MAHONING MRDD Negotiations continue as strike deadline nears

MRDD will be closed Wednesday and Thursday if there is a strike.
AUSTINTOWN -- Three hours of contract negotiations Monday between the Mahoning County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities and a workers' union produced no settlement as a strike deadline looms at midnight tonight.
More talks between the MRDD board and the Mahoning Education Association of Developmental Disabilities resumed at 10 a.m. today, according to Larry Duck, MRDD superintendent. The talks are under the supervision of a federal mediator.
The MRDD board provides services to 1,105 mentally retarded clients at the Leonard Kirtz School and several workshops. The MEADD union represents 185 of MRDD's professional staff, including teachers, therapists and others.
Duck said the board doesn't intend to lock out other employees in the event of a strike.
Planning for strike
Duck said that if a strike occurs, MRDD programs will be closed Wednesday and Thursday. The programs were scheduled to be closed Friday for North Eastern Ohio Education Association Day, a statewide in-service training day, Duck said.
Training sessions for American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union employees and administrative staff will be on Friday regardless of whether or not a strike occurs, Duck said.
MEADD's contract expired Aug. 31, but it extended its contract to Wednesday. On Sept. 29, the AFSCME union local, which represents 85 bus drivers, bus aides, mechanics, cooks and custodians, extended its contract for 30 days or until an agreement is reached. AFSCME's original contract expired Aug. 31.
The MEADD spokesman could not be reached to comment this morning.