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CWA 1133 Communications Vital Signs

May 2026 Vital Signs

Hours of Work Article, Extra Shift:

MHB RN Article 5- Hours of Work: Section 19-21 

MHB STC Article 4- Hours of Work: Section 18-20 

Section 18 STC, 19 RN. Employees scheduled for an extra shift may be canceled upon notice of two (2) hours prior to the start of the agreed upon shift (ninety [90] minutes for day shift employees). If less than two (2) hours (ninety [90] minutes for day shift employees) notice is provided, the shift may be canceled and the affected employee is to be compensated the equivalent of two (2) hours pay at the employee's base rate. Such time will not be considered as time worked for the computation of overtime. 

Section 19 STC, 20 RN. An employee may be requested to work an extra shift during the period of the posted schedule with short notice. When an employee is requested to work an extra shift for the subsequent day and verbally agrees to work, such employee may cancel the extra shift not later than two (2) hours prior to the start of the agreed upon shift. Such cancellation must be made by notification to the employee's respective department. 

Section 20 STC, 21 RN. It is agreed to and understood by the parties that extra available shifts will be distributed to qualified employees in the following way: 

  • A needs list with all extra available shifts will be included with the posting of the schedule and will remain posted for seven (7) days. Full shifts shall be awarded before partial shifts. 
  • All department per diem employees who have not met their monthly commitment will be considered first. 
  • All department part-time and full-time employees for whom the extra hours will not amount to overtime shall be considered next. 
  • All department weekend employees for whom the extra hours will not amount to overtime will be considered next. 
  • All department per diem employees who have met their monthly commitment for whom the extra hours will not amount to overtime will be considered next. 
  • If vacant shifts still remain, department full-time employees will be considered next and will not be denied. 
  • All qualified part-time, full-time and weekend employees who work outside of the department for whom the extra hours will not amount to overtime, will be considered next. 
  • Agency personnel will be considered last, after all bargaining unit members have been offered and awarded extra time and/or overtime. 
  • Posted extra time will be distributed evenly on a rotating basis, by pay period, beginning with the most senior qualified employee, in accordance with the above steps. 
  • An employee who agrees to work an extra shift and cancels such extra shift on two (2) occasions within ninety (90) calendar days, shall be precluded from working any extra shifts for a period of six (6) pay periods starting with the pay period beginning after the second cancellation. 
  • If the employee or the Hospital/Employer cancels an extra shift, PTO will not be paid unless the employee requests.

KMH RN: Article 5 Hours of Work Section 15: 

Section 15. It is agreed that extra available shifts will be distributed to qualified employees in the following way:

a. A needs list with all extra shifts will be included with the posting of the schedule and will remain posted for seven (7) days, Friday to Friday for all full-time, part-time and weekend nurses. 

b. Extra available shifts will be distributed to qualified employees in the following order by seniority within each category: 

  1. All extended shift employees who wish and are entitled will be given four (4) extra hours per week to compensate for the decrease in hours according to Article 17, Extended Shifts. 
  2. All part-time and full-time employees for whom the extra hours will not amount to overtime shall be considered next. 
  3. All per diem employees to meet their two (2) shift minimum requirement. 
  4. All weekend employees for whom the extra hours will not amount to overtime.
  5. Per diem employees signing up to work above their two (2) shift minimum requirement, if those hours will not incur overtime. 
  6. All full-time, part-time, per diem, and weekend employees based on seniority, even if the extra hours will incur overtime. 
  7. Cross-trained RNs will sign up for extra shifts on the units which they are qualified to work. 
  8. Agency personnel will be considered last, after all bargaining unit members have been offered and awarded extra time and/or overtime. 

KMH Tech, Service & Clerical Hours of Work Article Section 13 and 14: 

Section 13. If necessary, it is agreed that extra available shifts will be distributed to qualified employees in the following way:

 A. A needs list with all extra shifts will be included with the posting of the preliminary schedule (14 days before) and will remain posted for seven (7) days, Friday to Friday for all full-time, part-time and per diem employees. 

B. Extra available shifts will be offered to qualified employees in the following order by seniority within each category. Except with respect to subsection (b)(1) below, full shifts will be awarded before partial shifts. 

