MRDD board-staff contract talks are scheduled

YOUNGSTOWN -- Contract talks are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday and 1:30 p.m. Thursday between the Mahoning Education Association of Developmental Disabilities and the Mahoning County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.
A large contingent of the MRDD professional staff, represented by MEADD, and a number of concerned parents of clients attended Monday night's regular MRDD board meeting.
The parents are basically concerned about what would happen to their children, who are MRDD clients, if the professional staff strikes, said Larry Duck, MRDD superintendent. Duck reassured parents, saying that any replacement employees would be qualified. He also that there is a "whole world" of organizations that provide care and training for people who are mentally retarded besides MRDD.
MEADD's contract with MRDD expired 12:01 Sept. 1, but the union extended its day-to-day while talks continued under the direction of federal mediator Tom Connelly.
MRDD is also negotiating with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1143, whose contract also was to expire Sept. 1. However, that union agreed to a 30-day extension. AFSCME represents MRDD's custodians, bus drivers, bus aides, mechanics and cooks.
After the last bargaining session last week, MEADD spokeswoman Mary Jo Nagy called the board's proposal regressive.
Duck said revenues are flat, the employees are well paid and he will not engage in deficit spending or put the program's financial future in jeopardy to settle a contract.