Niagara County – After 4 months of contract talks and an intense 19-hour long negotiating session earlier this month, 1199SEIU hospital workers voted to ratify a 4-year contract with their employer Catholic Health today.

 

The new contract covers 400 Catholic Health hospital workers at Mount St Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston and Lockport Memorial Hospital in Lockport. 

 

Workers at both hospitals are represented by 1199SEIU, the largest healthcare workers union in the country.

 

“This contract represents more than just words on paper, it reflects the value of our hard work, dedication, and unity. It provides meaningful improvements while protecting worker rights, securing benefits, and improving wages and working conditions that matter most to all of us. This contract moves us forward and strengthens our future together. By standing united and supporting this contract, we continue building a workplace founded on fairness, respect, and opportunity for everyone,” said Bridget Muller, RN at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital. 

 

“We worked really hard to improve our contract language. With this new contract, we won a better scheduling process which will help to retain and recruit more staff. It also gives us a better work life balance,” said Michelle Salay, MRI Technologist at Lockport Memorial Hospital.

 

To help improve recruitment and retention of staff, hospital workers won a minimum of 12% in wage increases over the 4-year labor contract. 

 

Along with the minimum general wage increase for all workers of 12%, union members will be placed in new wage scales according to job title. The new wage scales are competitive and based on market value providing higher pay rates for workers.

 

To retain experienced and dedicated staff to care for patients in Niagara County, all union workers won a 20-year wage step increase effective this April 1 of this year and a 25-year wage step increase effective in the last year of the agreement. 

 

In addition, hospital workers also won increases in employer provided pension contributions, incentive bonuses, shift differential, and preceptor pay.

 

To recruit and retain nursing staff, Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses won an increase in charge pay in addition to newly established competitive wage scales.  Licensed Practical Nurses won new wage scales ranging from 4.8%-18% and Registered Nurses won 8% to 14% wage scales in addition to general wage increases.

 

Caregivers at both Mount St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston and Lockport Memorial Hospital work as Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, Technicians, and Service and Maintenance workers which include dietary and housekeeping.

 

The new labor deal runs through March 31, 2030.

 

While Catholic Health’s two Niagara County hospitals have ratified their new contract, the focus now turns to their nursing homes.  Bargaining for nearly 300 union nursing home workers at Catholic Health’s McAuley Residence and St. Catherine’s Laboure began earlier this month and resumes Friday, June 5.  

 

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1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. We represent over 400,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.
https://www.1199seiu.org