OCH says it would be ‘extremely irresponsible’ to meet all union demands

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 January 2024 at 6:38 pm

Orleans Community Health says it values employees but can’t jeopardize long-term financial viability

MEDINA – The leaders of Orleans Community Health say the organization cares deeply about its employees and finalizing a contract is a top priority with 189 employees in the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East..

The organization, which has about 300 employees altogether, is currently proposing approximate average increases of 12 to 15 percent over the next three years, which far surpasses the across the board 2 percent increases in 2021, 2022 and 2023, said Scott Robinson, director of Marketing, Communications, and Outreach for OCH.

Union members at Orleans Community Health’s Medina Memorial Hospital, Lake Plains Batavia Dialysis Clinic, and Albion Healthcare Center have voted to authorize an informational picket if no labor agreement can be reached soon.

“Services at Orleans Community Health’s Medina Memorial Hospital have expanded and the increase in patients leaves workers without enough staff to provide the quality care patients in the rural community rely upon,” the union stated in a news release. “Downsizing and service line closures in nearby counties have contributed to staffing issues at the hospital and clinics.”

OCH currently holds a 2.6% vacancy rate (down 8 positions out of 304) and is actively recruiting for those positions, Robinson said.

Orleans Community Health is utilizing temporary workers until permanent placements are found. Robinson said OCH’s nursing home staffing levels are among the best according to the latest CMS report.

OCH leaders have met with union reps for 13 sessions since commencing negotiations on December 8, 2023, Robinson said.

“During the entire process the OCH Negotiating Team has negotiated transparently and in good faith with 1199SEIU,” he said. “This includes sharing a significant amount of financial details and information with the Union throughout the course of negotiations. This was done to establish transparency from the start so the bargaining committee could see the full picture and challenges facing OCH as an organization.”

Extensive market research on current wages and benefits was conducted and that information was shared with the entire bargaining committee at the table. Some of the wage proposals are at the top-end of the competition, Robinson said, including:

A proposed CNA base wage of $18.38 to $21.49 per hour with the average wage for like positions ranging from $15.00/hr. up to $21.00/hr.
A proposed housekeeping base wage of $16.70 to $19.48/hr. with the average wage for like positions ranging from $15 to $16.95/hr.
A proposed registered nurse base wage of $35.55 to $43.57/hr. with the average wage for like positions ranging from $33.00 to $49.35/hr.

“These past few years presented challenges for all of us, and we survived,” Robinson said. “We are optimistic about our future! Now more than ever, we must balance making sound financial decisions so that we do not jeopardize the long term financial stability of the hospital while also compensating our employees fairly and competitively.

“OCH employs over 300 individuals and serves tens of thousands of community members, and we take this negotiation process very seriously. Making these important financial decisions can either set us up for future success or failure. It is our obligation to be good stewards of the hospital’s resources and it would be extremely irresponsible for us to commit to all the Union’s proposals knowing that we would not be able to meet our financial obligations.”