MRDD CONTRACT Union to discuss talks with citizens group

The MRDD superintendent and board members will not attend.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR HEALTH WRITER
BOARDMAN -- The Mahoning Education Association of Developmental Disabilities union is having an informational meeting with the Mahoning County Council of Retarded Citizens from 7 to 9 p.m. today at Operating Engineers Local 66 hall at 291 McClurg Road.
MEADD, which represents 185 professional staff members and secretaries that work for the Mahoning County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities at Leonard Kirtz School and MRDD workshops, has issued a strike notice for Oct. 6.
MEADD had originally threatened to strike when its contract with the MRDD board expired Sept. 1. The contract was extended, but since then MEADD has issued a new strike notice for Oct. 6. The MRDD board provides educational and other services for the county's mentally retarded citizens.
MRDD board members have been invited to the meeting, but Larry Duck, MRDD superintendent, said neither he nor board members plan to attend.
"We can't go there and discuss negotiations. I wouldn't mind going if it was going to be civilized. But, it is just an effort to put us in a spot where we will get yelled at. I'd love to make these negotiations public so the truth would be known," Duck said.
According to a flyer distributed by MEADD, the meeting topics will include "negotiations, the issues, and the possible strike."
In a statement this morning, intended for parents and guardians of MRDD consumers served by the Mahoning County Board of MRDD, Duck said parents and guardians who attend this meeting "need to be reminded ... that MEADD members cannot provide any factual information about what services would be provided or how services would be delivered in the event of a work stoppage. If any parent or guardian wants correct information on alternative services during a strike, please contact the superintendent's office at the beginning of next week," Duck said.
Duck said the MRDD board remains willing to negotiate and is still awaiting a counterproposal response from MEADD to the Board's proposal submitted on Sept. 9.
In its flier, MEADD printed the names and telephone numbers of board members and urged mentally retarded clients and their parents and guardians to call the board members.