“Meet and Confer” meetings are held at the agency and labor level to address specific concerns that aren’t part of bargaining but still important to MGEC members. Most of the time, they apply to issues and concerns within agencies, but sometimes they can also act as a success story to others. An example occurred at the Department of Health.
Fernando Nacionales and Corey Mathisen, current MGEC President and Vice President respectively, called to MDH’s attention the nuisance of having to produce receipts for every meal to be reimbursed. It’s not an area that has a lot of fraud, and the amount of time spent on an administrative task was far more expensive than any money saved. Fernando brought the issue forward multiple times at the MDH meet and confer meetings. Finally, after several months of testimony and persuasion, MDH changed its policy: receipts for ordinary meals are no longer required.
Commonsense solutions seem to be scarce. But by working together through the channels we have available, we can (and do!) make work life better for our members.