WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: Pictured above, Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1133 Executive Vice President Kevonna Neely and President Brian Magner are less than pleased with the state of new contract negotiations at Buffalo’s Catholic Health. The CWA held a news conference on Tuesday (September 2nd) in front of South Buffalo Mercy Hospital where Representatives announced negotiations were moving slowly on several issues, which has now forced a Strike Authorization Vote that is scheduled for Monday, September 8th. The Union’s current contract expired on June 30th (2025).  (WNYLaborToday.com Photos)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – Four years ago, Catholic Health spent a whopping $100 million to pay for temporary Staff (according to Union Officials) while Communications Workers of America (CWA)-Employees at South Buffalo Mercy Hospital conducted a 40-day Strike over a new contract.

Fast forward to September 2025 and the question being asked is the same: Will Catholic Health once again fork out that kind of astronomical money instead of using it to bargain a new and fair contract with CWA Locals 1133 and 1168, which are negotiating a new agreement for not only Mercy Hospital (where 2,048 CWA Members are employed), but at Kenmore Mercy Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital.  Combined, the three employ 2,815 CWA Members.

The answer may lie in a Strike Authorization Vote that is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 8th.

If authorized by CWA-represented Registered Nurses, Technicians, Environmental Services and other essential Hospital Staff that provide critical care, a 10-day-notice will be issued by the Union to the Hospital.

Hopefully, CWA Local 1133 President Brian Magner tells WNYLaborToday.com, Catholic Health’s ultimate decision won’t be the same.

“I ‘know they did not want us to conduct a Strike Vote,’” he said while standing with Local 1133 Executive Vice President Keonna Neely outside the South Buffalo Hospital after the Union’s news conference that was also attended by a number of high-profile Unions (including the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation and its President - Denise Abbott, the United Auto Workers and the United Steelworkers) and a host of Elected Officials, including Buffalo Mayoral Candidate and New York State Senator Sean Ryan.

The expressed level of Union frustration during the news conference was high due to the fact that, according to the CWA, negotiations on a new contract at Mercy Hospital and its associated off-sites in Kenmore and in Suburban Cheektowaga have dragged on for six months now.

The current contract expired on June 30th (2025).

Among the biggest stumbling blocks, Magner said, is staffing - including ground-breaking Safe Staffing rules that were previously bargained in the last contract that the Union says Catholic Health is now not adhering to for Nurses, Technical and Ancillary Staff.

“Now the Hospital is ‘trying to roll back some of those ratios we fought for,’ even though that is how they currently staff the hospitals and are able to operate these departments today. Our Technical Employees - such as (those in) X-Ray, CT and MRI Staff, ‘are already being forced to work extra hours because of staffing not being met.’ In addition, Mercy Hospital is looking to open two additional Units in the coming months ‘when there is not sufficient staff for the floors that are currently open.’ ‘That’s why we are also fighting for language to make the hospital accountable to staff the hospital appropriately.’ ‘Reducing the previously agreed upon ratios overworks the Staff, causing job dissatisfaction, burnout, an increased chance of errors, and not being able to provide the care the patients in this community deserve.’ The staffing proposal that we have made to Catholic Health ‘would ensure that EVERY patient that comes through the door is able to receive that VIP treatment from all departments, and we think that’s something that would be a win for everyone involved.’ Our Members ‘should be able to take an uninterrupted break without having to worry about overburdening their Co-Workers by giving them twice as much work while they take their break,’” Magner told those at the news conference.

Local 1133 Executive Vice President Neely, meanwhile, used a stark example of wages inside Mercy Hospital: “The living wage for a single person in Buffalo with a child is ($21.88). We have some Members inside the Hospital who are making ($16.11), and a twenty-year Employee is making ($19.65) - ‘well below the single wage.’”

“‘You can make more money working at a Dunkin’ Donuts,” she continued. “(CWA Members) ‘need to afford to live.’ ‘They take pride in their work and go that extra mile.’ ‘In the end (it will cost Catholic Health) more to take (new Workers) in and train’ Staff. ‘What we are asking for is (for Catholic Health) to give us a competitive wage.’”

Several other speakers took the microphone at the news conference, but the most compelling story was told by CWA Member and Mercy Hospital Cardio Telementary Nurse Frederick Rich, who detailed the specifics on an unnamed 37-year-old Nurse (a single mother with a teenage daughter) who was not granted time off after calling management due to personal reasons.

In short, the Nurse took time off and then failed to report to work for her subsequent shifts.

She was later found deceased in her home after a family check, he said.

“‘You have no control over the uncontrollable,’” Rich said, referring to the stress and burnout not only caused by the patient care job, but anything else that impacts one in one’s life that others do not know about.

“(Catholic Health) ‘wants you to show up when you are unwell because the system asks up to be super-human.’ We ‘worked through COVID when were deemed essential.’ ‘Our work has contributed to Catholic Health being awarded A ratings.’ ‘We need respect,’” he said.

Buffalo Mayoral Candidate/State Senator Ryan also spoke, telling Catholic Health - very publicly: “(New York State Elected Officials) ‘fought hard for health care dollars to come into Buffalo that goes into our hospital system - but that’s where we lose control.’ ‘Sometimes Workers are looked at as a liability, but there is no Catholic Health without its workforce.’ ‘We’ve been down this path (before), but I am hoping there will be a new path to make sure (these CWA Members) get the deal they deserve.’"