Union, hospital willing to talk

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Both sides of the Teamsters Local 377/St. Elizabeth Health Center contract dispute say they are willing to go back to the bargaining table to hammer out a new agreement.

Union members rejected the hospital system’s latest offer by a 2-1 margin after a vote Wednesday night, said Rob Schuler, chief negotiator for Local 377. The union’s bargaining committee had recommended the contract be rejected, but said it wants to go back to the bargaining table.

The major sticking point between the hospital and union, which represents 708 service and maintenance employees at the Youngstown hospital, is health benefits, specifically the amount of co-pays at doctor’s offices and deductibles, or the amount of the medical bill paid by employees before insurance kicks in, Schuler said.

Also, the hospital wanted to change overtime work rules from daily overtime to weekly overtime, he said.

Humility of Mary Health Partners, parent company of St. Elizabeth, said it remains open to discussion, said Molly Seals, senior vice president of human resources.

She said, however, that HMHP’s proposal “allows for a sustainable agreement that recognizes the hard work of our associates and ensures the viability of our organization.”