WARREN, Ohio – Under the latest contract proposal issued by Trumbull Memorial Hospital, Donald Bishop says he could lose 36 days to furlough without pay, a provision he argues would have consequences not only on his income, but more important, on the quality of health care here.
"That's 36 days a year that I wouldn't be able to be here and provide the quality care this institution's been built on," said Bishop, a nuclear medicine technician at the hospital nearly 12 years. "That's what I'm most concerned about."
Bishop and 20 other employees represented by the District 1199 of the Service Employees International Union gathered outside the hospital, now owned by Valley Care Health Systems of Ohio, to hear officeholders urge Trumbull Memorial executives to return to the bargaining table and restart talks with the union.
"Let's just get back to the table," said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-17 Ohio. "I think there's certainly room here to come to some agreement. I think it would be beneficial for everyone to sit down and get this thing hammered out."
Union employees have made significant concessions over the years, he said, responding to the challenges the hospital has faced. Ryan also noted that he's had discussions with TMH management, who he reported are equally interested in securing a new contract.
"I've talked with the folks here, and I know they want to try to work it out, too," Ryan said. "I think we can make it happen. It's just about sitting down and having the will to figure it out sooner rather than later."
Some 400 hospital employees represented by SEIU 1199 have been working without a contract since it expired May 11.
Ryan was joined by state Reps. Robert Hagan, D-60 Youngstown, Ronald Gerberry, D-59 Austintown, and Tom Letson, D-64 Warren, all of whom called for Valley Care executives to sit down with the union bargaining team and negotiate a fair contract.
"I don't know how much more you can ask of the people standing behind me," Hagan said, gesturing to the 20 or so employees represented by the SEIU.
Gerberry said that Trumbull Memorial is one of the finest health establishments in the region, largely because of its employees, and urged management to return to the table.
"Negotiate in good faith. Come to the table and work with these people," Gerberry said. "This hospital wouldn't be here without the concessions that they've already taken."
What is needed, Letson said, is a direct exchange of ideas. "We're here to encourage dialogue," he said. "Monologue doesn't help anyone. We need to have a meeting of the minds and people sitting at the table being able to exchange opinions."
Mary Ann Hupp, administrative organizer for the SEIU and a registered nurse, said that the union has tried to work with the mediator and bring management back to the table -- to no avail.
"The concessions they've asked for are outrageous," she declared. The hospital proposal includes the potential for 36 furlough days per employee, which averages out to seven weeks of pay through the year, she said. There are also provisions to increase health insurance co-pays and changes in how the hospital's wellness program would operate.
"We're in a fight to get the company back to the table," she said. "That's mainly what we want. We want an explanation why they're demanding the concessions they're demanding. The main problem with the this company is that they won't answer our questions."
In a statement, Valley Care said that Trumbull Memorial’s bargaining team is now engaged in negotiations, and as part of these negotiations, "put forth a fair and competitive contract proposal, which was not accepted. We value all of our employees and remain hopeful that we can reach a contract agreement with the SEIU."
Hupp said the SEIU members have authorized the committee to issue a strike notice if necessary, but she remains optimistic that it won't come down to that. "They’re still hopeful that they're going to be back at the table with something meaningful that they can work with," she concluded.
Copyright 2012 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.