Erie County Medical Center has announced layoffs and furloughs for 2026. The Civil Service Employees Association, or CSEA, one of the unions representing workers at ECMC says they plan to file a class action grievance in response.
The hospital will reduce its workforce by roughly 150 employees this year, or 3%, mostly in non-clinical areas. All non-union employees will also take a one week furlough during 2026.
"Despite this very difficult decision, ECMC has not closed programs, but has made targeted reductions in services to meet patient demands and our financial realities," the hospital said in a statement.
The hospital cites "inadequate reimbursements" from public and private payers, including reduced reimbursements from Medicaid cuts, as one of the reasons for the staffing reductions. The hospital also says inflation and other financial challenges fueled the decision.
CSEA represents many workers at ECMC, including clerical workers who handle Medicaid.
"CSEA is actively working with the employer during this process to protect our member’s contractual rights, including seniority and bumping provisions, and we are filing a class action grievance to ensure the process is handled correctly," Steve Healy, CSEA Western Region President, said in a statement.
"Any reduction in staff at a public hospital raises serious concerns about service levels and the strain placed on the remaining workforce, which ultimately impacts the entire community it serves," Healy added.
Local CSEA spokesperson Sara McNicholas explains that a hospital announcing a layoff is only the first step of the process. The hospital and any unions that represent workers will have to negotiate who gets laid off and how.
McNicholas said they're actively pushing for as few CSEA members to get laid off as possible. She says they were first told fifty of their members could be laid off. As of Wednesday night, she says, that number was down to forty.
"Our message to them [CSEA members] is to just trust the process for right now. Get in contact with CSEA if you have any questions, and try to avoid the rumors," McNicholas told BTPM NPR.
McNicholas says the grievance process is a way of protecting workers.
"Basically, it'll bring it through an arbitration process. Nothing will happen right away, but down the road, it could possibly bring workers back and hopefully prevent future layoffs," McNicholas said.
