`new Pa.,' Same Leader? 
Ridge Announces Bid For Re-election

Airport Regains Use Of Its Weather System

By BRIAN MALINA; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Thursday, January 15, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1A 





PLAINS TWP.- After more than 13 1/2 hours of negotiating, nurses from the
Wyoming Valley Health Care System did not have a contract and seemed close to
fulfilling their pledge of filing a strike notice. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They're playing games, they have no respect for us," said Trush Trusa, a
nurse at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. "The hospital has gotten into
business. They only care about profit margin." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Trusa and more than 50 other nurses from Wilkes-Barre General and Nesbitt
Memorial hospitals in Kingston gathered at the East Mountain Inn, where both
parties met in closed-door negotiations with a federal mediator. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wyoming Valley Health Care System issued a press release at about 11:15
p.m. stating progress had been made and predicting "talks would continue late
into the evening." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The press release said significant issues remained unresolved, including
mandatory union membership, wages, hours, overtime and health insurance. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "If significant progress is made, the parties may decide to continue
contract talks without a strike notice," the press release said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Bernadette Gately, president of the nurses union, had said Tuesday the
nurses were prepared to strike on Jan. 26 if a tentative agreement could not
be reached Wednesday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "Don't be afraid to tell them (we're striking)," said Sharon Bergstrasser,
a nurse with seven years experience at Nesbitt. "We just want to be equal with
other nurses in the area. We're not asking for the sky." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Representatives from both sides appeared frustrated as they emerged from
the session at 7:30 p.m. during a brief break. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "There are a lot of issues on the table right now. Nothing has been
decided," said federal mediator Charles Gamble, adding that he expected the
negotiations to continue late into the night. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Earlier in the evening, the nurses and their negotiators gathered in Trader
Jim's Island Cafe in the hotel and vented their frustration about the health
care system. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "They're throwing us peanuts. They don't want to give us anything," said
Gately. "They brought in three more attorneys." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Karen Thomas, a nurse advocate and spokeswoman for the nurses, said patient
care issues remain the primary holdup in negotiations. "The nurses are the
ones who are at the patients' bedsides. We want to have some input into their
care." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Trusa said the health care system could have used the money it is spending
on attorneys, and part-time nurses from nursing agencies, to increase
full-time staffing and give raises to nurses. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nurses within the system have not had a raise for two years, she said.
Other health care system employees were given a 3 percent raise earlier this
year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "We just want be equal. In the past, I have received half-percent and 1
percent raises," Thomas said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Jim Roberts, spokesman for Wyoming Valley Health Care System, provided no
information regarding negotiations late Wednesday night. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Philip Dale, a representative for PSEA Health Care, which is involved in
the negotiations, would not release any information about the session but said
a strike was possible. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Federal law requires nurses to give the health care system at least 10 days
written notice before walking out. Gately said the strike notice has been
written and would take effect on Jan. 26. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nurses must file a written strike notice by Friday to strike legally on
Jan. 26. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Union members voted overwhelming in November to authorize a strike if talks
reached an impasse. Before walking out, the 800 nurses at Wilkes-Barre General
Hospital, Nesbitt Hospital and the system's surgical center would have an
opportunity to vote on whatever offer is on the table. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Negotiations between the parties started in late 1996 after registered
nurses from the system's two hospitals voted to unionize with PSEA Health
Care, a division of the Pennsylvania State Education Association. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The nurses voted to unionize after the hospitals merged. Si

Nurses: Contract Talks Stagnant 
Nurses Of Wyoming 
Valley Health Care System 
Have Said That If Talks 
Are Unsuccessful They Will 
File On Friday A Notice Of 
Intent To Strike Jan. 26

Nurses: Contract Talks Stagnant Nurses Of Wyoming Valley Health Care System Have Said That If Talks Are Unsuccessful They Will File On Friday A Notice Of Intent To Strike Jan. 26