`connected Mathematics Project' Introduced

2nd Murder Figure To Be Retried 
Ruling Means That Both 
Men Convicted Of Murder 
In Death Of Andrew Danko 
Will Get Opportunity To 
Have The Verdict Overturned

By PAMELA C. TURFA; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Thursday, January 08, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 7B 





PLAINS TWP.- One week after filing an unfair labor practices complaint,
nurses and technical workers have been told Penn State Geisinger Wyoming
Valley Medical Center is prepared to bargain a contract. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Eileen Connelly, secretary-treasurer of the union representing 250 hospital
employees, said a Geisinger attorney faxed a response Tuesday night to the
hospital's Nov. 15 request to schedule negotiating sessions. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Attorney John Langel of Philadelphia offered to provide a list of suggested
dates after this week's hearings on a contested union election at Penn State
Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Connelly said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 District 1199P of Services Employees International Union complained to the
National Labor Relations Board last week that the hospital changed staffing,
salaries and benefits without contract talks. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It also complained that the hospital had not responded to the union's
request for information and to set bargaining dates. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wednesday, Conrad W. Schintz, senior vice president for operations/Penn
State Geisinger Eastern Region, said Wednesday that the hospital is
comfortable with the actions it has taken. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Our legal representative has been in contact with the National Labor
Relations Board and a process for resolution is in place," he said in a
written statement. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Many of the requests from SEIU were for calendar year information. The
calendar year just ended a week ago, and we had to wait for that to occur
before much of the information became available," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Schintz also said: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Penn State did not terminate an employee for having a pro-union position.
That allegation was made in a Dec. 19 complaint by the union to the NLRB.
"Absolutely not. Our decisions are made for business reasons- not due to
anyone's personal position regarding the union." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Geisinger 2000, a hospital reorganization plan has been put in place in the
emergency department and Medical/Surgical 5 unit. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Feedback from patients and staff has been positive, and we continue to
move forward. Our new patient care design is focused on doing what's right for
our patients, and that's why we're here in the first place." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Restructuring of benefits followed hospital procedure. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "In the autumn of each calendar year, we distribute

Hospital To Bargain With Union 
Newly Unionized Workers At 
Penn State Geisinger Have Been 
Seeking A New Contract, And On 
Nov. 15 Had Asked To Schedule 
A Bargaining Session

Hospital To Bargain With Union Newly Unionized Workers At Penn State Geisinger Have Been Seeking A New Contract, And On Nov. 15 Had Asked To Schedule A Bargaining Session