Image provided by: The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs; Warm Springs, OR
About Spilyay tymoo. (Warm Springs, Or.) 1976-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 1978)
PAGE 4 OCTOBER 6, 1978 Editorial E COOSH EEWA (The way it is) Tribal Salary Program Adapts to Growth— — — by Donna Behrend Low wages have long been the cause of low morale and a high -turnover rate, but Tribal management, under the direc tion of the Tribal Council, has taken the necessary steps through the years to improve the low wage scale, merit rating, and salary review processes of the Confederated Tribes. The Confederated Tribes is one of the largest corporations in Oregon, second only to Crown Zellerbach. Its rapid growth is reflected in community change as well as in increasing numbers. The salary scale system used in early years was efficient for the 50 employees, but now with 400 to 600 employees a much more sophisticated method is requir ed. Management provided that nietnoa by introducing the pre sent salary structure, merit ra t ing process and other benefits and processes available to all employees. Prior to 1965, the tribal salary scale was very much similar to the Civil Service pay rates. But while Civil Service wages rose ten percent for five years until 1970, the Tribal wages remained at the 1965 level, putting the income of tribal employees far below the national average. According to Lloyd Smith Sr., Tribal personnel manager, this kind of setback took years to compensate for since that bal ance of wages couldn’t be given in one lump sum. In 1970, the Tribal Council recognized the need for a more equally balanced salary administration. It was then that the council directed acting General Manager Ken Smith to hire Price Waterhouse and Company to conduct a salary administration study. This study involved the pre paration of job descriptions by department Staff, listing specific duties and responsibilities and requirements such as education, knowledge of job and super visory expectations. The job evaluation committee was also established at this time. After the job descriptions were completed, representatives of Price Waterhouse and Com pany evaluated them. Then fol lowed a review and leveling process by a six-member Tribal evaluation committee. This six- member team has grown to 11 members, each representing one of the Tribal branches or enter prises. The evaluation committee has been kept fairly busy since it was recently directed by Tribal Council to carefully review each Tribal job description. The Coun cil felt that the program Price Waterhouse recommended was not being followed since the wages and increases were get ting out of hand and were not consistent for management, de partment heads and staff. . Some department heads were keeping employees at a low level so as not to exceed their crfi- U U U g C l- O . V U l VAAC C 11A ployees had to be upgraded to keep up with the Consumer Price Index. Our wages, even with a 10 percent increase over last year’s budget, are still five percent below the Portland Consumer Index,” stated Gene Greene, Tribal Council Chairman. The Consumer Price Index is con sidered the best guide to deter mine the present cost of living. “I also feel that the Salary Administration program has established good guidelines, but like any program, it has its faults,” continued Greene. “But I think the committee is dealing with the evaluation job very well.” Some of the faults mentioned by Greene were the lack of just compensation for employees who have been working many years, how the committee evaluates jobs with which they aren’t familiar, and the difficulty of moving beyond step four to steps five, six or seven. Celeste “Cece” Smith, CETA Program Officer-Contracts Spe cialist, serves as staff liaison and technician to the evaluating cbnv mittee. Smith feels the “Com mittee is very effective "and definitely useful.” Its main pur pose is to update all job descrip tions and re-evaluate positions with significant change that may reflect salary increases or level ing. She also added, “It is not the committee’s responsibility to merit-rate the individual holding a certain position.” But Tribal management is responsible for following the sug gested merit rating guidelines originally introduced by Price Waterhouse. Each employee is rated at least once a year to show progress, good or poor per formance and any improvement needed in specific areas. A merit rating is required for an em ployee to get a step increase and the majority of employees get one step increase a year. Administrative Branch Man ager Doug McClelland advises the tribes “utilize the salary plan and allow for modification to better fulffill the needs of the enterprises. It must change to meet the changing needs of the Tribes.” In agreement with McClel land is Ralph Minnick, Admini strative Assistant in the Genéral Manager’s office, who says “the Tribes can’t have strict regula tions, or it will take away the creative ability of its em ployees.” What do people think of the system and is it really working? (Continued in next issue) T r ib a l C ouncil A g en d a Will it Fly? Tribal Councilman Amos Simtustus looked over a 4-seater Cessna 182 airplane that the Council later decided to purchase. The plane will be used by Natural Resources and the Police Department for surveillance work and by tribal delegations for trips. _______ ______ _______________ PS Photo General Council Meeting cocc ctasses October 17 Need You Interested in knowing what happened at Rapid City, South Dakota during the NCAI meeting last month? The general council meeting scheduled for October 17, 1978 will feature the council’s report on NCAI as well as other dele gation reports. Supper will be served at 6:30 p.m. and the meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. Plan to attend this very important meeting. COMMUNITY CALENDAR October 8 Little Guys Football game behind Community Center - 12:00 noon 11-12 Health Legislation Workshop. Call the Group Home for information. 13 District In-Service - No School 14 Warm Springs Judging Team to Livestock Expo. 17 General Council Meeting 6:30 - Supper 7:30. Meeting Agency Longhouse 20 Varsity Football Homecoming Game vs. Burns Highlanders 8:00 D.m. Put a little class in your life! There is still time to register for Community Education classes through the Adult Learning Cen ter. Classes with room for more students are: college credit Math, Accounting for Small Busi ness, Patchworkshop, Pine Needle Baskets, Indian Langu age, Business Communication and GED prep. If you are interested in any of these classes call the Adult Learning Center at 553-1428 be tween 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday or on Monday evenings 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. October 1978 Oct. 2 — Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. Council Matters: a. “Brief Look at Warm Springs” b. “On or near” resolution c. Culture-Heritage Board Appointments d. Watermaster 2. 2:00 p.m. - Introductions: IHS Extension Oct. 3 — Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. Planning Department - Proposed Resolutions: a. Apartment and Mobile Home Complex b. Planning of 25 new homesites c. Pinning 25 rural homesites d. Simnasho Community Plan e. Simnasho Community homesites 2. 12:00 Noon - Film: “More than Bows & Arrows” Education Committee Oct. 5 — TOUR: Blowdown Areas Leave from in front of Old Administration Bldg, 9:00 a.m Oct. 6 — TOUR: Thinning Area Leave Old Administration Bldg. 8:00 a.m. Let Extension know if you plan to attend Oct. 9-12th — TIMBER SYMPOSIUM - Spokane. Oct. ll-12th - HEALTH LEGISLATION WORKSHOP - Community Center Oct. 16 — Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. Community Center - Rudy Clements - Delano (Satch) Miller 2. 2:00 p.m. - Progress Report-Williston Oct. 17 — Tribal Countil Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. 10:00 a.m. - Enrollments 2. Kah-Nee-Ta Advisory Board Appointments 3. Proposed Resolution - Death Benefits - Nonmembers married into the Tribe GENERAL COUNCIL Agency Longhouse Agenda: Delegation Reports Supper: 6:30 p.m. Meeting: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18 — Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. Committee Reports 2. 2:00 p.m. - Realty Oct. 23 — W.S.F.P.I. - Kah-Nee-Ta Oct. 24 — Tribal Council Meeting - 9:00 a.m. 1. 509-J Report 2. Unfinished Business Oct. 30 — Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. Unfinished Business Oct. 31 — Tribal Council Meeting, 9:00 a.m. 1. 10:00 a.m. - Sanders-Rickard Progress. Report
