Mercy Hospital nurses are embroiled in a strike vote Monday amid contract negotiations with the hospital, and CWA Local 1133 members already are expressing dissatisfaction about being back in negotiations.
Voter turnout from members is high, but the primary feedback is disbelief at being back at the table for extended negotiations, CWA Local 1133 Chapter President Brian Magner said.
“Not only in 2021 did we go out on strike, but in 2016 we also had to have a strike vote as well, because negotiations were not moving along back then either," he said. "And it's just disappointing that it has to get to this point, it seems like consistently now.”
Catholic Health claims it has the same goals as the union, and that they would “be deeply concerned if the Union were to call a strike at Mercy Hospital while negotiations are actively underway,” according to a written statement from Catholic Health to BTPM.
Among the measures for contract negotiations is looking at what recent nurses’ contracts have included at other hospitals, Magner said.
"We know Kaleida Health recently ratified back in July. We also know that Niagara Falls Memorial Hospital recently reached a contract with their members," he said. "One of the things, the big things that we as a bargaining committee have focused on is the no concessions for health care. Kaleida Health was able to secure no increases in co-pays, and that's something that we're trying to do here at Catholic."
Another of the top priorities is maintaining the ratio of nurses, which improved with the 2021 budget, but they are at risk of worsening again, Magner said.
If employees strike, it would only apply to Mercy Hospital staff, but the ongoing negotiations are applicable across Catholic Health’s various locations.
CWA Local 1133 includes 850 Mercy Hospital nurses, and 1,200 who work in service, technical and clerical positions, as well as a few hundred employees from off-site locations, Magner said.
The vote runs through 9 p.m. Monday, though no date has yet been chosen to strike, if that action is pursued, Magner said.
