BUFFALO, N.Y. — Kaleida workers represented by CWA Local 1168 and 1199 SEIU began casting their votes Tuesday, as union negotiators consider strike authorization, trying to gain an advantage in their talks with the healthcare provider.
While the vote does not guarantee a strike will occur, the union bargaining committee requires that a majority of its more than 6,000 members sign off before action is taken.
“People are excited,” said CWA Local 1168 President Cori Gambini.
Voting will take place Tuesday and Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Wyndham Garden Downtown across from Buffalo General Hospital. On Thursday, the hours will remain the same, but the location will move to CWA Local 1168’s office in Amherst.
In total, Kaleida workers represented by either union, which includes nurses, technicians, therapists, support, and building staff will have 45 hours to vote.
“Both the hospital and the unions are at a standstill at this point, so our next step is to show Kaleida that people are very serious,” Gambini said.
Union leaders have continuously said that a strike remains a last resort. In a statement Tuesday, Kaleida Health expressed similar wariness and said that a strike would cause “significant and longstanding harm to Kaleida and the community.”
After months of negotiating, Kaleida said in the same statement that their economic proposal for $200 million over three years and the unions’ for $500 million over three years remain quite far apart. Kaleida has committed to being the market leader in wages once an agreement is signed but Gambini said benefits including pension, staffing levels, and other issues remain unresolved.
“To date, we have reached tentative agreements on more than 155 contract articles, MOUs, and letters of intent,” a Kaleida Health spokesperson wrote.
“We're hoping that a strong strike vote, good membership turnout changes the dynamics,” said 1199 SEIU Vice President James Scordato.
Scordato recalled after an overwhelming strike authorization vote during contract negotiations in 2011, bargaining wrapped up shortly after.
“The wages are going to have to go up but some of the reimbursements aren't really there on paper,” said State Senator Sean Ryan.
Ryan, who sits on the senate health committee told 2 On Your Side that while he recognizes that Kaleida's finances post-COVID-19 pandemic are in bad shape, the impact of a Kaleida strike would be far worse.
Kaleida operates seven major health facilities in Western New York and is the 2nd largest private employer in the area.
“There’s going to have to be a leap of faith where they’re probably going to have to sign a contract that they don’t know how they’re going pay for in the last few years of the contract but in the interim years we hope we can get the reimbursements rescheduled,” Ryan said.
In their statement, Kaleida added: “We will continue to negotiate in good faith until we can reach an agreement. We are committed to doing all that we can to achieve a fair contract that rewards our current employees, helps attract new staff, and puts Kaleida Health in a strong position going forward."
The healthcare provider added that while a strike is not inevitable, they are taking steps to continue care should one occur. They’ve engaged Huffmaster, the same workforce crisis group that helped during the Mercy Hospital strike last year to review their plans, as well as the State Health Department.
Union leaders said their bargaining committees are set to be back at the table Friday, the morning after all the strike authorization votes are counted.