1199 Delegates Honored at Buffalo Celebration of International Women’s Day

March 23, 2014

Unlimited Possibilities Overcoming Poverty (UPOP) honored 50 local women for their significant contributions to the Buffalo, NY community. Among the honorees were 1199 delegates Annie Lewis, Danielle Gates-White and Denise Sweet, all from Kaleida Health. The keynote speaker for the evening was newly elected Rochester Mayor Lovely-Ann Warren.



Annie Lewis has been a PCA at Buffalo General for 39 years. She has been a union Delegate for over 25 years and Chief Steward for over 20 years, assisting thousands of workers through the grievance process and helping them receive dignity and respect in their workplace. She has helped to negotiate several contracts with some of the highest wages and benefits in region. Annie also serves on the 1199 Cultural Committee, Political Action Endorsement Committee, Health and Safety Board.



Buffalo native Danielle Gates-White has worked for Kaleida Health for over 15 years. While at Kaleida, Whites-Gates began helping her co-workers with workplace issues, and was encouraged to run for a union leadership position. Known for her dedication, compassion and ability to fire back when necessary, Danielle serves as Chief Steward in her bargaining unit, and Delegate in her department. Seeing that many workplace issues are impacted by the government, Danielle became active in the political process with the union. She has traveled across western NY and Erie County on various election campaigns, including those for President Obama. Locally she serves on the political endorsement committee, 1199SEIU cultural committee, and is a founding member of 1199’s western NY Young Workers Program.



Denise Sweet is a Lead Coding Specialist Coder at Kaleida Health, where she has worked for 24 years. Denise began to get involved fighting for employees’ rights, and later was encouraged by co-workers to become a union Delegate. Because of her passion, determination and leadership, Denise was voted Chairperson of her 1199SEIU bargaining unit and helped bargain two union contracts.