NEGOTIATIONS OVER LOSS OF HOSPITAL JOBS AT IMPASSE FOURTEEN HENRY MAYO NEWHALL WORKERS FACE LAYOFFS.Byline: Heather MacDonald Mac·don·ald , Sir John Alexander 1815-1891.Canadian politician and the first prime minister of the Dominion of Canada (1867-1873 and 1878-1891). He is considered the organizer of the Canadian confederation, established in 1867. Staff Writer VALENCIA - Negotiations between Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital and union officials over a plan to eliminate 22 jobs are at an impasse im·passe n. 1. A road or passage having no exit; a cul-de-sac. 2. A situation that is so difficult that no progress can be made; a deadlock or a stalemate: reached an impasse in the negotiations. , union officials said Tuesday. The two sides have met twice, and the third round of talks is scheduled for Monday evening, said Leah Fried, spokeswoman for the United Electrical Radio and Machine Workers of America, Local 1004. ``There has been a thorough discussion of the issues, but no progress,'' Fried said. Newhall Memorial spokeswoman Janice Newbold declined to discuss the negotiations, saying only that the hospital hopes to reach a solution soon. Hospital administrators notified the union three weeks ago that 22 positions would be eliminated and 14 employees laid off as part of a work force restructuring restructuring - The transformation from one representation form to another at the same relative abstraction level, while preserving the subject system's external behaviour (functionality and semantics). plan designed to improve the hospital's bottom line. ``We're all just really hurt at what the hospital is doing to us,'' said Yvonne Albee, whose transfer coordinator position is slated to be eliminated. ``It's so inappropriate, and shows such a lack of compassion compassion, n a profound awareness of another's suffering coupled with a desire to alleviate that suffering. .'' Newhall Memorial has been suffering financially for several years, after expensive repairs to fix damage from the 1994 Northridge Earthquake The Northridge earthquake occurred on January 17, 1994 at 4:31 AM Pacific Standard Time in the city of Los Angeles, California. The earthquake had a "strong" moment magnitude of 6. and high supply costs pushed the hospital to consider merging with a larger hospital chain. Last week, Newhall Memorial Chief Executive Officer James T. Yoshioka announced that the hospital was no longer interested in a merger, and would try to improve its finances through in-house In-house In the context of general equities, keeping an activity within the firm. For example, rather than go to the marketplace and sell a security for a client to anyone, an attempt is made to find a buyer to complete the transaction with the firm. cost cutting measures. The biggest area of contention surrounds the laid-off employees' medical insurance, which the hospital wants to terminate one day after the employees' last day of work. The union is asking that the insurance be continued until the employees find new jobs. ``We know how important insurance is, being hospital workers,'' Albee said. ``Not having insurance can literally destroy your life.'' Union officials have also asked the hospital to lay off employees with the least amount of seniority first, a move the hospital has resisted, Fried said. Two of the employees slated to lose their jobs have worked at the hospital for 20 and 25 years each. As part of Newhall Memorial's work force restructuring plan, three new positions would be created. The union is asking the hospital to move laid-off employees into those positions at the same salary and benefit level, but the hospital has marked those positions as lower-paid jobs, Fried said. Union officials are also negotiating severance packages A severance package is pay and benefits an employee receives when they leave employment at a company. In addition to the employee's remaining regular pay, it may include some of the following:
Albee said employee morale at Newhall Memorial is suffering as a result of the protracted pro·tract tr.v. pro·tract·ed, pro·tract·ing, pro·tracts 1. To draw out or lengthen in time; prolong: disputants who needlessly protracted the negotiations. 2. negotiations. ``Its a slap in the face Henry Ate released Slap in the Face in 1997. Track listing
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