Solidarity Forces Kaleida's Hand; Tentative Deal on Eve of Strike Vote

Two-Year Agreement Affects 4,400 CWA Members at Buffalo Hospitals

A huge solidarity march in Buffalo on June 6 put a scare into Kaleida Health management, leading to a tentative contract reached just before members of CWA Local 1168 were set to take a strike vote.

Proving that solidarity is the key to victory, 4,400 determined CWA members at Kaleida Health in Buffalo, N.Y., learned early Tuesday that instead of taking a scheduled strike vote, they'll soon be casting ballots for a new two-year contract.

The tentative agreement was finalized at 2:30 a.m., Tuesday, nearly four months after CWA Local 1168, SEIU and the Operating Engineers began joint bargaining with Kaleida for a total of 7,700 workers at five hospitals.

"Kaleida came after everything when negotiations started," Local 1168 President John Klein said. "But ultimately there were no takebacks."

On June 6, CWA members, other unions and their allies marched en masse in Buffalo, a demonstration 3,500-strong that showed management they weren't going to back down in the battle over wages, benefits and adequate staffing — an issue critical to quality patient care.

"I think Kaleida started to get worried that day," Klein said. "They'd underestimated our membership. Our members were ready, they were mobilized, they were engaged, and Kaleida knew that. There was a deal to be made."

Because of the many worksites and job titles, including nurses, pharmacists, other medical professionals and service workers, details of the agreements are complex. The negotiating team is preparing a highlight sheet for members, to be followed by a comprehensive package explaining the proposals. The date for a ratification vote hasn't been set, but is likely to be in late July, Klein said.

Diana Butsch, Local 1168's coordinator for organizing and mobilizing, said workers were motivated by their own families' economic needs and their desire to give patients the highest quality care. Knowing the fat salaries collected by Kaleida's CEO and 40 vice presidents fueled their resolve.

"The picket was amazing," she said, recalling the buses and crowds arriving from 6 a.m. on. "It was so much fun, so exciting to see people fired up. The message we sent was, 'We are the front line, not the bottom line.'"