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Pocono News Section
Concerns Come to Light Over Health Care Center Deal
Concerns Come to Light Over Health Care Center Deal - Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 04:02AM EST
Reported by: Eric Deabill
Wednesday March 24 2010
5.0000/ 5 rating
BLAKELY, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - Just weeks after the sale of the Lackawanna County Health Care Center was completed, workers are crying foul.
They say the new management company is not fully living up to its end of the deal. Workers brought their concerns to county commissioners Wednesday morning.
Workers say they are prepared to strike if they have to -- to have their voices heard.
Millennium Management took over the health care center just about a month ago.
"The vibe up there is horrible, absolutely horrible. They do what they want when they want," union president Geralyn Biancarelli said.
Worker after worker told county officials their biggest gripe is that changes have been made to their jobs and their paychecks.
"The pays are all incorrect," Biancarelli said. "Nine out of ten of them are incorrect. There's actually somebody missing over $400 in their pay. That's a lot to miss."
Nurse's aide Danielle Mazzoni, who is pregnant and due next month, says major changes are also being made to their medical plans that will cost more.
"They said when they sold the place and Millennium bought the place, they'd abide by the contract and that's not what is happening at all," Mazzoni said.
Minority commissioner AJ Munchak vowed to get to the bottom of the situation.
"They came across as a top-notch, professional organization and I hope these allegations are not all true," Munchak said.
Until then, workers at the center say they'll continue to fight for what is fair, even if that includes a strike.
"First, we will send them a 10-day notice that we're going to picket and then we'll take it from there," Biancarelli said. "There's always the possibility of a strike. Always. We're not the ones breaking the contract though."
Several calls to the management and administration at the Lackawanna County Health Care Center were not returned Wednesday afternoon. | |
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