Youngstown General Duty Nurses Exhibit Opens Oct. 21
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — “Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association: A Legacy of Dignity, Strength, and Caring, 1966–2018” is the title of a new exhibit opening Oct. 21 at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor at Youngstown State University.
The official opening is 6 to 8 p.m. Anyone attending the official opening is asked to RSVP at 330 941 1314 or centerofindustryandlabor@gmail.com.
The exhibit chronicles the history of the YGDNA, the first nurses’ union in Ohio and the second in the country. Founded in 1966 over a wage dispute, he nurses’ union served as a voice for the registered nurses at the Youngstown Hospital Association, eventually extending to Northside and Southside hospitals, as well as Tod Babies and Children’s Hospital and Beeghly Medical Park. It dissolved after the closure of Northside Hospital in 2018.
The union worked to improve conditions affecting the quality of patient care as well as welfare issues of wages, benefits, and the work environment. It protected them and their ability to advocate for their patients and devote themselves to the highest ethics and standards possible.
Nurses of YGDNA donated solely local union dues of $50,000 to the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry & Labor to archive their nurse labor history. The museum faculty and staff thanked YGDNA members for their generous in support of the exhibit through donations and sponsorship of an archival intern for the collection.
The museum, supported by the Ohio History Connection and managed by the History program at YSU, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Face masks are required. For more information, call 330 941 1314 or visit YoungstownOhioSteelMuseum.edu. A supplementary digital component of the exhibit will be available on the website on Oct. 21.
Pictured: In this image from YSU News, the negotiating committee of the Youngstown Hospital Association reviews the hospital’s latest proposal. The nurses were forced to resign for 13 days in 1966 before the hospital would negotiate a fair contract. Mary Ellen Patton is standing, second from left.
Source: YSU News
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
