A strike will be avoided at Kaleida Health after the region's largest healthcare provider agreed to a tentative labor deal. Union officials say terms of the deal were reached early this morning, just two hours before a strike authorization vote would have taken place.
The three-year agreement covers nearly 8,000 workers who are represented by the Communications Workers of America and 1199 SEIU. The deal, which still needs approval from union membership, follows lengthy negotiations that included five contract extensions.
Patient care assistant and union negotiator Charles Williams calls the deal one of the "better contracts" workers have had with Kaleida in recent memory.
"Kaleida's become very competitive when you talk about Western New York and upstate New York, and we urge all hospitals to try to reach as far as the staffing ratios," said Williams. "That's something we can celebrate in regards to holding Kaleida accountable, both making sure that they maintain the ratios. [And] our service members are now in a competitive wage scale."
Both CWA and 1199 SEIU said they didn't have to make concessions in the end. Organizers said they got what they asked for, which included the staff ratios, pay and initiatives geared towards recruiting and retaining employees.
This contract comes as federal cuts to Medicaid were recently signed into law in the federal budget reconciliation bill. That loomed over negotiations, as the cuts have brought great uncertainty to the health care industry and the thousands of Western New Yorkers who utilize the program to afford medical care.
"It was a black cloud that was hanging for sure," said 1199 SEIU's Cheryl Marino. "There was always concern about that. We recognize that we represent the 8,000 members here, including rural hospitals that we currently have, like the Brooks Memorial, Bertrand Chaffee, etc. that definitely will feel an impact of these Medicaid cuts. But we believe that Kaleida continues to be the premier employer, and we help them get there by negotiating this wonderful contract with them."
Kaleida Health is also applauding the tentative deal, saying it helps current and future employees, and the services they provide to patients.
“Our workforce is our number one asset. Kaleida Health committed to a new contract that recognizes our workforce’s contributions, allows operational excellence, and promotes a culture of dignity and respect," Kaleida wrote in a statement. "The contract rewards our current employees, increases wages, improves staffing, and helps attract and retain new staff.”
Union officials say they will be doing additional outreach with members about the tentative agreement, and hope to put it to a vote sometime next week.
