Kaleida Health Workers Hold Informational Picket Demanding Hospital Provide Fair Contract to Address Staffing, Increase Wages
BUFFALO, NY - On Thursday, healthcare workers represented by the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East (1199SEIU) held an informational picket outside Buffalo General Medical Center and Oishei Children’s Hospital in downtown Buffalo. During the picket, workers called attention to declining working conditions in the hospital system created by severe understaffing, and the dire need for a competitive contract with increased wages, and guaranteed safe staffing to help recruit and retain staff.
“Before the pandemic, Kaleida deleted my Certified Medical Assistant position to save money. Then they deleted more positions like mine that provided important bedside personal care to our patients. This intensified the effects of Covid and decreased the care even more significantly at the bedside,” said Jennifer Hogue Certified Medical Assistant at Gates Vascular. “How can one person care for 30 patients? The answer is they can’t. They can’t physically wash patients, feed patients that need assistance, and change the bedding. It is exhausting. Our staff needs a fair contract that not only allows the hospital to retain and recruit staff but makes up for the loss in the quality care we give our patients.”
The event followed the expiration of 6,300 union members' contract on July 31 and months of bargaining between the healthcare workers and the Kaleida Health System. Since the recent expiration of the contract extension, bargaining has taken place on five days a week. With more than 800 open jobs in addition to the 436 newly created positions to meet the state’s new staffing law, Kaleida has over 1,200 vacancies it must fulfill. Staffing at all of Kaleida’s hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics is critical.
“Short staffing is not acceptable,” said Charles Williams, Patient Care Assistant at Buffalo General Medical Center. “One Patient Care Assistant to 15 patients makes it impossible for us to keep our patients safe and to give them the quality care that they deserve. We must get paid a competitive wage for the work that we do to make it attractive and to retain local workers in the Kaleida system. In order for our member’s morale to be more positive, we must make them feel like they are part of one big family, showing them the dignity and respect they deserve and that comes with showing appreciation for the work that we do,” said Williams.
“After several months of bargaining, we held this informational picket to call attention to the unacceptable working conditions for Kaleida’s staff and patients,” said Cori Gambini, President, CWA Local 1168 and a Registered Nurse. “As the largest hospital system and the biggest provider of care for the Buffalo community, we need a contract that will allow Kaleida to recruit and retain staff. We are in crisis as young nurses are leaving our ranks for higher-paying travel assignments while veterans retire. Kaleida must settle a contract that will attract and retain the workforce that Western New York needs,” said Gambini.
“Our patients are literally walking out without being seen due to the long wait times,” said Jacquila Smith, Medical Assistant at Oishei Children’s Hospital’s Women’s Health Clinic. “Our patients cannot get the best care when they miss their appointments. They could miss a lifesaving diagnosis and miss the opportunity for early intervention,” said Smith.
“For the past three years, healthcare workers at Kaleida have been fighting on two fronts, a global pandemic, and the severe understaffing impacting patient care in the hospitals,” said Jim Scordato, 1199SEIU Vice-President for WNY Hospitals. “Workers across Kaleida facilities are seeing their colleagues leave due to low wages, inadequate staffing, and a lack of respect on the job. Improving this working environment is Kaleida’s responsibility and they can start by agreeing to a contract that finally addresses what members have been demanding for months. On Monday, we will move to start the process of gauging a strike authorization from our members across Kaleida Health’s facilities. It’s our goal to reach an agreement that we can take back to our membership to ratify, but at this point, we are far apart on the economics and safe staffing levels - which would allow us to take care of our patients and the Western NY community,” said Scordato.
“I am here with all my fellow co-workers to stand up for our patients,” said Debbie Wilson, ER Nurse at Millard Fillmore Suburban Emergency Department. “Without sufficient staffing, our patients are waiting hours to receive the care they need. It’s causing extreme stress and low morale amongst hospital staff who are deeply committed to our patients. Western New York residents deserve continuity of care and it is Kaleida’s responsibility to invest in its staff so that more healthcare workers want to live and work in our community.”
Kaleida workers also called on the state to provide funding for the 436 positions Kaleida has committed to fill to comply with the new safe staffing law.
“We also want to send a very strong message to New York State: the healthcare system in Western New York is struggling financially compared to other regions of the State,” said Debbie Hayes, CWA Area Director. “The financial woes are affecting our members and their ability to deliver high-quality patient care,” said Hayes.
During the picket, Kaleida Health workers gathered publicly to call out the lack of adequate staffing across the hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics that leaves healthcare workers feeling burnt out, and undervalued, compromising the quality of care for patients. Picketing in lines outside Buffalo General Medical Center and Oishei Children’s Hospital, workers raised the urgent need for Kaleida to settle a fair contract as their colleagues are leaving the hospital system at an unprecedented rate. Picketing workers demanded the largest hospital system in WNY prioritize halting the mass exodus of employees by providing a competitive contract that would attract permanent local workers and improve care for patients. Members also called for adequate staffing in all non-clinical positions such as clerical, service, and technical jobs.
Bargaining resumes on Friday, August 19th when both sides will continue to address staffing and wage proposals.
The informational picket comes a week after union leaders met with state and local elected officials to discuss solutions to the staffing crisis facing Kaleida Health. Union leaders and members called upon the state to provide financial support for Kaleida to hire the 436 staff necessary to meet the state’s Staffing Law.
On Background:
Union members work as Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Dietary Workers, Personal Care Attendants, Professionals, Technicians, Service & Maintenance Workers, Clerical Workers, and more. Union Healthcare Workers at Kaleida Health are located at three major hospitals, two nursing homes, and clinics across Western New York including: Buffalo General Medical Center, Oishei Children’s Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, HighPointe on Michigan, DeGraff Medical Park, and various community-based clinics.
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The Communications Workers of America represents 300,000 working people nationally in telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and education, and manufacturing.
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.
