Lima Memorial Health System, nurses union reach contract agreement

LIMA - Lima Memorial Health Systems and the union representing the hospital's nurses on Saturday avoided a potential strike when the two sides came to a last-minute agreement on a new nursing contract.

Leaders of the Lima Memorial Professional Nurses Association, the union representing the hospital's nursing staff, spent most of Saturday in negotiations with the hospital's administration, according to union President Elaine Mertz.

Negotiations appeared to come to a standstill earlier in the week. Union members had been notified by their leaders that, if the two sides could not come to an agreement Saturday, they would commence a strike at 8 a.m. Sunday, according to union member Jean Ansley.

But by 9 p.m. Saturday, the hospital and union walked out of the negotiations with a deal.

"All I can say right now is here will not be a strike tomorrow and all nurses are to report to work as usual," Lima Memorial Public Relations Director Rebecca Jenkins said late Saturday.

Jenkins and Mertz both said they were unable to offer details Saturday concerning details of the agreement.

The nurses union last on strike in 1989, a 13-week work stoppage led to the closure of the hospital's obstetrics department. That unit remained closed for six years.