Striking nurses from the Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association (Ohio Nurses Association) continue to bring the message to Western Reserve/Forum Health that safe staffing is not negotiable. As the strike, which began on May 1, passes the 70-day mark, nurses are planning a Rally in the Valley-Justice for Nurses march, to be held July 14 from 3-8 p.m. The march will begin at strike headquarters, 630 Gypsy Lane, in Youngstown. If you believe nurses deserve safe staffing and respect on the job, come to the rally and show your support for the courageous Youngstown nurses. For more information, contact YGDNA strike headquarters at 330-746-6344, or Michele Prater, ONA Communications, at 614-448-1029. Safe staffing is not negotiable!!
"I wish, as you stated, we could clearly understand each others position. Your words sound admirable but the actions of the organization and its top officials, including yourself, are anything but admirable. Let me list a few:
1. In the Vindicator (local newspaper), you proposed a 4-step process to staff the holes in the schedules. Yet to the negotiating team you proposed a 5-step process, the 5th step being mandatory overtime. Not contract language but a side letter. A side letter is perhaps an acceptable philosophy but means very little without contract language to back it up. Contract language would guarantee a process would be
followed, thus assuring all efforts would be made to find help in the correct manner instead of skipping steps at the discretion of the supervisor or the NM..........
2. You made no mention to the Vindicator that any proposal addressing mandatory overtime was presented to the team as a package including items that would be definite concessions for the YGDNA members-i.e. Pay part of the insurance premium, prorated personal days, increased cost of prescriptions, etc........
3. Preparing for a strike by contacting U. S. Nursing agency as early as last November so they could book the Metroplex and start the process of obtaining Ohio licenses for their employees. {the nurses went on strike in May but it looks like the administration planned on forcing a strike from the beginning.}........
4. Failure to follow the then current contract language that required certain steps be followed to fill holes in the schedules. Until the last few years no NM was allowed to submit a schedule to the nursing office without minimum staff being scheduled..........
5. Experienced critical care registered nurses in the community have tried to apply to Northside Medical Center in the last year and have been told by Human Resources we are not hiring for Northside Medical Center at this time............
6. Even though the leadership of YGDNA was told, through the Advisory Committee, that during the downsizing in the early part of 2000, when beds were capped, no registered nurse would be laid off, that message did not get to the first line managers. The new hires were mistakenly told if they did not bid into temporary positions to fill LOAs they would be laid off. At least 4 R.N.s quit and went to St Elizabeths to work where they felt they
could count on a paycheck.........
The points listed above are just a few of the things I personally will have to work hard to overcome to move forward. I have spent 24 years working for an organization that I believed in and worked closely with to provide quality care for the citizens of this valley. Which also provided the best economic and general welfare in the area for its registered nurses. That has deteriorated drastically in the last few years and has resulted in the present
work stoppage by the registered nurses........
This could have been avoided if the administration - - from the first line managers to you, as the CEO - - had taken the leadership of YGDNA seriously when concerns were brought forth through the Advisory, Staffing Advisory, and Labor/Management Committees. All of the YGDNA members also want to be back on the job with our patients, caring for the medical needs of our community but not under the same conditions we left or
worse.........
A large number of the members have found temporary or permanent employment elsewhere during the strike and are finding the respect and working conditions much better than what they experienced at Western Reserve Care System. I would hope that administration and YGDNA can again work together to bring the registered nurses back; and recruit new and experienced registered nurses to Western Reserve Care System to provide the best care and the best
working conditions in the State of Ohio and the nation. I have no doubt that this could happen but it will require total honesty at every level of management with the leadership of YGDNA and its members..........
Your "genuine commitment" to us and our important role at Forum Health must be shared by all management at Forum Health.
>5. Experienced critical care registered nurses in the community have tried
>to apply to Northside Medical Center in the last year and have been told by
>Human Resources we are not hiring for Northside Medical Center at this
>time............
freezing positions, not hiring, keeping staffing to a minimum, then ordering mandatory OT to fill holes when needed. Saves money on the expense of hiring more F/T employees & providing them with benefits. And then dupe the public into thinking this is how it has to be because "there's a nursing shortage & there are just no nurses to be found!"
>2. You made no mention to the Vindicator that any proposal addressing
>mandatory overtime was presented to the team as a package including items
>that would be definite concessions for the YGDNA members-i.e. Pay part of
>the insurance premium, prorated personal days, increased cost of
>prescriptions, etc........
so in other words, the hospital said that if the nurses wanted it to agree to discuss restrictions on mandatory ot, the nurses would have to first agree to give up personal days, pay more for prescriptions & pay for their benefits. Blackmail.
"On Saturday, July 14th, the Youngstown GDNA/ONA/UAN nurses held a major rally and march in support of their then 60+ day strike.
They've gotten terrific support from the AFL-CIO unions in Ohio. One of the building trades unions donated a 20 foot rat who's manning one of the picket sites. (photos of the strike line can be viewed at http://www.YGDNA.org). The head of the state AFL-CIO along with other labor leaders spoke at the rally.
