WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Pictured above, Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1133 President Brian Magner and Executive Vice President Kevonna Neely are part of the new leadership team that is guiding their Local of 2,500 Health Caregivers into 2025 and beyond.  First up on this year’s agenda, a new contract with Catholic Health.   (WNYLaborToday.com Photos)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – New leadership at Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1133 tells WNYLaborToday.com that - at times, overseeing a Union of 2,500 Health Care Workers is a bit like riding a roller coaster, and sometimes - without, a seatbelt. 

But for President Brian Magner and Executive Vice President Kevonna Neely, they are indeed focused on what’s coming next as the Buffalo CWA Local heads into contract negotiations with Catholic Health on a new contract, while continuing the Union’s fight to ensure safe staffing.

“I ‘joked’ with Kevonna that after taking a physical last Fall ‘I would be shocked if I wasn’t put on blood pressure meds,’” the 47-year-old Magner - whose been a Member of the Union for 16 years now and has previously been the Local’s Secretary/Treasurer for three years and Lead Mobilizer for another, laughed.

“‘Yeah, it’s like being on a roller-coaster,’” said the 41-year-old Neely, a 15-year CWA Member who’s previously served as an Executive Board Member and who works at South Buffalo’s Mercy Hospital as an EKG Technician.

“‘But without a seatbelt,’” chuckled Magner.

Joking aside, Magner and Neely are dead serious when it comes to gearing up for contract negotiations that will impact a majority of the Local’s 2,500 Members who are employed as Registered Nurses (RNs) and Service, Technical and Clerical Staff at Catholic Health’s Mercy Hospital (other Members are employed at Kenmore Mercy Hospital and Sisters of Charity Hospital/St. Joseph Campus in the Buffalo area) which - unfortunately, has seen its share of major Strike actions over the years, including a very prominent and high-profile 35-day walkout in 2021 that lead to a historic, four-year, retroactive deal (For More Read: Having Won A ‘Groundbreaking’ Contract That Increases Staffing Ratios, CWA Leadership ‘Thanks Many’ After Striking Mercy Hospital Caregivers Return To Work - Next Step, ‘Working With’ Catholic Health ‘To Attract New Hires To Fill 400’ Positions - WNY Labor Today: Your On-Line Labor Newspaper, Bringing You Labor News From Across The Nation, New York State & Western New York).

“Our goal in 2025 is to ‘get a good contract - and not months after it expires,’” Neely said.

The current Catholic Health agreement expires on June 30th (2025).

The relationship between the CWA (both Local 1133 and its Sister Local 1168) and Catholic Health “has been rocky,” admits Magner.

And working with Catholic Health to try to maintain safe staffing levels continues to be a problem, they said.

“‘On one side, (Catholic Health is) for recruiting new Nurses, but the numbers don’t reflect what’s going on,’” said Magner, who is also disappointed with New York State’s Department of Health, “which has been ‘overwhelmed and has not been able to enforce’” the relatively new State Safe Staffing Law because, in part, “they don’t have enough people (in the Department)” to check on and ensure compliance.

“We’re ‘just not seeing results, but I hope there will be a good outcome.’  We are communicating (with Catholic Health Officials),” said Neely, who added she is aware of the State Health Department having as many as 1,200 safe staffing cases that are currently “unresolved.”

“‘Why was something like this implemented that you cannot enforce?,” Magner asks. “(The State) ‘just can’t keep up with the backlog.’”

“‘And what makes it even more difficult is that we are continually being told that something is going to be done’ (about it),” Neely adds.

Which, in the end, creates a “morale problem” with CWA’s Membership, Magner says.

“Our Members ask: ‘Why are they doing something about this problem?,’” he said.

“‘And, they are upset,’” Neely adds.

But Local 1133 and Catholic Health have been meeting once a month, which has worked to “bring to light a number of issues that we are talking about in real time,” Neely pointed out.

Magner and Neely said they continually remind Catholic Health that “‘happy Employees make it easier for all of us.’”

Meanwhile, Magner said he was surprised and unaware that he would have to “‘spend so much time in meetings with management.’”

“Many times ‘I’ve asked why (an issue) couldn’t be addressed in an e-mail,’” he said.

It appears Local 1133 is in good hands not only with Magner and Neely, but with a stellar and more than capable Executive Board that all “‘feel can make a difference.’”

That also includes a new slate of Stewards, the two said.

Under Magner and Neely’s leadership, they’ve both have put a “‘big time focus on getting new people involved (from Local 1133) to help the ‘Union cause,’” as well as mobilizing to make contributions to the local community, which provided the Local and their Members such monumental support when they went out on Strike a couple of years ago.

Over the Holidays, the Union adopted several families, purchased a number of items on those families’ Christmas wish list, as well as donating blankets for long-term residents at nursing homes, and making other contributions - including to the local Ten Lives Club for cats and kittens.

“‘Unions don’t just take your dues money and don’t just represent their Members,’” Neely said.  “‘Most of us are here for the right reasons, we’re fighting for a better workplace.’  ‘And we are fighting for our Members.’  ‘We actually care.’”

“‘I want our people to be proud of a well-run organization that takes care of their Members and their community - one that always takes care of us,’” Magner said.  “When we went out on Strike (in 20021), ‘we deserved a fair contract and to see what the community did for us, standing with us, was wonderful.’”

“Now,” he smiled.  “‘All I want is a seat belt or a helmet for that rollercoaster ride.’”

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: For More ON CWA Local 1133’s Strike At Mercy Hospital, Read: Striking CWA-Represented Caregivers At Mercy Hospital Reach “Groundbreaking” Tentative Contract Agreement With Catholic Health - Union Says New Four-Year Deal, If Ratified By Membership, Will Improve Hospitals “By Leaps And Bounds” - WNY Labor Today: Your On-Line Labor Newspaper, Bringing You Labor News From Across The Nation, New York State & Western New York