The deadlock over contract discussions concerning the Berkshire Medical Center and the nurse’s union will now be overseen by a mediator.   A mediator from a federal funded mediation service has offered services for free to assist the medical workers settle their dispute. 

Despite the offer to help, the breakdown in communication led to a one-day strike and four-day lockout at the hospital. 

According to Arthur Milano, vice president of human resources at the hospital, “The mediator has made suggestions, she has worked with both parties, she has at times brought up suggestions about ways other hospitals have reacted to the same kinds of issues”.

Cathy Pease, a registered nurse who has worked at the Berkshire Medical Center for 30 years and was involved in the picketing, mediation “… stopped things from getting heated”.

Both hospital and union officials agree, the mediator has offered some strategies to help them break the stalemate.   But the union points out the mediator is ultimately powerless because the hospital “is not willing to negotiate”.

One of the sticking points is staffing numbers that nurses claim are unsafe for patients.   Hospital management claims its nurse-to-patient ratio meets or exceeds industry standards and that improving it any more would be impractical and too expensive.  

So far, 22 bargaining sessions were held since last year before the union called the strike. 

According to a representative from the mediation group, “It is common for mediators to have parties in two separate rooms, and talk to the parties about where they are and what is important, where you have some room to move, and to try to help bring [parties] together.   He also added that a mediator can also "push their way in" to rocky bargaining efforts.