BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) A ratification vote is underway for 63-hundred Kaleida healthcare workers. Union members are voting on a tentative contract Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
Kaleida reached agreement with two unions on a new 3 year contract on October 3.
The deal was struck after several consecutive days of marathon bargaining. It averted a potential strike, after union members voted in September to allow their bargaining committee to authorize a strike at Kaleida facilities if necessary. A 10 day strike notice was never issued.
Related
"I believe we negotiated an historic agreement here, that will put us in a position to recruit and retain healthcare workers of all job titles," said Cori Gambini, President of CWA Local 1168, shortly after the tentative deal was announced. She added there were no concessions.
Jim Scordato, Vice President of the Western New York hospital division of 1199 SEIU also praising the tentative pact. "This is definitely the best contract that we are going to be bringing back to our members. This is going to lead the way in what healthcare is going to be based on moving forward."
Negotiations started back in March. The biggest issues involved staffing and wages. The deal encompasses over 160 articles, MOUs, and letters including economic and non-economic issues.
The agreement covers workers across several Kaleida facilities, including Buffalo General, Oishei Children's Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban, DeGraff, and various other facilities.
Don Boyd, president and CEO of Kaleida Health said, “We are proud that we fulfilled our commitment of our three stated objectives as part of this contract: no concessionary bargaining, addressing staffing needs across Kaleida Health plus investing in our workforce with wage increases and more. Our workforce has been stretched to the max these past two and half years; and that they continue to step up to help us address the challenges we face. So it is vitally important that we continue to support and invest in them.”
One year ago, Catholic Health was hit with a a six week strike at Mercy Hospital. The strike ended up costing Catholic Health System nearly 90 million dollars.
A strike across Kaleida could have had a much larger effect, as a strike could have affected multiple hospitals.
Pending ratification, the agreement would be retroactive to May 31, 2022, and will carry both CWA Local 1168 and 1199 SEIU through 2025.
