Union, Catholic Health trade charges as strike continues at Mercy Hospital

Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - As union health care workers spent a rainy third day on the picket line outside Mercy Hospital in Buffalo Sunday, union leadership and Catholic Health officials traded charges about a missed negotiating session Sunday morning.

In an afternoon press release and subsequent press briefing outside the hospital late Sunday, CWA Area Director Debbie Hayes indicated the union was ready to resume negotiations at a 10am Sunday session that was not attended by Catholic Health.

In repsonse, Catholic Health officials said they were willing to conduct negotiations virtually only as a result of aggressive picket line tactics it was alleging the union was responsible for.

"We repeatedly informed Catholic Health all throughout Saturday that we would be at the bargaining table at 10:00 AM on Sunday, a reality they acknowledged by resending the proposals we rejected Friday morning," said Hayes in a release.

"Given the verbal threats, intimidating actions and other inappropriate and possibly illegal behaviors by many individuals on CWA's picket line and out of an abundance of caution for the safety and security of its bargaining committee, Catholic Health offered to meet today with the union only virtually," JoAnn Cavanaugh said. "We are willing to meet with CWA again in person when it has demonstrated an ability to control its followers on the picket line," Cavanaugh said.

Cavanaugh and Catholic Health Sunday released a photo they say demonstrates the aggressive picketing tactics being utilized by the union. The photo provided to the media(below) shows Jackie Ettipio, president of CWA Local 1133, and Cori Gambini, president of CWA Local 1168, shouting at temporary replacement workers being transported to Mercy Hospital and, says Cavanaugh, possibly blocking the vehicle from accessing the hospital.

Catholic Health via Facebook