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CWA 1133 Communications Vital Signs

February 2026 Vital Signs

Holiday Language:

MERCY ONLY!

MHB RN, Article 11 Paid Time Off 

MHB STC Article 10, Paid Time Off 

Section 12-17 

Section 12. If a department or work unit is closed as a result of an Employer/Hospital recognized holiday, outlined in Section 13 below, an employee may take a PTO day. If an employee is scheduled to work when their department or work unit is open, another PTO day can be scheduled at a more appropriate time depending on Employer/Hospital needs. Parttime employees regularly scheduled to work on any recognized holidays will have the option to take PTO, to take time off without pay or to work another shift if the time is available. 

Section 13. The holidays and/or shifts referenced below shall be paid at the rate of time and one-half (1.5) the employee's base rate for all hours worked: 

  • a. Christmas Eve from 7:00 am on 12/24 through 7:00 am on 12/25;
  • b. Christmas Day from 7:00 am on 12/25 through 7:00 am on 12/26;
  • c. New Year's Eve from 7:00 am on 12/31 through 7:00 am on 1/1;
  • d. New Year's Day from 7:00 am on 1/1 through 7:00 am on 1/2;
  • e. Easter Sunday from 7:00 am Easter through 7:00 am on the Monday after;
  • f. Memorial Day from 7:00 am through 7:00 am the next day;
  • g. Independence Day from 7:00 am on 7/4 through 7:00 am on 7/5;
  • h. Labor Day from 7:00 am through 7:00 am the next day; and
  • i. Thanksgiving Day from 7:00 am through 7:00 am the next day

Employees whose day shifts begin earlier than 7:00 am will continue to receive holiday premium pay for their entire shift. The next holiday rotation starts on January 2nd each year. 

Section 14. Night shift employees shall observe holidays (New Year’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day) on the actual day the holiday is observed. 

Section 15. Where the department/clinical unit must remain open for recognized holidays and when staffing requirements demand, employees shall be required to work no more than one (1) holiday in each of the following groups of holidays on a rotating basis: 

  • a. Christmas Eve or Christmas Day;
  • b. New Year's Eve or New Year's Day;
  • c. Memorial Day or Independence Day;
  • d. Labor Day or Thanksgiving Day;
  • e. Easter Sunday. 

Section 16. The above requirement to work a holiday is based upon staffing needs. Should all staff not be required, employees may be granted time off on a rotating basis by seniority. Holiday commitments occurring during scheduled vacations shall be met. 

Section 17. In the operating rooms, holidays will be covered on a voluntary basis. If there are no volunteers, then holidays will be assigned on a rotating basis according to inverse seniority. If an employee already volunteered for a holiday in a calendar year, they would be exempt from the rotation. No employee will be expected to work Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or New Year's for two (2) consecutive years, unless done on a voluntary basis.

Holiday Language:

KENMORE ONLY!

KMH RN, Article 11 Paid Time Off, Section 12-15 

Section 12. If a department or work unit is closed as a result of an Employer/Hospital recognized holiday, namely New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day, an employee may take a PTO day. If an employee is scheduled to work when their department or work unit is open, another PTO day can be scheduled at a more appropriate time depending on Employer/Hospital needs. 

Part-time employees scheduled to work on any of the above recognized holidays have the option of taking PTO or time off without pay. 

Section 13. Each employee shall be required to work one shift on one (1) of the following paid holidays: Independence Day, Labor Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day 

No employee will be required to work any of the Holidays two years in a row unless they request to do so. 

a.) In addition, each employee working seven and one-half (7½) hour shifts, will be scheduled to work one (1) shift out of six (6) in the shaded areas and one (1) shift out of six (6) in the unshaded areas of the following chart: 

  • December 24 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. December 31 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. 

  • December 24 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. December 31 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. 

  • December 24 11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. December 31 11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. 

  • December 25 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. January 1 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. 

  • December 25 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. January 1 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. 

