BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Union workers at Kaleida Health have agreed to a third extension of their three-year labor deal through Friday, June 27.
The extension gives healthcare workers with the Communications Workers of America and 1199SEIU several more days to bargain for things like comprehensive wages, increased protections and improved pensions and staffing.
"We have been negotiating since March 4 and are making limited progress on economics," Cheryl Marino, 1199SEIU lead negotiator and organizer, said. "These issues are so important for recruiting and retaining workers. Today, the bargaining committee unanimously voted to ask the membership for permission to call for a strike vote if we are unable to reach an agreement soon."
The three-year agreement covers nearly 8,000 healthcare workers at Buffalo General Medical Center, DeGraff Medical Park, HighPointe on Michigan, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital and Oishei Children's Hospital.
The strike vote will be held on July 8, 9 and 10. Bargaining is set to resume at 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Kaleida Health issued the following statement on Wednesday afternoon:
“Kaleida Health continues to bargain in good faith and remains focused on getting language to allow some flexibility to ensure safe, predictable staffing and creating a healthy work environment where everyone feels they are treated with dignity and respect. We are committed to do 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.”
