Bosley, Downing Nudge SEIU, Hospital Talks

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
04:18PM / Thursday, December 10, 2009Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Union and hospital negotiators were back at the bargaining table Thursday after members of the Berkshire delegation pleaded for them to work together.

"We hope that both sides respond positively to our call, return to the negotiating table and come to a resolution with the best interests of Northern Berkshire in mind," Sen. Benjamin B. Downing and Rep. Daniel E. Bosley stated in a letter to both sides on Wednesday morning. They also asked 1199SEIU members to delay the strike set for Saturday.

But will 1199SEIU and Northern Berkshire Healthcare come to an agreement — or continue down the road to a crippling strike?

Talks between the two came to a halt last Thursday at 5 p.m. after the two sides hit an impasse. The health-care system responded with a full-page ad signed by its trustees in the local papers that union members felt blamed them for the system's $8.1 million shortfall. Service Employees International Union countered with a sharp series of radio and print ads targeting the administration — and President and CEO Richard Palmisano in particular.

With a strike set for Saturday and North Adams Regional Hospital making it very clear replacements will be ready to take over, the emotions are running high on both sides as any peek at the story comments will tell you.

The Downing and Bosley stepped into the possible path to mutually-assured destruction because, they said, of the hospital's importance to the community as "an essential community resource" and employer. But they weren't taking sides or laying blame.

"We're asking for them to pull back ... Both sides have to stop the public bickering," said Bosley shortly before Wednesday's press conference. "We have to figure out how to make NARH financially strong and that's going to be a challenge that everybody's got to back."

That means addressing much larger challenges at the state and federal level, he said, but first they have to get past the current labor negotiations.

In a short e-mail statement, hospital spokesman Paul Hopkins wrote, "We are looking forward to returning to negotiations and believe that the calmest, best way to resolve this will be at the bargaining table."

Union officials said they "enthusiastically welcome the involvement of Senator Downing and Rep. Bosley," thanking them for encouraging hospital administrators back to the table.

"We hope they will be productive and result in a settlement," wrote Michael O'Brien, a respiratory therapist and chairman of the local SEIU chapter.

However, he added, "There will be a series of union membership meetings for NARH workers today and tomorrow during which we will discuss next steps."

Hospital officials say they're ready if that next step is a strike.

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North Adams Airport Hires New Manager

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
10:30AM / Saturday, October 24, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Airport Commission unanimously voted this week to hire Skyler Friedman as the new airport manager.

The vote came after a brief interview Tuesday. Although two candidates were scheduled to be interviewed, only Friedman was in attendance.

In total, there were four resumes that a subcommittee knocked down to two finalists.

"All were qualified," Commissioner William Hooper said. "One was less qualified, two were equally qualified, and one was a step above. The two you have this evening were the two determined to be the most qualified."

The commission planned on interviewing both candidates, but only interviewed Friedman. Although the second candidate indicated she would be present remotely for the interview, she never called in.

Friedman was the manager from June until September through the city's contract with Hewison Aviation, a New York-based flight school operating in North Adams. The company provided management services to the city but decided to end this arrangement in the fall.

The commission faced losing Friedman as manager and urged him to apply when they advertised the position.

Friedman spoke about communication, noting he suspected it would be easier as an employee of the city. He also spoke about larger projects at the airport he would like to follow through on, including the creation of a flying club. He said he wants more people at the airport and interested in aviation.

He was asked if he planned to leave the position in the near future for other opportunities.

"I would not be here now if that were my goal," he answered.

He added that the area does not have a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), a position he hopes to fill. He said he hopes to "merge his interests" as the manager and a CFI, eventually relocating permanently to North Adams instead of commuting from Albany.

Otherwise, he said there will be no disruptions, as he has already done the job. Instead of learning a new position, he said he is ready to tackle projects he had to step away from when the contract ran out.

"The past five months have been that process, and I will pick up where I left off," he said. "I stumbled upon things in the interim, and there will be no transition."

In other business, the Airport Commission saw another response to the proposed restaurant RFP. Only one organization responded: East Fork Bread.

Although there was some back-and-forth between the RFP subcommittee and the bread makers, the subcommittee ultimately could not recommend their proposal as it did not fit their requirements.

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