Catholic Health nears end of contract with 2,500 CWA union employees

August 24, 2021  |  Published by WIVB4. Click here to read the full piece. 

One of the largest health providers in Western New York is facing a labor dispute as a union contract winds down with 2,500 of the nurses, service, technical and clerical workers at hospitals like Mercy, Kenmore Mercy and Sisters of Charity Hospital.

“For 14 months, they were heroes and now they’re being treated like, you know, nothing,” said Debora Hayes, upstate New York director for the Communications Workers of America, which includes Locals 1133 and 1168.

Contract talks have been going since January. The contract expires on September 30, but there are still 50 unsettled issues, according to Hayes. “By the time our employees experience their concessions and health insurance and pension, their take home pay would be significantly lower even with the one percent raise that Catholic Health is offering us.”

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