Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The ongoing strike between workers at Mercy Hospital and Catholic Health hit a snag Sunday as negotiations broke down.
After what was described by both sides as a productive set of bargaining sessions Saturday and into early Sunday, Catholic Health Sunday announced negotiations again hit an impasse early Sunday and negotiations ended for the weekend.
Catholic Health, in a statement, indicated that it's offers remain on the table and say workers represented by CWA decided to end bargaining Sunday and assess the situation.
Catholic Health responded by announcing in a statement that it would begin sending health benefits coverage notices to striking workers and stated that Catholic Health will resume payment and administration upon ratification of a tentative agreement by the membership.
"Catholic Health hospitals are standing firm on their fair, market-competitive offer that includes staffing language, which addresses associates’ priorities as identified by CWA," the statement reads.
Dennis Trainor with the CWA Sunday stated, "The reality is that Catholic Health is trying to go backward on staffing, and its proposal would create ratios in medical-surgical units that are worse than the current management-created staffing grids." "We are ready to put this strike behind us and get back to work, and as soon as Catholic Health agrees to staffing ratios that are safe for staff and patients, we can do that." added Trainor.
In a later statement released by Trainor and CWA, union officials addressed Catholic Health's decision to begin ending health benefits.
"The CWA national Members Relief Fund has $425 million in it," the statement reads. "As of this week, the union’s weekly benefits for strikers have been increased to $400, on top of New York State unemployment benefits for which they are eligible. The MRF will also ensure that no striker faces any financial hardship for a medical or dental emergency of any kind, and that medical care for chronic conditions will be continued."
CWA workers began their strike against Catholic Health October 1.
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