The nurses on strike remain professional but the fight has gotten nasty. U.S. Nursing Corps strike-breakers routinely roll down their windows and yell at the striking nurses, wave their paychecks, take pictures of them, even spit at the strikers. However, the striking nurses held a peaceful march.
Anyone who can come down is invited to join us on our strike line. "
- A hospital system's top official wants to start non-stop talks to end a two-month nurses' strike.
Registered nurses have rejected Forum Health's latest offer for dealing with mandatory overtime......
The Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association also refused Wednesday and Thursday to negotiate, said N. Kristopher Hoce, Forum's chief executive and president.
Union spokeswoman Joyce Shaffer said that although the nurses favor some parts of the hospital's proposals, the guidelines offered aren't enough......
Hoce said both sides should begin round-the-clock contract talks. ...........
The 771 unionized nurses at Forum's three hospitals walked out on May 1. About 250 replacement nurses are keeping the hospitals running..........
The latest proposal by hospital officials contains several proposed alternatives to mandatory overtime......
They include use of agency nurses, nurse aides and licensed practical nurses, as well as creation of a higher pay tier for longer shifts but......
The proposal also asks nurses to stay for as long as a half-hour past the end of their shifts without payment of overtime...."
These nurses as well as those in Minnesota pulled no punches & stood their ground for themselves and their pts safety...."for as long as it took". It was like show-down at the OK Corral.... and they didnt blink. The issues of safe staffing, safe nurses, and recruitment/retention initiatives are that important. Ive met a lot of these nurses from both these states, have worked with them within our union association & can just see them in action.
I'm soooo proud of them! And honored to be affiliated with them thru our union, the UAN.
Congrats to all for raising the standard for their nurses and their pts.
"The 771 unionized nurses at Forum's three hospitals walked out on May 1. About 250 replacement nurses are keeping the hospitals running.........."
I cant wait to hear how much the hospital was willing to throw away just to keep its staff RNs out on the street for almost 3 months.
There is no way 250 scabs could cover 3 different facilities, do the work of 771 RNs, or still have the facilities running "business as usual". Common sense tells you thats impossible. Business had to be down, so along with the millions$ paid out to the strike-breakers & their agency, how much did the hospital lose in revenue by having to slow down business operations enough to allow only 250 RNs to cover 3 different facilities.
Diary of Negotiations during 1st month of the strike:
May 1, 2001 - Press Release announcing strike: Registered Nurses members of the Ohio Nurses Association, and its affiliate, the Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association (YGDNA) will go on strike at Western Reserve Care System/Forum Health located in Youngstown OH. The strike is scheduled to take place on May 1, 2001 at 3:30 p.m. There are 771 Registered Nurses members in the bargaining unit. Bonnie Lambert, President of the YGDNA said, "Youngstown Nurses would rather fight than quit. We are fighting for our patients, our families, our lives and our profession. We have tried to negotiate an agreement that will attract and retain registered nurses; however, many issues remain unresolved." Two of the most important practice issues involve safe staffing and the elimination of mandatory overtime. The Ohio Nurses Association and the Medical Center are also far apart on wages and benefits. A mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has been involved in the negotiations for several weeks............
May 16 - There has been no movement from the negotiations held on Friday, May 11, and no talks are scheduled for the week of May 14. Special thank you to the ONA members from the Lima Memorial Hospital who lent their support on the picket line, Tuesday, May 15.
Thursday, May 17, 2001 - CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS - As you probably already know, the negotiations today were not what we anticipated. The hospital didn't even bother to show up. They faxed a proposal for our review. We rejected the package! It did not address our staffing or mandatory overtime issues. Copies of their offer are available at the strike office.........
We're strong and firm as we enter the third week of our strike against the Western Reserve Care System/Forum Health. The media focus is more on patient care issues, and management is feeling the heat! We've been on National Public Radio, on all local TV networks and all the major radio stations in the area and throughout Ohio. Nurses and family members have risen to the challenge of getting the full and accurate message across in the print media.
Thursday May 24, 2001- - Negotiation News: After 8 hours of face to face negotiations earlier today with the hospital, YGDNA offered new solutions to address our mandatory overtime issues as well major concessions regarding mandatory overtime - all of which were rejected by the hospital. We are extremely disappointed that an agreement could not be reached. No new meetings are scheduled at this time.
Friday, June 1, 2001 - After a 3 hour session, negotiations were called off. No new meetings are scheduled at this time.
Thank you to Sparkle Market on Gypsy lane, for allowing us to park our vehicles in their lot. To show our appreciation, lets patronage this Sparkle's by doing our shopping here.
Those Nurses had to even strike 35 yrs ago, just to have their union recognized by the hospital-
History of YGDNA
Prior to the 1960's, nursing issues, at Youngstown Hospital Association (YHA), were handled by a grievance committee and dealt with on an individual basis. The employer determined salaries, retirement, and working conditions with the nurses having no say in the matter........
