CORNING HOSPITAL STRIKERS AND SUPPORTERS TO RALLY IN SAYRE, PA SATURDAY

GUTHRIE HEALTH CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS IS TARGET OF PROTEST

CORNING HOSPITAL STRIKERS AND SUPPORTERS TO RALLY IN SAYRE, PA SATURDAY

GUTHRIE HEALTH CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS IS TARGET OF PROTEST

(Corning)--Striking employees of Corning Hospital and their supporters plan to take their picket line to the Guthrie Health System's flagship institution, the Robert Packet Hospital in Sayre, Pennsylvania. A
noontime rally is planned in Guthrie Square opposite Robert Packer. Rally in Sayre, PA 12 noon, Saturday, October 11 Robert Packer Hospital, Guthrie Square

Nurses and other employees of Corning Hospital went on strike September 29 in a dispute over health insurance, wages, and hospital demands for givebacks. Corning Hospital became part of the Guthrie System in 1999. Since that time, Guthrie has systematically moved profitable services from Corning to other Guthrie divisions, putting Corning Hospital
in distress according to employee union leaders.

"Guthrie is behind this strike." said Toi Nehring, an 18 year licensed practical nurse from Corning. "They are using Corning Hospital to
get patients into Guthrie and make money. It's not fair to Corning. We need to keep our local, full service hospital."

Guthrie recently sold Founders Pavilion, its nursing home division on the Corning Hospital campus. Employees unanimously approved a new laboragreement with Founders just days before the hospital walkout.

The rally is sponsored by 1199 SEIU New York's Health Care and Human Service Union and endorsed by the regional federation of the AFL-CIO.

For further information, please contact or Bruce Popper
585-936-5249 (pager).