BUFFALO, N.Y. — Just a week away from UB medical residents and fellows going on strike, the independent company that employs them has made an increased salary offer.
University Medical Resident Services released a statement Tuesday, saying “On Monday, August 26, 2024, UMRS provided in writing a proposed salary increase for the medical residents and fellows that is virtually the same as was proposed by the union. This proposed salary increase would take effect for the medical residents and fellows on the first full pay period following the ratification of the agreement.”
For the past year, the company and the union representing UB residents and fellows have been negotiating, as the union claims UB medical residents remain the lowest paid in New York State, the only residents without retirement benefits in the region, the only residents without a training stipend and have the poorest healthcare policy in the region.
After what they called a year of bad-faith bargaining, resident physicians voted earlier this month to authorize a strike of 830 residents and fellows across Western New York to take place Sept. 3 and 4.
These residents work at major hospitals, including ECMC, Kaleida, Buffalo General, and Oishei Children’s Hospital.
Neither side is disclosing specifics as far as what exactly they are asking for, but it centers around the residents' pay, retirement benefits, and healthcare.
It appears the gap between the two is widening, as Robert Boreanaz, the lead negotiation for The Union of American Physicians & Dentists — which UB residents unionized with in May 2023 — released the following statement to 2 On Your Side in response to Monday’s offer:
"This is a narrow, regressive salary offer from UMRS and the hospitals that doesn’t even address the lack of retirement benefits, hazard pay, training stipends, or our terrible healthcare policy. It falls way short."
UMRS receives funding from area hospitals such as Kaleida Health and ECMC to meet the payroll of the residents. UMRS claims it needs approval from Kaleida, ECMC, or UB to improve resident wages and benefits.