In December of 1965, management proposed to give full time nurses a 10-cent and hour raise and part time nurses a 5-cent an hour raise. This was the controversy that led to collective bargaining for Registered Nurses (R. N. 's) employed by YHA..........
In October of 1965, the majority of nurses voted to request the Ohio State Nurses Association ( OSNA) to represent them. OSNA agreed to represent but received no response from the executive director of Youngstown Hospital Association. YHA refused to negotiate stating that nurses were exempt from the Labor Management Act.........
In September of 1966, 335 nurses submitted mass resignations to be effective on September 29th unless YHA agreed to recognize and bargain with OSNA. On September 23rd , YHA's board of trustees recognized OSNA as the bargaining agent for non-supervisory registered nurses. A tentative agreement was reached 4 1/2 hours before the scheduled resignation was in effect......
But OSNA claimed that YHA was bargaining in bad faith and stopped further negotiations. In December of 1966, 304 head nurses, assistant head nurses, and general duty nurses walked out. A federal mediator stepped in and on December 13th an agreement was reached and the nurses returned to work. The mass resignation, along with negotiations and walkout solidified YHA nurses in labor union history.
"As I sit here at my computer and read all the nursing information from around the country - Raises of 10% - no rotating shifts - no mandatory overtime - wonderful retirement packages reel in my head. All the work those negotiating teams had to do - all the stress they had to endure - but they did it for their fellow nurses, forthe safety of their patients and the future of nurses and healthcare.
They could not have done it without the strong support of the members. I think " What if our negotiating team thinks we are apathetic and then they don't fight for what is right and for what we need?" What if we stay out for all this time and then we accept much less than what we deserve. I am only hoping that our negotiating team knows we are behind them and that our staying out all this time will not be in vain!
If the Hospital makes a pitiful offer will I vote to go back in or will I vote to stay out until a good contract is reached?
-jt
2,709 Posts
Youngstown GDNA, Ohio Nurses Assoc/UAN/ANA
striking nurse Ann Dickman, R.N.C. Testimony -
To the CEO of Forum:
"I wish, as you stated, we could clearly understand each others position. Your words sound admirable but the actions of the organization and its top officials, including yourself, are anything but admirable. Let me list a few:
1. In the Vindicator (local newspaper), you proposed a 4-step process to staff the holes in the schedules. Yet to the negotiating team you proposed a 5-step process, the 5th step being mandatory overtime. Not contract language but a side letter. A side letter is perhaps an acceptable philosophy but means very little without contract language to back it up. Contract language would guarantee a process would be
followed, thus assuring all efforts would be made to find help in the correct manner instead of skipping steps at the discretion of the supervisor or the NM..........
2. You made no mention to the Vindicator that any proposal addressing mandatory overtime was presented to the team as a package including items that would be definite concessions for the YGDNA members-i.e. Pay part of the insurance premium, prorated personal days, increased cost of prescriptions, etc........
3. Preparing for a strike by contacting U. S. Nursing agency as early as last November so they could book the Metroplex and start the process of obtaining Ohio licenses for their employees. {the nurses went on strike in May but it looks like the administration planned on forcing a strike from the beginning.}........
4. Failure to follow the then current contract language that required certain steps be followed to fill holes in the schedules. Until the last few years no NM was allowed to submit a schedule to the nursing office without minimum staff being scheduled..........
5. Experienced critical care registered nurses in the community have tried to apply to Northside Medical Center in the last year and have been told by Human Resources we are not hiring for Northside Medical Center at this time............
6. Even though the leadership of YGDNA was told, through the Advisory Committee, that during the downsizing in the early part of 2000, when beds were capped, no registered nurse would be laid off, that message did not get to the first line managers. The new hires were mistakenly told if they did not bid into temporary positions to fill LOAs they would be laid off. At least 4 R.N.s quit and went to St Elizabeths to work where they felt they
could count on a paycheck.........
The points listed above are just a few of the things I personally will have to work hard to overcome to move forward. I have spent 24 years working for an organization that I believed in and worked closely with to provide quality care for the citizens of this valley. Which also provided the best economic and general welfare in the area for its registered nurses. That has deteriorated drastically in the last few years and has resulted in the present
work stoppage by the registered nurses........
This could have been avoided if the administration - - from the first line managers to you, as the CEO - - had taken the leadership of YGDNA seriously when concerns were brought forth through the Advisory, Staffing Advisory, and Labor/Management Committees. All of the YGDNA members also want to be back on the job with our patients, caring for the medical needs of our community but not under the same conditions we left or
worse.........
A large number of the members have found temporary or permanent employment elsewhere during the strike and are finding the respect and working conditions much better than what they experienced at Western Reserve Care System. I would hope that administration and YGDNA can again work together to bring the registered nurses back; and recruit new and experienced registered nurses to Western Reserve Care System to provide the best care and the best
working conditions in the State of Ohio and the nation. I have no doubt that this could happen but it will require total honesty at every level of management with the leadership of YGDNA and its members..........
Your "genuine commitment" to us and our important role at Forum Health must be shared by all management at Forum Health.
*********************
http://www.YGDNA.org