Coming just hours before an 8 a.m. Monday deadline, lawyers for nurses at both Northside Medical Center and Hillside Hospital claim the sale of Forum Health's assets simply "cannot be consummated."
Last week, the Tennessee-based Community Health Systems offered $120 million for Forum. The Ohio Nurses Association has objected the sale, and argues it would violate the ONA's existing contracts.
The nurses said the purchase agreement from CHS promises to hire only those employees considered "actively working" at the time of the sale. They said discussions with the union make clear CHS has no intention of keeping all its registered nurses, which is something ONA claims is specifically outlined in its contracts with Forum.
The union said a number of nurses are now on leave for education or other purposes and not considered "active" workers. Lawyers argue some of them are in leadership positions with the ONA and the sale would "effectively decapitate the union" by not including its entire leadership in the transfer.
CHS issued a statement Monday that said is trying to resolve the issues with ONA quickly. Leaders of Forum's other unions say they're hoping to start their own discussions with CHS.
A hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. A spokesperson from CHS said it's looking forward to finalizing the purchase of Forum's assets
CHS could have other union issues to worry about. About 1,000 nurses at a CHS facility in Spokane, Wash., are threatening to stage a one-day strike Wednesday. Workers there say they've gone more than a year-and-a-half without a new contract.
