Nurses picket in front of the Government Center Thursday

MONTICELLO - While Sullivan County leaders believe a settlement will be reached soon with county nurses, union representatives aren’t so optimistic, which is why they picketed in front of the government center in Monticello Thursday following a morning of negotiations.

The two sides met again to negotiate a contract for the county’s 62 nurses, who have been working without one all of this year.

The number of nursing positions was cut down from 75 to 62 earlier this year, and representatives of their collective bargaining team from the New York State Nurses Association said they “have had it with county leaders.” County officials say, meanwhile, the union’s claim is misleading, since no employees were cut.

Martha Wilcox, chairwoman of Sullivan County unit of the NYSNA, picketed with two dozen other nurses at 100 North Street in protest of the failed negotiations. She said the nurses are “stretched too thin” and are doing non-nurse duties.

“We need to have a fair and equitable contract,” she said. “A lot of our nurses are single moms. They are raising children in this county and they are feeling the pinch like everyone else. We understand the economic times in this county, but we need to have a fair, equitable contract.”

Meanwhile, inside the building, County Manager David Fanslau said that the county workers have not sent a local union representative to negotiate with the county administrators, and that is why a settlement has yet to be reached.

“Unfortunately, the unions get represented by outside business agents and there was an attempt (Wednesday and Thursday) to have direct negotiations with the employees of Sullivan County. I believe we will come to a resolution and an agreement once the employees of the county have direct ability to negotiate with my office,” he said. “They are free to assemble and demonstrate as they like, but their picketing is not what is driving where we’re trying to head with resolving negotiations.”

Earlier this week, Sullivan County and its more than 600 Teamsters employees reached a contract agreement that both sides said was fair for the workers and county taxpayers.