  1. All extended shift employees who request extra hours and are entitled will be given an extra posted hours per week to compensate for the decrease in hours. 
  2. All part-time and full-time employees for whom the extra hours will not amount to overtime, starting with the most senior, shall be considered next. 
  3. All per diem employees for whom the extra hours will not amount to overtime, starting with the most senior, shall be considered next. 
  4. All full-time, part-time and per diem employees based on seniority, on a rotating basis beginning with the most senior qualified employee. 
  5. Cross-trained employees who sign up for extra shifts on the units where they are qualified/certified to work. 
  6. Any additional extra shifts that become available after the posting of the final schedule will be distributed in accordance with the above steps 
  7. Agency personnel will be considered last, after all bargaining unit members have been offered and awarded extra time and/or overtime. 
  8. When an employee is awarded a needs shift and no longer wants the shift, the manager must approve any substitute. Substitutes shall be chosen in order of seniority of those who signed up on the needs list for that shift. In the event no other employee was signed up on the needs list for the shift in question, substitutes will be chosen per this Section. If the employee cannot find a substitute or the substitute is not approved, the employee remains responsible for the shift. 

C. An employee who agrees to work an extra shift and cancels such extra shift on two (2) occasions within ninety (90) calendar days, shall be precluded from picking up extra shifts for a period of four (4) pay periods starting with the pay period beginning after the second cancellation. However, this will not apply in an emergency situation when no other person is available to pick up the extra shift. 

Section 14. When there is a last-minute need for staff, notification will be sent to all department employees. They will be provided up to fifteen (15) minutes to respond. Shifts will be awarded according to Section 13b, above. After the fifteen (15) minutes has passed, shifts will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. A last-minute need will be defined as a filled shift that becomes available within seventy-two (72) hours of the beginning of the shift. Shifts that do not meet the definition of a last- minute need will be posted on a needs list for at least forty-eight (48) hours before the shifts are awarded according to Section 13b above.

Reminders & Updates:

  • We are still finishing up proofing the contract before it can go to printing/electronic. The hope is it will only be another week or two, but that is not a guarantee. A limited amount of copies will be available upon request. 
  • Jennifer Williams and Rebecca Aldrow made a tutorial video of how to check your PSL/PTO accurals, it is on Facebook. 
  • PFL, FMLA and 24 PTO (MERCY ONLY) are considered a weekend makeup for intermittent usage and are considered unscheduled with the loss of incentive pay. Using PSL you do not have to make up a weekend, and you do not lose your incentive pay, but you must have PTO in your bank. 
  • Infectious disease also does not require a weekend makeup, and you only have 24 hours to get a diagnosis from a doctor to use your ESL. 
  • Make sure you check your schedules and pay checks.
  • If you have any questions about the union contract, please call the union hall. 
  • Want to be involved? Please contact Andrea Gilmour at the union hall 716-828-1133.

Solidarity in Motion:

We will be at the hospital to do our best to answer any questions regarding your hot topics once the contract is available.
 

In Solidarity,

Andrea Gilmour and M.J. Liberti-Bemis

“Alone we are weak, together we are strong.” #1U

Article 42: Staffing Incentive Program:

Article 42: Staffing Incentive Program Common Table Section 4-6: 

Section 4. Bonus payments will be paid to an employee for on-call hours paid when an employee is assigned on-call hours beyond their normally scheduled on-call requirements. Bonus will not be paid for “called in while on call” hours paid. 

Section 5. Any call off during the pay period in which an extra shift is worked will result in forfeiture of bonus payment for that pay period, except for absences covered by NYS PSL, NYS Prenatal Leave, or when Section 5 of CT Article 39 (Weather Emergency) applies. The attendance policy will apply to call offs for shifts previously committed to. 

Section 6. Employees are eligible to sign up for extra shifts and receive bonus pay under this Article, in any department/unit where they are qualified to work, with the understanding that employees working in the department requiring staffing assistance get first priority to the available hours and, therefore, the bonus pay.

This update was brought to you by the Communications Committee:

Rebecca Aldrow, Jamie Banks, Kerri Diebold-Phillips, Kimberly Hayward, Brian Magner, Kevonna Neely, Larry Potts, Sharon Scime and Jennifer Williams.