WARREN, Ohio – Unions representing local health care workers have taken legal action against Insight Health System, filing a federal complaint to force arbitration over alleged contract violations tied to the abrupt closure of Insight Hospital and Medical Center Trumbull in Warren and Insight Rehabilitation Hospital Hillside in Howland in 2025.
The unions represent nurses, biomedical technicians, food service and housekeeping workers, maintenance technicians, phlebotomists, case managers, nursing educators and others at the two hospitals.
The facilities were closed March 28, 2025, leading to layoffs that the unions claim violated collective bargaining agreements that were rolled over when Insight acquired the hospitals through Steward Health Care System’s bankruptcy. The alleged violations include failing to provide sufficient notice of layoffs, failing to maintain accurate accruals of earned but unused vacation time and failing to pay out accrued vacation days.
Previously filed grievances regarding the alleged violations were submitted to the Federal Medication and Conciliation Services on Sept. 15, 2025. Insight’s representative reportedly notified Deborah Bindas, AFSCME Ohio Council 8 regional director, on Sept. 23, 2025, that Insight would not consent to arbitration of any grievance because of its belief the current CBA had expired.
Bindas has submitted additional requests repeatedly without results, according to court documents.
This resulted in the complaint to compel arbitration, which was filed in the Federal Ohio Northern District Court on Monday by AFSCME Ohio Council 8; AFL-CIO; AFSCME Local 2804; and the United Nurses of America AFSCME Local 2026.
The document requests a court order compelling Insight to agree to arbitration, as well as attorney fees and other damages.
Insight reopened the Warren hospital’s emergency room Oct. 14, 2025, but closed it again in November. Insight agreed to surrender its license with the Ohio Department of Health but indicated it intends to reapply.
Pictured at top: Insight Hospital and Medical Center Trumbull in Warren.