With More Of Their Members Testing Positive For COVID, CWA Local 1168 & 1199 SEIU ‘Demand’ Buffalo’s Kaleida Health Come To The Table And Bargain Over A Myriad Of Coronavirus Issues
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(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1168 and 1199 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) are demanding Buffalo’s Kaleida Health come back to the table and bargain over a slew of COVID-19 issues as the region and the country gets ready to deal with a second wave of the Coronavirus.
CWA and SEIU say Kaleida Health “is ‘not willing’ to bargain over our (Members’) needs due to changing work conditions - including Staff burnout and the fact that many of Kaleida Health’s Union-represented Health Care Employees are testing positive for COVID and are now dealing with the repercussions, firsthand,” Union Officials said.
“Staffing ‘has always been a problem,’ but the ratio of PCA’s (Patient Care Assistants) seeing patients in each unit ‘has gone from one to fifteen to one to thirty.’ These Members ‘are very important’ because they serve as the ‘eyes and ears’ of our Nurses,” newly-elected CWA Local 1168 Vice President Patrick Weisansal II told WNYLaborToday.com. “COVID ‘has now put a spotlight on this problem’ and Kaleida (with its cuts in Staff) has created a ‘perfect storm.’”
According to CWA Representatives, Kaleida has cut 154 Union-represented positions.
In addition, 347 Union-represented Kaleida Workers have tested positive for Coronavirus.
“Kaleida is ‘not willing to discuss’ COVID/Hazard Pay, PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) and tracing and tracking (of Staff who have tested positive for the Coronavirus). Nurses are ‘outraged’ by the comments of Mike Hughes (Kaleida Health’s Senior Vice President who has made disparaging remarks about the Union-represented Health Care Workers in the local media). Nurses are working on the front lines and are now dealing with a ‘double whammy’ (increased patient loads and COVID infection to themselves). Our Members are trying to stay ‘super vigilant,’ but they remember John (Poleon, a 63-year-old CWA Local 1168 Member and X-Ray Technician at Buffalo General Hospital who died of COVID earlier this year), which is a ‘stark reminder.’”
WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Read - In Memoriam: A Tribute To X-Ray Technologist John Poleon - Communications Workers Of America Local 1168 Member ‘Believed To Be First Front-Line Medical Worker At A Buffalo Hospital Who Has Been Lost To COVID-19’ at www.wnylabortoday.com/news/2020/05/12/buffalo-and-western-new-york-labor-news/in-memoriam-a-tribute-to-x-ray-technologist-john-poleon-communications-workers-of-america-local-1168-member-believed-to-be-first-front-line-medical-worker-at-a-buffalo-hospital-who-has-been-lost-to-covid-19/.
On its website, CWA Local 1168 posted the following:
We are experiencing a second wave of COVID-19 in many of our local hospitals and long-term care facilities and it has been difficult for many Health Care Workers.
We have an increased exposure to COVID-19 and there are issues with management properly tracing and tracking positive cases.
Not only are we dealing with Staff burnout, many of our Members are testing positive for COVID and dealing with it firsthand.
Your dedication throughout the pandemic and support you provide to one another does not go unnoticed.
Your health and well-being is our top priority!
The Unions were made aware of multiple issues directly impacting members who are providing care to COVID patients during this pandemic.
On November 14th, 2020, CWA 1168 and 1199 SEIU signed and sent Kaleida Health a demand to bargain over terms and conditions related to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Following the notice, the Unions met with Kaleida on November 18th and November 25th to address Member concerns around the pandemic: Cuts to staffing; Health and safety; PPE (Personal Protective Equipment); Uninterrupted breaks; and COVID pay.
These cuts to staffing will require most Staff to provide care for an increased number of patients.
This is unacceptable.
Kaleida has made it clear in their opening statement that they were NOT willing to bargain over these issues but would follow the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
Union Leaders demanded that Kaleida provide concrete answers from decision-makers and that they be present for any future meeting.
On November 25th, Kaleida’s site Presidents and CNO’s participated in a call to review what they have accomplished so far.
Management discussed the changing nature of the pandemic and their surge plan.
Although bonuses were implemented in some areas, most COVID-19 issues remain unresolved!
We are working very hard to provide care to our patients and Kaleida’s response is unacceptable!
We want our concerns heard!
We want to know that our employer is willing to bargain over our needs due to changing work conditions.
We are all fighting this pandemic together and Kaleida must do better!
Front Line Heroes deserve a safe work environment, readily available PPE and the tools they need to provide quality care to our patients at their bedside, especially at a time when family are not allowed visitation.
We will demand to bargain on our Members’ behalf.
In the coming week, the Unions want to hear from you - the front line!
We want to know what’s most important to you while dealing with COVID-19.
Please fill out our survey and share it with your Co-Workers.
It must be completed by Wednesday, December 9th.
Once we have gathered feedback from Membership, we will present a proposal to request that Kaleida bargain contract language due to the impact of COVID-19.
To Directly Access This Labor News Story, Go To: www.cwa1168.org/unions-demand-to-bargain-with-kaleida-health-over-covid-19-issues/
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