March 2023 Minutes

APLE General Membership Meeting

    March 24, 2023, 6:30 p.m Zoom

Agenda

1. Officer Roll Call

• Teresa Alvarado

• Steve Nichols

• Carlye Seybold

• Sally Sherman-Weckerlin

• Michelle Eggert

• David Lutz

• Kim Fisher

• Jozi Heckel

• Morgan Rinckey

Call to order: 6:33

2. Officer Reports

   1. Chairs

      1. Updated cell phone policy-more specific to the use of personal devices for work purposes. 

      2. House Bill 1-still in committee, on the library’s radar. Calling for reduction of income taxes. 

      3. Ready to Read presented at the board meeting-all librarians will be doing a new training, listening to Sold a Story, school curriculums will be changing in September. This will be a two year project for the Library. 

   2. Treasurer : $263.40

   3. Trustees/Negotiators

      1. Science of Reading (Ready to Read)–no drastic changes to daily work. 

3. Old Business 

   1. Safety

      1. Haven’t met with the Safety Committee recently. 

      2. Asked for “information flow” to be put on the agenda. For instance, if something happens at one of the branches, letting the rest of the system know. 

      3. There have been questions about stray animals in the library. 

      4. We are within our rights, if something illegal or dangerous happens in the branch, we can call the police before security. 

      5. Incident at Main where disgruntled customer slashed several tires in parking garage. 

      6. If anyone has any topics for the Safety Committee Meeting, send them to co-chairs.

      7. Question about safety of Main Library parking garage at night. 

      8. Main Library parking incident, they were given a tow truck, if it happens to branches they aren’t given any help. Steve and Teresa will ask HR about it. TAAP has in their contract for coverage of personal damage. 

   2. Exempt Salary Schedules

      1. For 2024 Negotiations - HR wants to change all staff salary schedules. They want all employees to have the same increase date, in June, instead of anniversary date. People who had an anniversary in February would need to be pro-rated? Exempt are getting a market study adjustment and merit pay increase. Evaluations would become more important to merit pay increase. Evaluations are subjective. 

      2. With digital evaluations, how can employees review personnel files? 

      3. How will merit raises be determined, who determines it?

      4. ELT has had merit raises for a while. 

      5. What is exempt using for comparison for salary in the industry?

      6. Emilio could have a discussion about market studies. 

4. New Business

   1. Open Positions/Subs

      1. Interviewing for open positions coming up. 

      2. Have already filled several positions. 

      3. Making position just posted. Looks like one, but will be two.

      4. 8 HR subs–they don’t always pick up available hours. 

      5. How often do they reevaluate subs if they aren’t picking up hours?

      6. We need to evaluate why managers are asking for subs/coverage and what they are being used for. 

   2. Sunday scheduling resolution

      1. Contract violation–workflow document in Public Services, APLE had members be taken off Sunday schedules if they called off, as per CWA contract, not APLE’s. 

      2. Situation has been resolved and Public Services has been made aware of the errors. 

      3. Exhibit H– Add language for the Library and APLE will meet on a regular basis to go over Sunday scheduling practices?

   3. Return Time

      1. You can bank the 80 hours. 

      2. Have any members been asked by regional managers to try to use hours in the same pay time?

      3. Can’t be used as Sick Time. You would have to schedule it off. We need more qualifications on what it can be used for in the next negotiation.

5. Open Floor

   1. April 23 is a Read for Literacy event at Zoo. APLE will have a team. It’s a scavenger hunt. 

   2. We are starting a discussion board for APLE members to have a social place to post things. 

   3. Looking at a class or educational way to let new people know about union. 

   4. If you have any incentives or ideas, let chairs know. Maybe shirts, water bottles, a get together at Walleye’s, lapel pins…

   5. Email Cindy Vanderbrink if you are interested in being a mentor. 

   6. Summer Read–each branch will have its own drawing. Getting rid of the tickets. 

   7. We want to bring Staff Association back. 

6. Adjourn: 7:31

The next meeting will be at Sanger Branch Library on May 19 at 6:30pm.