ACMH Non-Professionals to Vote Today to Turn Down Latest Contract

By Patrick Shuster, The Leader-Times, Kittanning, Pa.

Jul. 3–RAYBURN — All but six of the nonprofessional employees at ACMH Hospital voted Wednesday to reject the hospital’s latest contract offer.

Talks had been extended on June 20 after the three-year contract for about 300 nurses aides, dietary, pharmacy technicians, housekeeping and other nonprofessional employees represented by United Steelworkers Union Local 158-06 was set to expire June 22, but stalled when the hospital offered its most recent proposal on June 25.

David Wolfe, international union representative for the United Steelworkers of America, which represents the employees, said employees also were given the opportunity to approve a strike or further extend the terms of the expired contract and continue to negotiate with the hospital.

Of the 186 employees who voted Wednesday, 180 voted to reject the latest proposal by the hospital. Of those 180, 171 voted to extend the terms of the expired contract, while five did not specify if they wanted to strike or extend the old contract. Six voted to accept the hospital’s latest offer and 10 voted to go on strike, Wolfe said.

“The main issues are scheduling of staff, increases in insurance premiums, lack of an across-the-board pay increase, and staff-to-patient ratios,” Wolfe said. “We are willing to continue to work with the hospital to come up with a fair offer and we hope they will be willing to continue negotiations as well.”

Wolfe said that despite rejecting the contract offer, the negotiating committee recommended that employees not vote to strike.

“A strike would hurt everyone, including the hospital, the community, and the employees,” Wolfe said. “A strike isn’t fair to anyone and only serves to further damage the reputation of the hospital and those who work there.”

Under the old contract, nonprofessional employees received a 35 cent-an-hour raise in each of the three years.

Wolfe said the union’s next step is ask the hospital to re-enter into negotiations.

Patrick Shuster can be reached at pshuster@tribweb.com or 724-543-1303, ext. 237.

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