8th of 9 Forum unions agrees to concessions

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — It’s eight down and one to go for Forum Health in renegotiating concessionary contracts with all nine of the hospital system’s unions.

The Service Employees International Union at Forum Health on Friday “overwhelmingly ratified” the concessions, according to Brandon Boswell, public affairs director for SEIU.

He did not release vote totals. SEIU represents about 720 workers at Northside Medical Center.

Overall, the contract calls for $5 million a year in concessions, he said.

Among the concessions, SEIU members at Forum Health agreed to a wage freeze, increased contributions to health insurance and the end of 401k contributions made by the employer, the union said.

The changes go into effect “immediately” for three years. Some contract language on the changes still has to be ironed out.

The contract does provide a clause to reopen the contract if the economy improves.

But Boswell said the vote by the union workers was not based only on money, but also on dedication to the patients they serve.

Previously, SEIU reached an agreement at Forum’s Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren that will save the hospital system more than $500,000 in 2009 and an additional $900,000 in 2010.

In total, Forum Health employees represented by SEIU district 1199 have agreed to $6 million in concessions per year.

The other contract may be approved Sunday when a ratification vote is scheduled for members in the Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association/Ohio Nurses Association. YGNDA represents about 480 registered nurses at Northside.

Neither Buzz Pishkur, Forum president and chief executive officer, nor Forum spokesman Vince Bevacqua could be reached for comment.

The Forum board of trustees endorsed the pacts Thursday.

Forum Health filed March 16 for protection during reorganization under the U.S. Bankruptcy code’s Chapter 11.

Hearings on Forum’s motion asking the court to reject current contracts of the two employee groups were scheduled next week in bankruptcy court.

However, in light of the tentative agreement between Forum and SEIU, the hearing on the contract, scheduled for Monday morning is postponed, according to court records.