Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Kaleida health care workers represented by CWA Local 1168 and 1199SEIU have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike. The vote by membership gives the union leadership the power to call for a strike at any of the Kaleida facilities where the workers are employed.
The healthcare workers voted to authorize a strike with an overwhelming 96% percent in support. The vote grants them the power to call a strike but does not mean the union members will do so immediately. In the event the unions do call a strike, they must give Kaleida Health a 10-day notice, as required by state law for hospitals.
CWA Local 1168 and 1199SEIU represent more than 6,300 workers at Kaleida Health's Buffalo General Medical Center, Oishei Children's Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, HighPointe on Michigan, DeGraff Medical Park, and various community-based clinics.
The key issues in the standoff between the unions and Kaleida are staffing and competitive wages.
"We are fighting for a fair contract that will make safe staffing in our hospitals a reality," said Jim Scordato, 1199SEIU Vice-President for WNY Hospitals. "Kaleida was financially impacted by the pandemic, as all hospitals were, but we cannot let its financial losses continue to dictate the quality of care within its hospitals and quality of life for its workforce.
"A strike is the last thing we want. No one wants to walk off the job, but we are considering all of our options because we are seeing a decline in quality of care that must be reversed," said Cori Gambini, President, CWA Local 1168 and a Registered Nurse.
Contracts talks have been ongoing between both unions and Kaleida since March 16, while workers have been working without a contract with a collective bargaining agreement since Aug. 1. This after the original contract expired on May 31 with two separate extensions given for June and July.
Kaleida management issued a statement late Thursday:
"We are eager to get back to the bargaining table tomorrow. The unions have had to focus on the strike vote, so we have not been able to negotiate the past three days. As we have said all along, we do not want a strike, it will be devastating and dangerous for this community.
"What we want is a fair contract that appropriately rewards our workforce and positions the organization for the future. That includes no concessionary bargaining, addressing staffing needs, and once again becoming the market leader in wages. We have not wavered from those commitments, but our resources are not endless. In fact, we are trying to negotiate a contract after posting over $200 million in losses since 2020 due to the pandemic. Right now, the current union proposal is estimated at over $500 million. Simply put, those numbers jeopardize the future viability of Kaleida Health.
"All that said, we continue our strike contingency planning. This week we met with both the Erie County Health Department as well as the New York State Department of Health to review our updated scenario plans. That includes everything from emergency room access, triaging surgical cases, ambulance transportation as well as coordination with hospitals outside of Western New York that we may need to transfer patients to.
"Again, our hope is that those measures will prove unnecessary, but it is critical that we have contingencies in place for the sake of our patients. Patient access and care will remain the priority, no matter the duration or location of a possible work stoppage."
It was only months ago that healthcare workers with Catholic Health went on strike when their contract with hospitals expired. After a five-week strike that turned ugly, at times, a deal was struck and workers eventually returned to the hospitals.
