirm

·         7-10 days is usually enough review and complete line selection.