  • December 25 11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. January 1 11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. 

b.) No employee shall be required to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the same year unless it is requested or agreed upon. In the event that filling the schedule results in an employee being scheduled for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the least senior employee who has not selected a shift on Christmas Eve or Day will be scheduled on one of those days. No employee shall be required to work Christmas Day two (2) years in a row. 

c.) Should there be a conflict with scheduling on the holidays, it shall be granted according to seniority. 

d.) Should there be a holiday shift that is not adequately staffed under these conditions, the least senior employee on the unit will be scheduled for an additional shift. If there is an opportunity for low census this individual will be considered first throughout the Hospital. 

e.) The holiday and/or shifts referenced below shall be paid a holiday premium at the rate of time and one-half (1½) the employee’s base rate for all hours worked: 

  1. Christmas Eve from 3:00 p.m. on 12/24 through 7:00 a.m. on 12/25; 
  2. Christmas Day from 7:00 a.m. on 12/25 through 7:00 a.m. on 12/26;
  3. New Year’s Eve from 3:00 p.m. on 12/31 through 7:00 a.m. on 1/1;
  4. New Year’s Day from 7:00 a.m. on 1/1 through 7:00 a.m. on 1/2;
  5. Easter Sunday from 7:00 a.m. through 7:00 a.m. on Monday;
  6. Memorial Day from 7:00 a.m through 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday;
  7. Independence Day from 7:00 a.m on 7/4 through 7:00 a.m on 7/5;
  8. Labor Day from 7:00 a.m. through 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday;
  9. Thanksgiving Day from 7:00 a.m. through 7:00 a.m. on Friday; 

Employees whose day shifts begin earlier than 7:00 a.m. on the holiday will continue to receive holiday premium pay for their entire shift. 

Section 14. The above requirement to work a holiday is based upon staffing needs. Should all staff not be required employees may be granted time off on a rotating basis by seniority. Holiday commitments occurring during scheduled vacations shall be met. 

Section 15. In the perioperative service areas and dialysis, holidays will be covered on a voluntary basis. If there are no volunteers, then holidays will be assigned on a rotating basis according to inverse seniority. If an employee already volunteered for a holiday in a calendar year, they would be exempt from the rotation. No employee will be expected to work any one of the following holidays: for two (2) consecutive years, unless done on a voluntary basis: Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year’s or Easter

KMH Tech, Article 10 Paid Time Off, Section 8, c: 

c. Selection of the Holiday: 

  • When the department must remain open for the following holidays, and when staffing requirements demand, all full and part time employees working seven and one-half (7 1/2) hour shifts shall be required to work no more than two (2) holidays in the following holidays on a rotating basis: Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day 

Employees shall not be required to work the same holiday more than one (1) time every other year. 

The Imaging Department will continue to follow their current Holiday rotation calendar.

Holiday commitments that occur during approved scheduled vacations shall be met. No employee will be expected to work any one of the following holidays for two (2) consecutive years: Christmas (day and eve), Thanksgiving, or New Year’s (day and eve) unless done on a voluntary basis.

  • In areas where employees are expected to take Holiday call, holidays will be covered on a voluntary basis. If there are no volunteers, then holidays will be assigned on a rotational basis according to inverse seniority. If an employee already volunteered for a holiday in a calendar year, they would be exempt from the rotation.
  • Assignments to work a holiday in each group will be determined by the previous year’s holiday assignment, and will be done on an alternating basis.
  • If scheduling permits an employee to have an extra holiday off on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, or Christmas Day, the holiday in question will first be offered to the most senior employee on that unit and thereafter that holiday will be offered on a rotational basis. 

Should there be a holiday shift that is not adequately staffed under these conditions, the holiday(s) will be posted on a needs list and awarded to the most senior employee who signs up. Should there be remaining holidays, the least senior employee on the unit shall be scheduled for an additional shift on a rotating basis.

  • If there is low census on a holiday, the employee assigned a third holiday will be offered low census first
  • If an employee leaves during the year and a new employee is hired in their place, the new employee shall fulfill their holiday commitment, once they have completed orientation.
  • Except when NYS PSL or NYS Prenatal Leave is used, when an employee calls in for an unscheduled PTO day on a holiday, the employee may be required to make up their holiday commitment by working another holiday as determined by the department, if there is a need on their shift. If an employee has been involuntarily assigned an additional holiday, they may have give up that holiday to the employee that must make up their holiday commitment. In the event more than one (1) employee is assigned, they may give up that holiday in seniority order.

d. The holidays and/or shifts referenced below shall be considered the holiday, and shall be paid at the rate of time and one half (1 ½) the employee's base rate for all hours worked: 

  1. Christmas Eve from 3:00 pm through 11:59 pm;
  2. Christmas Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm;
  3. New Year’s Eve from 3:00 pm through 11:59 pm;
  4. New Year’s Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm;
  5. Easter Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm;
  6. Memorial Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm;
  7. Independence Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm;
  8. Labor Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm; and
  9. Thanksgiving Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm 

e. Switching of shifts or partial shifts between employees may occur after the schedule is posted with the manager's approval. Requests must have the signature of the affected employees. The initially scheduled holiday shall be considered the holiday commitment.

