Contract talks to continue between Forum, nurses

By William K. Alcorn

YOUNGSTOWN — Bargaining sessions between the registered nurses at Northside Medical Center and Forum Health are scheduled throughout the week, according to a brief joint statement.

The contract between the Ohio Nurses Association/Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association, which represents about 435 registered nurses at Northside, and Forum Health expired at midnight Saturday. As of Friday, there was no agreement on a contract extension, but the union had not issued a strike notice, officials said.

Forum officials said Northside would continue to operate as usual.

Both parties said they remain optimistic that an agreement can be reached that will provide job security for the nurses while enhancing quality patient outcomes and achieving cost savings vital to the future of Northside.

“The negotiations are challenging, but the ONA/YGDNA are committed to reaching an agreement that allows registered nurses to continue to deliver quality care, which has been demonstrated at Northside by multiple awards of excellence,” said Eric Williams, ONA/YGDNA president.

“Forum Health and ONA/YGDNA are committed to seeing Northside continue to be a place where our valued employees provide patients with nationally recognized health care well into the future,” said Evelyn Olenick, vice president and chief nursing officer for Western Reserve Health Care, which consists of Northside.

Forum and ONA/YGDNA said they have agreed to a news blackout.

In Trumbull County, registered nurses at Forum Health’s Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital in Howland approved a three-year contract that includes a 3 percent annual increase each year of the agreement.

A tentative agreement was reached Wednesday, and members of the ONA Hillside Unit approved the contract Friday, said Cathleen Slater, ONA spokeswoman.