Welcome to the Business Journal Archives
Search for articles below, or continue to the all new BusinessJournalDaily.com now.
Search
Northside Hospital Nurses' Union Issues Statement
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association pushed back late today on the characterization offered by The Business Journal (READ STORY) that a statement released this morning by Northside Medical Center "suggests that ValleyCare Health Systems of Ohio believes management came out the winner in the 18-month dispute, which included a one-day strike last year by nurses."
Eric Williams, president of the YGDNA, offered the following response, which follows in its entirety:
"In Youngstown, Ohio, the culture is one of honesty and full disclosure, particularly among the Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association registered nurse membership. Obviously the management team of Community Health Systems (CHS) and ValleyCare Health System of Ohio at Northside Medical Center do not abide by such a culture.
This was made evident by the dishonest statement that they gave to the Youngstown Business Journal today concerning the ratification agreement between the YGDNA/ONA and ValleyCare Health Systems of Ohio. It was printed in the Youngstown Business Journal, “The statement suggests that ValleyCare Health Systems of Ohio believes management came out the winner in the 18-month dispute,” but in fact; their statement is inaccurate and misleading.
There are material differences in the employers final offer that was rejected by the RNs in August 2013 and the newly ratified agreement. Specifically, the final offer did not include any wage scale or guaranteed base wage for all current nurses and did not provide any financial compensation for years of service. The ratified agreement includes a wage scale that will apply to all current nurses and nurses yet to be hired including hourly wage increases and financial compensation for years of service. The final offer also did not require the hospital to adhere to its staffing plan when exercising flexibility in staffing levels but the ratified agreement does.
Finally, there were two provisions that were in the final offer that gagged nurses from advocating for patients and themselves and these provisions were completely removed from the ratified agreement. Based upon these significant differences between the employer’s final offer and the ratified agreement, the YGDNA/ONA Registered Nurses were able to ratify this agreement and fulfill their commitment to providing the highest level of patient care.
SOURCE: Eric Williams, president, Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
CLICK HERE to subscribe to our twice-monthly print edition and to our free daily email headlines.