DHS employees protesting in front of the department’s branch on Greenfield and Joy Road, Feb. 25.

DETROIT — About 50 employees of the Michigan Department of Human Services (DHS) protested in front of the DHS branch at Greenfield and Joy Road, on Wednesday, Feb. 25, demanding more workers, better computers and better management. 

The DHS determines state help for needy families and individuals, including food stamps, cash assistance and Medicaid. The Greenfield and Joy Road branch covers west Detroit and all of Dearborn. 

Union representative Rick Michael said the problem is that the department’s employees have too much work. 

“Some of the workers have more than 700 cases to handle, families that they have to supervise, and they can’t care for them under those working conditions,” he said. “It’s simply not possible to do the job in 40 hours a week.”

Michael added that the workers’ grievances are being dismissed by the labor relations management. 

The union representative said DHS offices are understaffed state-wide, but the problem is more prevalent in Metro Detroit and “extremely horrible” at the Greenfield location because of the high number of cases. 

“They know we can’t get the job done, but they don’t care,” Michael continued. “There are supervisors who want our workers to lie about the number of cases they have.”

Michael said the problems at the department are affecting clients.

“What’s happening has impact on the families in need of the help and are— by law— entitled to some of those services,” he said. 

The Arab American News reported last week that food stamp benefits for senior citizens at an apartment complex on the east side of Dearborn have been cut drastically.

As for the protesters’ demands for better computers and up-to-date software, Michael said the computers are outdated.”

“They break down,” he said. “The software doesn’t work properly. It’s a total mess.”

He said computer problems increase the difficulty of the job, because all the notes and files are stored electronically.

Michael demanded that an independent agency conduct a study to determine the number of additional employees needed to operate the DHS efficiently.

Ed Mitchell, the president of the UAW Local 6000, the union for state employees, said DHS workers have been pushed to the edge by the management. 

“We do the work, not the people sitting up there in Lansing on their behinds,” he told the crowd. “We’re the ones on the front lines every day, and we’re doing it because we believe in servicing the people of the state of Michigan.”

Mitchell said the UAW will be working in Lansing to introduce reform to the department, promising that the union will not let down the workers. 

After Mitchell’s speech, a union representative said the state balanced the budget on the backs of DHS employees. 

Jim Walkowicz, a representative of UAW local 6000, said the DHS leadership cares more about the numbers of people served than actually serving the people. 

“To the management, it isn’t about good service; it’s about looking good on the statistics,” he said. “That’s what they get judged on, but this is really about human beings and this is what the workers here do for a living. This office here services a diverse population, a good chunk of Metro Detroit. The clients here are not being served properly.”

Walkowicz added that the local management is a part of the problem, but the bigger issue is with the legislature in Lansing, referring to the funding of the department. 

“This is the Department of Human Services,” Walkowicz told The Arab American News, pointing at the sign on the building. “But apparently, they’ve taken the human out of it. It is all about numbers.”

He added that management is forcing people to commit fraud to improve the statistics of service.

According Walkowicz, managers have retaliated against employees who have criticized the situation at the department.  

While the protesters were marching on Greenfield Road, Walkowicz said the management sent a security guard to take photos of demonstrators who work at the branch. 

“Stop the harassment. Stop the intimidation. Enough is enough,” the protesters chanted in response. 

State promise improvements

On Feb. 6, Gov. Snyder signed an order to merge the Department of Community Health with DHS in April, which would create the largest agency in the state. DHS spokesperson Bob Wheaton said the merger would improve services in both department.

Wheaton said the department is tackling the workers’ complaints. 

“As far as some staffing issues, we are working to addressing the case load of the employees to provide better service to customers and flies to workers,” Wheaton told The Arab American News.  

He added that the department is in the process of filling positions at the Greenfield-Joy office.

According to Wheaton, the state average for cash assistance cases per employee is 250 and 611 for other kinds assistance.  

Wheaton also promised improvement in the software used by DHS case workers, especially after the merger.

“Information technology will be a big part of the newly merging department,” he  said.  

Wheaton added that the department is always willing to listen to the grievances of staff members and is comfortable with the management of the Greenfield- Joy branch.