Northside Medical Center nurses have informational picketing Saturday

YOUNGSTOWN — ValleyCare Northside Medical Center nurses say the overriding issue in contract negotiations with ValleyCare Health System of Ohio is the potential for declining quality of patient care inherent in the hospital’s proposal.

Money is an issue for the nurses, represented by the Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association, but the hospital’s proposal for unfettered ability to send nurses home and quashing nurses’ voices in patient care are unacceptable, union officials said in a wide-ranging discussion today with The Vindicator editorial board.

The 420 registered nurses represented by YGDNA have been without a contract since July 19, 2012. On Aug. 2, the membership authorized its bargaining committee to call a strike. The next negotiating session is scheduled Wednesday.

Eric Williams, YGDNA president, said meeting with the newspaper and through informational picketing from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday in front of Northside Medical Center on Gypsy Lane, the nurses are bringing their quality-care message to the community.

“We’re fighting to the maintain the high quality of care for which Northside is known, and we hope the community wants the same thing and will support us,” a union official said.

For the complete story, read Friday's Vindicator and Vindy.com