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Forum faithful rally for cause
Northside nurses, supporters took to the street to reinforce their message to the board.
Forum Health Rally
Video
Forum Health workers and supporters rallied in downtown Youngstown Nov. 19, 2009.
YOUNGSTOWN — Choice, access to quality health care and preservation of jobs is the message of Northside Medical Center nurses in the face of an increasing likelihood that Forum Health will be sold.
About 50 registered nurses and supporters rallied in a parking lot off Vindicator Square at 3:45 p.m. Thursday and marched to the steps of the Nathaniel R. Jones Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse on Commerce Street to reinforce that Northside and its employees are an asset to the community.
“The community and Northside consumers have weighed in. They want and expect choice and access to quality health care,” said Eric Williams, president of the Ohio Nurses Association/Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association.
“We have an interest in continuing down the path of reorganization, but the sale of Forum Health is highly likely. This comes down to the creditors. They want their money now,” Williams added.
“The hope is that we can go forward with the reorganization and provide great access and choice of quality care,” said Sandra Williams of Boardman, a nurse for 29 years at Northside.
“Our lenders and creditors received a bailout with our tax dollars. We would appreciate the same chance to show that Northside and Forum Health can be a great asset to the community,” said Kathy Jandrokovic of Boardman, a nurse for 30 years at the former Southside Medical Center and Northside.
“Our board of trustees and elected officials need to get behind us. We are a good investment. This is not the time to bail out and run. We can turn around and be very strong,” Jandrokovic added.
“We want the board to realize how many thousands of lives their decisions affect. I want them to think about that when their heads hit the pillow at night,” said Nancy Moore, another Northside RN.
“We have to save this hospital and the jobs it represents,” said Atty. David J. Betras, chairman of the Mahoning County Democratic Party. “This union took $5 million in concessions and now to possibly lose their jobs is a slap in the face. I hold the Forum trustees responsible for mismanagement.
“We have to stand together and support local institutions. How many times are we going to take it on the chin before we say no more?” Betras said.
State Rep. Robert F. Hagan continued his demand of Forum trustees for full public disclosure of bidders and their bids for Forum.
Bids were due Nov. 13, and Forum’s board and creditors are expected to make a decision by Nov. 30 between continuing down the path of reorganization or putting the health-care system up for auction.
Hagan, of Youngstown, D-60th, said in a letter to trustees dated Thursday that he is “tremendously dissatisfied with your [Forum’s] elusive response” to his and others’ call for making the bids public.
“Especially troublesome is the misleading wording that was used in the Forum statement which said it would be “inappropriate to pre-empt the court-approved process” by revealing the bids.
“This statement leads citizens ... to believe that legal proceedings are preventing the board from disclosing the bids, Hagan said.
“Instead, you could at least begin to explain the reasoning behind your philosophy of continued secrecy, while jobs, lives and communities hang in the balance of your cover decision-making,” Hagan wrote.
alcorn@vindy.com