WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Hundreds and hundreds of Communications Workers of America (CWA)-represented Health Caregivers employed by the Catholic Health System in Buffalo held an informational picket and rally outside South Buffalo’s Mercy Hospital in sweltering 90-degree temps to focus public attention on a slew of problems that they say work to diminish patient care at Catholic Health’s three Buffalo-area medical facilities.  The Caregivers were joined by representatives of a number of other Unions, who are supporting them in their fight for patient justice and a new and fair contract that recognizes these Essential Workers - who put their own lives on the line during the Coronavirus Pandemic - as Heroes.  (WNYLaborToday.com Photos)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – The point Communications Workers of America (CWA) District 1 Area Director Deb Hayes made to hundreds and hundreds of Unionized Health Care Workers decked out in red went straight to the heart: “When hospitals are understaffed, people die.”

Hopefully the point Hayes (pictured below) made during an informational picket and rally held on Wednesday (August 25th) outside South Buffalo’s Mercy Hospital in sweltering 90-degree temps will not be lost on the Catholic Health System, which employs a total of, and combined, 2,500 CWA Caregivers who work at Mercy Hospital, at Suburban Kenmore Mercy Hospital and at the St. Joe’s Medical Facility in Suburban Cheektowaga.

An inadequate number of Staff tops the list as the CWA continues its contract negotiations with Catholic Health on a new agreement, which according to Union Representatives, is not going well.  The current contract between CWA and Catholic Health expires on September 30th.

In fact, CWA Local 1133 President Jackie Ettipio even used the “Strike” word when speaking to those who took part in the picket/rally:  “I see these ‘Angels of Mercy’ (in these red shirts), going home at the end of the day - ‘vanquished and defeated even after feeling like they did something good’ (for the patients they serve).  We’re short (staffed), we have ‘no’ breaks, ‘no’ lunch.  ‘They run around all day, but they do it for the community.’  ‘We need help.’  ‘We need more’ Staff, equipment and security - we had a Nurse ‘beaten up’ the other day in the ER (Emergency Room).  And, ‘we are lowest paid (Nurses) of any other hospital in our community.’  ‘We’re going to force this (changes within the Catholic Health System) to happen here.”

In a press release distributed before the picket/rally, Catholic Health’s hospitals are said to be suffering from chronic understaffing, which the CWA says has jeopardized patient care and led to unsanitary and dirty conditions inside the medical facilities - conditions that are especially concerning as the deadly Delta Variant spreads rapidly and hospitalizations continue to rise. 

Yet, the CWA says Catholic Health’s current contract proposal fails to address these concerns, and would instead, slash wages and benefits by as much as 10%, which would only exacerbate the current staffing crisis.

CWA Local 1168 President Cori Gambini (pictured above) also spoke, telling all in attendance: “We are ‘Heroes, not zeroes.’  ‘We worked a year and half with’ COVID patients.  ‘We lived it.’  But this is not our ‘first rodeo.’  ‘This time, it’s going to stop!’  Health Care Workers across this nation ‘have had it.’  ‘It stops now!’”

In a show of Western New York Labor strength, the CWA was joined by a number of area Unions, including the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the United Auto Workers (UAW), the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and a host of individual Unions from the Buffalo Building & Construction Trades Council – including the Carpenters, Electricians, Laborers and Painters.

And, Laborers Local 210 was there with its computerized message truck that headed up and down Abbott Road in front of the hospital with a variety of pro-CWA and con-Catholic Health messages constantly changing on each of its sides. 

In addition, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters Local 276’s logo truck also headed up and down the road - which was packed with picketers on either side of Abbott, honking its horn in unison with so many other vehicles that did the same in support of the CWA Health Care Workers.

Buffalo AFL-CIO Central Labor Council President Denise Abbott and Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF) Peter DeJesus were also there in support of the CWA.

“We’re proud to stand with you and we’re on the side of you and your patients,” said DeJesus - whose Labor Federation oversees five Central Labor Councils across Western New York that combine to represent more than 140,000 Unionized Workers employed in the Public and Private Sectors, as well as in the Building Trades. “You are ‘Heroes’ – ‘Shame on’ Catholic Health.”

The Unionized CWA Caregivers also received a great amount of support from a bevy of elected city, county and New York State officials, including State Senator Tim Kennedy of South Buffalo and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown. 

“We in the Labor Movement ‘cannot do this by ourselves,’” CWA District 1 Area Director Hayes noted.

Senator Kennedy said: “I see ‘a lot of red out there’ - weren’t we just out here, several years ago, doing the same thing? (That’s when the CWA was in the midst of yet another contentious contract negotiation with Catholic Health)  This hospital is the ‘heart and soul’ of South Buffalo ‘and you have to have your voices heard.’  You work here and ‘you are Heroes in our community’ - ‘You deserve to be paid and be thanked for the work you have done.’”

Buffalo Mayor Brown said: “We ‘need to stand up for our’ Nurses and Health Care Workers.  ‘We’ve seen the sacrifices you’ve made for all of us.’  Safe staffing ‘is’ essential.  A fair contract ‘is’ mandatory and ‘no way should you be going backwards on benefits previously negotiated.’  ‘Accept nothing less and Thank You for all you do.’”

CWA District 1 Area Director Hayes said: “There ‘are a lot of open issues’ (left to be negotiated in a new contract with Catholic Health).  We have a Safe Staffing proposal on the table, but Catholic Health ‘has no counter-proposal as yet.’  ‘We will not take concessions.’  ‘We’ve made it clear to them - we want fair pay for our Members.’”