YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Negotiations between registered nurses at Northside Medical Center and its management will continue but not until early August.
No agreement was reached on a new contract between the Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association, which represents registered nurses at Northside, and the hospital, a part of ValleyCare Health System of Ohio, an affiliate of Community Health Systems Inc., during the sixth negotiating session between the parties, according to the YGDNA website. The current contract expires at midnight Friday.
The posting on the YGDNA site said the union offered to schedule dates next week and throughout August but Northside, ValleyCare and CHS representatives are unable to meet next week, and will communicate with the union’s attorney and the federal mediator on available dates.
The union said management is holding on its “initial” wage proposal, which calls for elimination of the wage scale for registered nurses; raises of 1.25% in the first year and 1% each in the second and third years of the agreement; and lower entry raise for new RNs with ½% raises in years two and three.
“The employer agreed to include the name ValleyCare System of Ohio into the contract with the ability to change any such name at will. YGDNA withdrew its proposals regarding retiree health care and RN’s resignation notice,” the post read.
In an emailed statement, a spokeswoman for Northside and ValleyCare affirmed that it would schedule further bargaining sessions through the mediator.
“We value our nurses – just as we do all of our employees – and it is our sincere desire to reach a new contract agreement soon,” said spokeswoman Trish Hrina.
Copyright 2012 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.