Nurses union refuses to meet before set date

ONA hired an expert to analyze Forum Health's financial condition.
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association says it will not meet before the April 24 date set by Forum Health management to discuss possible contract modifications.
The YGDNA, affiliated with the Ohio Nurses Association, represents about 770 nurses at Forum Health. Its three-year contract expires July 20, 2007.
Forum Health has made numerous requests to ONA representatives to meet earlier than the previously scheduled date, said John Gonda, Forum spokesman. It is important to have the union's input regarding restructuring of its current labor agreement before the Forum Health Board of Trustees' meeting April 25.
The ONA questioned Forum's motivation for moving up the meeting, however.
Looking at books
"They gave us the April 24 date and then want to change it. We hired an expert to look at Forum's books and it takes time to get that done," said Linda Warino, executive director of ONA's District Three.
"We're willing to meet anytime, but we refuse to make substantial decisions, or be forced into decisions without all of the facts," said Eric Williams, YGDNA president.
Further, Warino said, ONA is not sure there is anything to be talked about. The union is starting to be suspicious of Forum's reason for wanting to move up the meeting date. Maybe there is not the financial duress that it is claiming, Warino said.
The key question, said Williams, a nurse at Northside Medical Center, is where does a company that says it is nearly bankrupt get the money to build the new hospital the board said it is considering?
"We're afraid they want to get the money from employee concessions," Williams said.
Gonda said Forum Health's other unions, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Service Employees International Union District 1199, have agreed to earlier meeting dates, Gonda said.
To facilitate future discussions with ONA, Forum Health on Wednesday sent to the ONA an initial set of contract modification proposals, Gonda added.
alcorn@vindy.com