THE UNION representing about 600 employees at the financially troubled Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket and its affiliate, the Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island, has scheduled an informational picket Thursday morning. PHOTO COURTESY LANDMARK HEALTH SYSTEMS INC.

By Richard Asinof
Contributing Writer
Twitter: @RichardAsinof

4/14/11

PROVIDENCE – The union representing the employees of Landmark Medical Center has scheduled an informational picket outside of the South Main Street entrance to the R.I. Superior Court on Thursday morning.

The union, representing the 600 employees of Landmark and the Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island, scheduled the picket in advance of the hearings before Judge Michael A. Silverstein to review potential bids to purchase both facilities.

“We want to make sure our voices are heard,” said Christopher Callaci, general counsel for the Northern Rhode Island United Nurses & Allied Professionals, Local 5067.

Union membership voted unanimously to reject the final offer for a new contract with RegionalCare Hospital Partners, one of the three Franklin, Tenn.-based for profit hospital systems bidding for Landmark, according to Callaci.

Previously, the union membership voted overwhelmingly to accept contract offers from two other for-profit bidders, Transition Healthcare of Franklin, Tenn., and Prime HealthCare Services of Ontario, Calif., Callaci said.

A fourth bidder, Capella Healthcare of Franklin, Tenn., was said to have broken off negotiations with the union, Callaci said.

“We don’t think their model works for Rhode Island. Our hope is that the court recognizes that RegionalCare can’t make this work without the support of the employees,” Callaci said.

Two days of public evidentiary hearings are scheduled April 14 and 15, according to Bill Fischer, spokesman for the court-appointed special master, Jonathan N. Savage. “Representatives of all five bidders will be present and the bids will be vetted and discussed,” Fischer said.

An objective summary of the four bids for both facilities – and a fifth bid for just the rehabilitation hospital – is expected to be presented by the special master to begin the hearings, Callaci said.

Then, the bidders will respond to questions from the judge and interested parties. Those asking questions may include the union, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island the R.I Attorney General’s office, among others.