We learned that EVS, housekeeping staff, were being required to be available by pager during rest and meal breaks without compensation.  This is a violation of Articles 7.5 and 7.6.  Additionally, the we learned that relief staff were being required to call in prior to the beginning of shifts without pay to ascertain whether or not work was available in violation of wage and hour laws.

Mike Doney, Nicole D’Onofrio and Diane Lovell(AFSCME staff) met on February 18 to discuss these issues.  Mike Doney and Diane Lovell agreed in writing that the deadline for filing a grievance on these matters if they were not resolved informally would be March 4, 2010.

The Union learned the following from a variety of housekeepers:

• Supervisors notified their teams that all housekeepers would need to begin clocking in an out for all breaks and lunch through the bed tracking system – even though a limited number of housekeepers would actually be on call.

• At least two supervisors directly told their teams that management was requiring everyone to clock in and out  through the bed tracking system because “someone complained to the union” and “that the union is making you clock in and out through the bed tracking system”.  Both of these statements are untrue.

• The EVS staff are angry about the requirement to clock in and out for all breaks and lunch and are blaming the Union due to supervisors’ untrue statements to employees.

• The Union is angry that our attempts to problem solve this issue have resulted in retaliation against our members and intentional untrue statements being made about the union to our members by EVS Supervisors.

• There has been no proposed remedy to the relief call-in situation

• The Employer’s proposed remedy of making staff whole for missed breaks and lunch for fourteen days is inadequate.

• The requirement that all employees clock in and out for breaks and lunch using the bed tracking system is clearly retaliation against both employees and the union and a violation of the Public Employees Collective Bargaining Act (PECBA).

A greivance has been filed as of March 2, 2010.  We hope to be able to resolve this issue for our members without further escalation in the grievance process. For questions or concerns please contact Diane Lovell at lovell@oregonafscme.com or at 503-239-9858