Talks scheduled Thursday for Northside registered nurses

YOUNGSTOWN — Negotiations are scheduled for Thursday between ValleyCare Northside Medical Center and its registered nurses, who have been working under a contract that expired July 19.

The 400 nurses, represented by the Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association of the Ohio Nurses Association, conducted informational picketing Monday and more picketing is scheduled Friday at the hospital on Gypsy Lane.

There has been little change on ValleyCare’s part since the beginning of negotiations, said Eric Williams, union president.

The membership has authorized its negotiating committee to call a strike, but Williams said the union is trying to avoid that and use reason.

A spokeswoman for ValleyCare said the YGDNA picketing is not affecting operations and it is “business as usual” at the hospital.

From the YDGNA perspective, the main issues are staffing — the hospital’s insistence on sending people home from work depending on the number of patients any particular day; and wages, Williams said.

“How can they send people home when 30 [percent] to 40 percent of the nurses are working overtime?” he asked.

Also, he said, the nurses have been six years without a pay increase.

“After six years, the nurses need more money in their pocket, rather than less, which would be the cumulative effect of ValleyCare’s proposals,” he said.