CWA Catholic Health Strike: Day 25

Below is the latest from CWA-represented nurses, technical, service and clerical staff employed by Catholic Health System, who walked off the job on Friday, October 1, over a long-standing staffing crisis that they want to see alleviated in new contracts.

Mercy Hospital strikers address the Public Employees Federation’s annual convention 

This morning, members of CWA Local 1133 attended the Public Employees Federation’s annual convention in nearby Niagara, where they were invited by PEF President Wayne Spence to speak to 500 delegates about the ongoing strike at Mercy Hospital. Attorney General Letitia James was in attendance and addressed the convention as well. Delegates of the Public Employees Federation visited the picket line on Saturday to show support for the nearly 2,000 workers on strike. They also raised $4,063 at the convention for CWA Local 1133’s strike fund.

CWA union continues to push back against Catholic Health’s misleading claims 

In a statement to WGRZ yesterday, CWA Area Director Debora Hayes responded to a Catholic Health official's claims over the weekend that the union has had “no sense of urgency” to resolve the strike that started on October 1st. Hayes said, "We have been at the bargaining table every day except once since the strike started, we’re working through the weekend and we remain ready, willing, and able to negotiate.” 

Hayes continued, "We had a good week this week. It was slow because some of the proposals the hospital gave us early on were not thought through.” 

Press can view and use footage of yesterday’s press conference on CWA District 1’s Facebook Page