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Pact Draws 270 Professionals to Nurses United
Enticed by the promise of an imminent contract and voice in the workplace, 270 professional employees at Kaleida Health’s BGH site, formerly Buffalo General Hospital, chose representation Oct. 30 by Nurses United/CWA Local 1168.
Members of their unit and Local 1168 leaders tried for more than 10 years to organize medical technologists, physical, occupational and speech therapists and other professionals who work in 25 job titles at seven different hospital sites, said Local 1168 President Patricia DeVinney.
What finally made a difference, DeVinney pointed out, was that CWA negotiated a card check recognition agreement two years ago when Buffalo General and several other area hospitals merged to become Kaleida Health, the largest health care system in western New York.
Local 1168 and two other unions represent 7,100 workers at Kaleida, including nurses and technical employees. The unions’ card check agreement provides that any unorganized unit within the system can choose union representation by having 60 percent of employees sign cards requesting it. Management agreed to neutrality in union organizing campaigns.
The new members are covered by an historic first contract at Kaleida approved in November, (see story above).
DeVinney said the new unit will “roll into the master agreement, and we’ll bargain their site agreement. They’ll be just like everybody else.”
DeVinney said job titles and salary scales would be negotiated as part of the site agreement.
Local 1168 organizers Helen Cyrulik, Terri Schelter and Michelle Murray credited the professionals’ inside organizing team, including Medical Technologist Ron Hosinski, for perseverance and energy, said Local 1168 Vice President Lawrence Cudek.
The professionals were concerned about the effects of belt tightening in the health care system, especially in the laboratories, Hosinski observed. Since the merger, “consolidation has been going on in the Kaleida lab system. Everyone understands that they really need representation. We can’t do it alone.”
The professional employees held initial bargaining unit meetings in early November and were preparing to elect a bargaining team for site agreement negotiations.
“Everyone is excited. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Hosinski said.
Members of their unit and Local 1168 leaders tried for more than 10 years to organize medical technologists, physical, occupational and speech therapists and other professionals who work in 25 job titles at seven different hospital sites, said Local 1168 President Patricia DeVinney.
What finally made a difference, DeVinney pointed out, was that CWA negotiated a card check recognition agreement two years ago when Buffalo General and several other area hospitals merged to become Kaleida Health, the largest health care system in western New York.
Local 1168 and two other unions represent 7,100 workers at Kaleida, including nurses and technical employees. The unions’ card check agreement provides that any unorganized unit within the system can choose union representation by having 60 percent of employees sign cards requesting it. Management agreed to neutrality in union organizing campaigns.
The new members are covered by an historic first contract at Kaleida approved in November, (see story above).
DeVinney said the new unit will “roll into the master agreement, and we’ll bargain their site agreement. They’ll be just like everybody else.”
DeVinney said job titles and salary scales would be negotiated as part of the site agreement.
Local 1168 organizers Helen Cyrulik, Terri Schelter and Michelle Murray credited the professionals’ inside organizing team, including Medical Technologist Ron Hosinski, for perseverance and energy, said Local 1168 Vice President Lawrence Cudek.
The professionals were concerned about the effects of belt tightening in the health care system, especially in the laboratories, Hosinski observed. Since the merger, “consolidation has been going on in the Kaleida lab system. Everyone understands that they really need representation. We can’t do it alone.”
The professional employees held initial bargaining unit meetings in early November and were preparing to elect a bargaining team for site agreement negotiations.
“Everyone is excited. We’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” Hosinski said.