Hospital workers are opposing the layoffs of 20 nurses at the the city of Weirton's only hospital.


During a news conference with members of Service Employees International Union District 1199, union officials said 20 licensed practical nurses at Weirton Medical Center were told by their supervisors June 5 that they would be laid off that day.


Hospital officials said the layoffs were enacted because of a restructuring of the patient care model.


"As you know, with reimbursement of health care, our less sick patients aren't in the hospital anymore," Sherry Zisk, Weirton Medical Center vice president, said. "The patients that are here are much sicker than they used to be, and they really require a different mix of staff to better meet their needs. So we're changing our care model to increase (registered nurses) and patient care techs to provide that care and that eliminates the LPNs in the acute care model."


The laid off nurses will receive about a month's worth of severance pay and said they are not happy about the way the situation was handled.


"I am emotional. This was more than a job," said Mary Mason, of Follansbee. A union member with SEIU District 1199, Mason was hired in 1974 as Weirton Medical's first licensed practical nurse.


"I'm 56 years old. Really, it just feels like my life was taken away from me," Mason said.


Union officials said they don't believe the hospital's reasoning and said they are filing charges accusing the hospital of violating its contract. The union said a hearing is set for July 10.


"We want everyone to know that the union is not in agreement with the layoffs, and we are fighting back. We have filed two charges with the National Labor Relations Board, and we have filed a grievance, which will eventually go to arbitration," said Clarissa Yost of SEUI District 1199.


Hospital officials said LPN jobs are still available in the skilled nursing unit and the geriatric psych unit because of patients' needs. The 20 laid off LPNs could look for work in those other units or at other facilities in the Ohio Valley and surrounding areas, hospital officials said.


Weirton Medical representatives also said the laid off workers can further their education and become registered if they want, free of charge, through WorkForce West Virginia.


"WorkForce has the funding available to give them that, which totally covers their tuition, their books, their fees and their uniforms to be able to do that," Zisk said.

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