BUFFALO, N.Y. — Kaleida Health workers represented by two unions are voting on a new contract deal.
"I can confirm that ratification votes are happening for both unions from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. for the next three days at various locations," said April Ezzell with 1199SEIU Communications.
The voting process comes one week after Communications Workers of America (CWA1168) and 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East reached a tentative agreement with Kaleida, avoiding a strike.
The new three-year contract covers more than 6,300 unionized employees at Buffalo General, Oishei Children's Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban, Highpointe on Michigan, DeGraff Medical Park, and other community-based clinics.
Kaleida Health spokesperson Michael Hughes released a statement about the bargaining process:
“Despite how challenging it was and the length that it took, this process was all about achieving a fair contract that rewards our current employees, helps attract new staff, and puts the organization in a strong position going forward. We did fulfill our commitment of our three stated objectives as part of this contract: no concessionary bargaining, addressing staffing needs across Kaleida Health plus investing in our workforce with wage increases and more. It’s a good and fair contract. We all know that our workforce has been stretched to the max these past two and half years; and that they continue to step up to help us address the challenges we face. So it is vitally important that we continue to support and invest in them.”
If the agreement is approved, it would be retroactive to May 31, 2022, and will carry both CWA Local 1168 and 1199 SEIU through 2025. Both unions had been working without a contract since July 31 after two-month-long extensions.
CWA and 1199SEIU will announce the results of the vote on Friday.