Buffalo Nurses Will Continue Fight to Save Hospitals

Although the New York legislature in effect approved shutting down three Buffalo hospitals this week, CWA health care workers haven't given up their fight to save the facilities, which employ nearly 4,000 members of Local 1168.

State lawmakers wrapped up their legislative session Dec. 13 without taking a vote on a state commission plan to close or restructure a total of nine hospitals throughout the state, including St. Joseph's, Gates and DeGraff in Buffalo. By failing to vote to reject the plan, the legislature automatically adopted it.

However, media reports indicate there is still room for discussion, and Local President John Klein said union leaders will continue to meet with legislators as well as incoming Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer to voice concerns over the impact of the closings on citizens of the region.

Avoiding an actual vote on the closings "was a cowardly act," by the lawmakers, Klein said, recalling comments he made to a crowd of thousands of protesters from many unions outside the statehouse in Albany on the 13th. Legislators "Should tell us what they would do, so we can remember in November. We will not forget to cast our ballots." 

Two busloads of Local 1168 members made the 5-hour trip from Buffalo to Albany for the rally. The local has been demonstrating, writing letters, running print and broadcast ads and encouraging others in the community to speak out.

While overnight hospital stays are down overall — one of the commission's rationales for closing facilities — Klein said Buffalo hospitals were filled to beyond capacity during severe storms in October. And the emergency rooms, which would also be closed, are extremely busy. "If this plan goes through, it's taking three or four ERs offline, and that could be the difference between life and death," he said.