(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Financial difficulties experienced at Buffalo’s Catholic Health System (CHS), which are said to have been brought about by the COVID-19 Pandemic, was at the center of a mutual decision by Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1168 and Hospital Management to mutually agree to one-year contract extensions for Registered Nurses (RNs) and CWA-represented Associates employed at Kenmore Mercy Hospital, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo and at its St. Joseph Campus.

CWA Members agreed to the contract extensions during a vote held late last week, it was announced earlier this week.

CWA Local 1168 and Catholic Health Management began bargaining earlier this year on the six individual contracts, which were set to expire on June 30th, 2020.

Bargaining was put on hold in March to address the escalating COVID Pandemic.

The extensions, which are in effect through June 30th, 2021, give both CWA Local 1168 and Catholic Health additional time to evaluate the financial implications of the on-going pandemic, see what lingering effects it might have on health care across the region, and look for ways to regroup and rebound from this crisis.

According to a posting on CWA Local 1168’s website, the contract agreement extensions call for: A 0.5% wage increase, effective the first full period of July 2020; All Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) – including an MOU for Common Table Bargaining, will remain in effect; and a COVID-19 Committee will prepare for a potential surge or second wave.

Negotiations are expected to resume early next year on new multi-year contracts for the six CWA Bargaining Units represented at Catholic Health.

CWA Local 1168 President Cori Gambini provided WNYLaborToday.com with the following statement:

Health care has been very difficult for most of my 33-year career.

We struggle with financing, reimbursements and management that are far removed from the bedside.

Patients are more complex and we deal with high acuity.

Results in poor staffing, continuing education done on-line and while taking care of patients.

With COVID we canceled surgeries and procedures, the only thing that brings in money.

At the same time we risked our lives and the health and well-being of our family.

We went from heroes to zeroes in a few short months.

The insurance companies and the government have not even come close to paying what it cost our hospitals to deal with this pandemic, to care for the very sick COVID patients with very long length of stay.

We had to clear our beds for COVID patients and lost revenue.

The hospitals are broke and we had no other choice but to do a one year extension to protect our wages and benefits.

Our job is now to fight our government and the for-profit, highly-compensated insurance companies for our fair share.

We managed to bail out and save the banks, the auto industry and Wall Street in 2008.

It’s time to bail-out health care.

We have had so many deaths with COVID, there will be even more because these hospitals will not be able to properly care for their patients.

Catholic Health President and CEO Mark Sullivan said in a prepared press release:

“Catholic Health and CWA Leadership felt that extending these contracts was the most prudent approach given the uncertainty of the coming months - and most importantly, to learn more about the long-term effects of the pandemic on health care in our community.

We want to thank the CWA for their support and partnership throughout this crisis.

We have worked hard together over the past four years to improve our relationship, address challenges and make progress through our Labor-Management committees, and we expect that progress to continue. 

We take great pride in the quality care we provide our patients, residents and community, and know none of it would be possible without our dedicated associates who deliver exceptional care and service.

Over the past five months, in a time of crisis, our community witnessed this care first hand.

We thank all our associates for all their hard work, and for their patience and understanding as we rebuild from the effects of the COVID Pandemic and adjust to a rapidly changing and unknown landscape.”