Apr 10, 2024 By Paul Paterra 4 min read

Editor’s note: Outreach This story was updated April 10 to include a statement from Gov. Shapiro’s office.

A contingent of elected officials from Washington County traveled to Harrisburg on Tuesday to urge the governor to accelerate the stalled proposed merger of Washington Health System with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

“It has become abundantly clear that political pressures have affected this decision,” state Rep. Tim O’Neal said, referring to the protracted battle between the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and UPMC.

“These labor disagreements are centered specifically in hospitals in Pittsburgh and have nothing to do with Washington or Greene County or the Washington Health System,” he said during the press conference held at the Ryan Rotunda. “SEIU already represents employees within the Washington Health System. This fact has not stopped the SEIU from using this merger as a proxy in its selfish battle with UPMC. SEIU representatives have publicly come out against this merger.”

Frances Kino, an emergency room technician at WHS Greene, also went to Harrisburg and said many hospital employees voted out SEIU as its representation. Now, less than 10% of the workforce is represented by SEIU, she said.

“The SEIU did not have our best interests in mind when we were their members,” she said. “I strongly feel the SEIU does not have our or our community’s best interests in mind by opposing Washington Health System’s merger with UPMC. The health system will flounder if they do not merge with UPMC. I simply ask that you think of the thousands of people who rely on the close vicinity of Washington Health System providers.”

Last May, the union filed an antitrust complaint against UPMC, accusing it of using monopoly power to suppress wages and benefits.

“It has become abundantly clear that political pressures have affected this decision,” O’Neal said. “These labor disagreements are centered specifically in hospitals in Pittsburgh and have nothing to do with Washington or Greene County or the Washington Health System. SEIU already represents employees within the Washington Health System. This fact has not stopped the SEIU from using this merger as a proxy in its selfish battle with UPMC. SEIU representatives have publicly come out against this merger.”

The WHS board voted in June to sign a non-binding letter of intent to negotiate an affiliation agreement to integrate the ailing health system into the UPMC facility. Brook Ward, health system CEO, said in February that WHS lost $22.5 million in the last fiscal year and is on track to lose $32.5 million during the next.

As part of the 10-year agreement, all 2,700 jobs at Washington Hospital would be retained, as well as all services including maternity, cardiac surgery and behavioral health. Over the duration of the deal, UPMC has pledged to invest $300 million into WHS.

The merger requires the approval of Attorney General Michelle Henry before it can be finalized.

“Where is Gov. Shapiro?” O’Neal asked. “Why does his administration remain silent, leaving health care services for an entire region and thousands of jobs hanging in the balance? Gov. Shapiro and his hand-picked attorney general are slow-walking a critical deal that is literally putting lives at risk.”

Manuel Bonder, a spokesperson for Gov. Shapiro, said the situation is being reviewed.

“Gov. Shapiro is committed to protecting access to health care all across Pennsylvania, especially in our rural communities like Greene and Washington counties,” read a statement from Bonder. “As is standards process, the Office of the Attorney General is currently conducting an independent review of the proposed merger to ensure it complies with the Commonwealth’s laws and regulations, and the Shapiro Administration hopes that review is prompt and thorough.”

JoJo Burgess, mayor of the city of Washington, urged the governor to have the attorney general approve the deal.

“We cannot have politics involved in what’s going on,” he said. “We need to have our hospital saved. You have one entity that’s saying it’s a bad deal. If we don’t take care of this merger and the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania, we risk almost 300,000 people not having health care and having to travel into Pittsburgh to try to take care of themselves. Our health care is at stake right now. Get out of our way. Keep your fight where it’s at and don’t bring it to Washington.”

Washington County Commissioner Electra Janis said about 30% of rural hospitals across the country are facing financial deficits and being forced to close.

“If not addressed, Washington Health System could close in the next few years, a tragic, sudden end to more than a century of providing health care to our community,” she said. “Affiliating with UPMC, a longstanding Washington Health System partner, is critical in keeping both Washington Health System open for business today and thriving into the future.”