BUFFALO (WBEN) - Wednesday marks day 13 of the Mercy Hospital healthcare worker strike against Catholic Health, and according to CWA officials, it appears there's still a ways to go in contract negotiations.
"We've been here working trying to reach an agreement with Catholic Health that would end the strike and bring our employees back to work, and unfortunately, I don't think that we're there yet," said CWA Area Director Debbie Hayes Tuesday evening.
On Monday, Catholic Health sent a press release noting some of the highlights of their most recent proposal:
Wages
-Some associates would see pay increases of up to 25% in the first year.
-Registered nurses would see an average increase of 4.3% in the first year.
-Service, technical, and clerical associates would see average increases of 9% in the first year.
-All associates would make at least $15/hour.
Staffing
-Increases staffing levels on our staffing grids/plans to align with agreed-upon ratios.
-Adds more than 250 new positions.
-Stipulates staffing for 10% above the average daily census.
-Provides bonus pay if the staffing goals aren’t met.
Related
Hayes said CWA delivered a counter-proposal to Catholic Health Tuesday that focuses on what the union considers to be their primary issues, including an 'ironclad commitment to end the horrid work conditions and the staffing problems that our members are facing' and 'fair' wage increases.
"I know Catholic Health has been putting their proposals out in the press, and they've put their proposals out to our members," said Hayes. "I just want to be very clear that the proposals they are putting out are misleading...
"The staffing language that they are proposing to us has what they kind of classify as wiggle room," she continued. "The language we are looking for is ironclad nurse-to-patient or provider-to-patients ratios."
Staffing continues to be mentioned as perhaps the main concern as these negotiations continue, and Hayes made it clear it's a stance they will not back down from.
"The one thing our members have made very clear to us is that there is no going backwards," said Hayes. "We are out here for a reason, and that reason is to fix the staffing issues inside Mercy Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital, and Kenmore Mercy Hospital, and we are fully committed to our members not to bring an agreement back to them to look at unless we have dealt with those issues to our satisfaction."
In Monday's press release from Catholic Health, spokesperson JoAnn Cavanaugh said Catholic Health is ready to welcome Mercy Hospital associates back to work.
“We’ve addressed all the issues that are important to our associates. It’s time for the strike to end so they can return to work and not lose any more needed income,” Cavanaugh said. “Only CWA has the ability to end this strike.”
However, Hayes disagrees with that notion.
"Catholic Health continues to say that 'only CWA can end the strike,' and that is just not right," said Hayes. "They have the power to put a proposal on the table that will bring this strike to an end."
"We're at the table with the CWA every day," said Catholic Health CEO Mark Sullivan in a WBEN LiveLine interview Wednesday morning. Sullivan said the discussions are complicated and reflect a 'broken' health care system nationwide. "It needs to be fixed."
