SEIU Charges Contract Demands Outrageous
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The war of words between 1199SEIU and Northern Berkshire Healthcare erupted yet again on Friday as union officials sought to put NBH on the ropes just days before contract negotiations opened.The local at North Adams Regional Hospital says it's been presented with demands that could "destroy jobs and hurt patient care." In a statement to the press, union officials said the members' response the administration's 18 demands "ranged from shock to outrage."
The release from SEIU Director of Communications Jeff Hall stated the demands threatened employee retirement benefits; overtime pay; seniority status; parking and prescription drug benefits; and would forbid employees from discussing workplace issues and concerns amongst their peers.
Hospital officials say there have been no demands and the union's statement was not factual.
"It has more Whoppers than Burger King," said Dianne Cutillo, NBH vice president of external affairs, on Friday afternoon. Cutillo added that the hospital was not going to negotiate in the press, but said, "we're disappointed that they've commented before we've had our first negotiating meeting. They're making assumptions of what we're going to ask for."
The two sides are expected to sit down at the bargaining table on Monday.
SEIU and the hospital have had fairly cordial relations for years. But the union has become increasingly vocal over the past year, slugging it out with health-care officials over organizing at Sweet Brook Care Centers and concessions demanded because of the hospital's financial condition.
While Service Employees International Union has represented licensed practical nurses, kitchen workers, technicians, housekeepers and other hospital staff for decades, the nursing home was not unionized. Attempts at a union vote at Sweet Brook resulted in complaints on both sides; while the union won a decision against NBH, it asked to have the vote put aside for now until a federal labor law case against the health-care system is decided.
The union press release also alluded to rumors about the company being for sale. Sweetwood Retirement Community, purchased with the Sweet Brook nursing home has been on the market for more than year. Sweet Brook is also for sale, said Cutillo, and employees had been apprised of that.
According to a report by Fitch Ratings, which downgraded the health-care system's bond ratings from BB-plus to BB because of declining patient volume and earnings, it expects to complete the sale of both assets by the end of the year.
The bargaining atmosphere may be poisoned at this point; the union claims its membership is ready to reject any "excessive and hostile demands and characterizes NBH President Richard Palmisano as launching "increasingly unpredictable attacks on staff."
