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Union OKs 5-year pact with suitor of Forum
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
YOUNGSTOWN
A union representing about one-third of Forum Health employees approved a five-year labor pact with an organization vying to purchase the bankrupt hospital system.
“We have been meeting with the group since January. We believe the agreement that the membership overwhelmingly approved Thursday is the best way to preserve health care and jobs for the community,” said Rob Johnson, director of the Hospital Division of Service Employees International Union District 1199.
Local elected officials are also upbeat about SEIU’s action.
“This is huge,” said Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams. “Kudos to the members of SEIU and their leadership and to the folks at Ardent. I don’t think the news could be better.”
Forum union officials will not reveal the name of the group negotiating to buy Forum Health because of a gag pact.
However, a group, Ardent Health Services, revealed a week ago that it is interested in buying Forum Health and that negotiations between Ardent and Forum have been ongoing for some time. Ardent is widely believed to be the only suitor.
“In our discussions with Ardent earlier this week, they placed a great deal of emphasis on the importance of being able to come to agreement with Forum’s unions,” Williams said.
“Somebody had to break the ice. For SEIU to step up in this way sends a signal to the suitor, the other unions and the community that it is serious about the survivability of Forum Health,” the mayor said.
U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, commended SEIU’s leadership and members for taking the “critical first step” in ratifying a labor agreement necessary to keep a major hospital system open in the Mahoning Valley.
“There is still work to be done,” Ryan continued. “Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Ohio Nurses Association will soon face a similar vote.”
SEIU 1199 represents 1,100-1,200 employees at Forum’s Northside Medical Center in Youngs- town and Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren. Forum’s other major facility is Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital in Howland.
“What’s been explained to us, everything will stay open if the group buys Forum. It plans to infuse millions of dollars into Forum Health, something that has not occurred in years. We believe a face-lift is coming. I wouldn’t be surprised to see expansion,” Johnson said.
The contract will go into effect if and when the group completes the purchase of Forum.
“It’s no secret that Ardent is interested in Forum Health. Everyone wants to preserve the jobs and access to health care that Forum represents in Northeast Ohio,” said Kevin Gwin, Ardent spokesman.
SEIU District 1199 members approved a contract with a group they hope will be the successful bidder for Forum Health, Johnson said.
This employee group has given some $26 million in concessions over the past few years and looked at several plans for reorganization.
Johnson would not discuss the pact in detail, but did said that while it does not prohibit layoffs, it does place limits on layoffs.
“Our membership is extremely pleased. Our hope is that with new ownership, Forum will grow and expand job opportunities. We believe this is the best outlook for Youngstown and the SEIU membership,” Johnson said.
He said he is looking forward to hearing announcements