KMH Service & Clerical

Section 12. Selection of Holidays 

a. Where the department/clinical unit must remain open for a recognized holidays and when staffing requirements demand, employees shall be required to work one shift on one (1) of the following paid holidays: 

Independence Day, Memorial Day 

Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day

Easter 

i. In addition, each employee working seven and one-half (7 1/2) hour shifts, will be scheduled to work one (1) shift out of six (6) in the shaded areas and one (1) shift out of six (6) in the unshaded areas of the following chart: 

  • December 24 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m, December 31 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. 

  • December 24 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m, December 31 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. 

  • December 24 11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m, December 31 11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. 

  • December 25 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m, January 1 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. 

  • December 25 3:00pm-11:00pm, December 25 11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. 

  • January 1 3:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m, January 1 11:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. 

ii. No employee shall be required to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the same year unless it is requested or agreed upon. In the event that filling the schedule results in an employee being scheduled for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the least senior employee who has not selected a shift on Christmas Eve or Day will be scheduled on one of those days. 

iii. Should there be a conflict with scheduling on the holidays, it shall be granted according to seniority. 

iv. Should there be a holiday shift that is not adequately staffed under these conditions, the least senior employee on the unit will be scheduled for an additional shift. If there is an opportunity for low census this individual will be considered first based on job category. 

v. No employee will be required to work any holiday two years in a row unless they request to do so. 

vi. The holiday and/or shifts referenced below shall be paid a holiday premium at the rate of time and one-half (1%) the employee ' s base rate for all hours worked: 

  • Christmas Eve from 3:00 pm through 11:59 pm;
  • Christmas Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm;
  • New Year ' s Eve from 3:00 pm through 11:59 pm;
  • New Year ' s Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm;
  • Easter Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm;
  • Memorial Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm;
  • Independence Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm;
  • Labor Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm; and
  • Thanksgiving Day from 12:00 am through 11:59 pm 

b. The Patient Access department will continue to follow their current Holiday rotation calendar. 

Section 13. The above requirement to work a holiday is based upon staffing needs. Should all staff not be required employees may be granted time off on a rotating basis by seniority. Holiday commitments occurring during scheduled vacations shall be met.

Filling of Vacant Positions:

Common Table, Article TBD, Filling of Vacant Positions: 

Section 10. This Section only applies to intra-hospital bidding. The successful bidder shall be required to serve a trial period of sixty (60) calendar days in the new position for full time employees and ninety (90) calendar days for part time and per diem employees. 

  • a. If at any time during the trial period the successful bidder does not meet satisfactory performance requirements, they will be returned to their original position or one of the same category and shift if such a vacancy exists. After returning to the prior position, they may not bid on another position for the next three (3) months. Employees displaced under this section shall be placed in a position according to Article 15, Layoff and Recall.
  • b. If the employee fails to successfully complete the training/education for the new position, the individual will be eligible to reapply for a position with the same requirements after twelve (12) months.
  • c. If a successful bidder is dissatisfied during the trial period, such employee may, within thirty (30) calendar days for 8 hour shifts and forty-five (45) calendar days for extended shifts, return to their original position if vacant, to a vacant position in the same category, and shift within their original department, or shall be placed according to the layoff and recall procedure except that they shall not be allowed to bump. After returning to the prior position, they may not bid on another position for the next six (6) months, unless the position is a change (increase or decrease) in category, and/or budgeted hours, and/or shift, only if it is in their current department.
  • d. The successful bidder will sign an offer letter which includes budgeted hours, shift, unit/department, salary review date, requisition number and hourly wage. A copy will be sent to the Union

Attendance & Tardiness, Transition Language:

Common Table, Article 35: Attendance & Tardiness 

D. TRANSITION 

1. Current attendance and tardiness provisions will apply through December 31, 2025. The Attendance Policy above will become effective January 1, 2026. 

2. To accomplish the transition to the Attendance Policy above, at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2026: 

  • a. Any employee with at least one (1) absence occurrence will have the most recent absence occurrence deleted from their record;
  • b. Any employee with at least three (3) tardiness occurrences will have the most recent three (3) tardiness occurrences deleted from their record;
  • c. Any employee with between one (1) and two (2) tardiness occurrences will have all tardiness occurrences deleted from their record

Reminders & Updates:

  • The contract still needs to be proofed before going to printing/electronic. A limited amount of copies will be available upon request.
  • In regard to EAP, the hospital is switching from EviCore to ComPsych. Their phone number is 833- 927-1861 or visit guidanceresources.com and enter WebID: CHS Buffalo.
  • Remember you must stay ¾s of your shift for it to count as a tardy instead of a call off. If you’re an 8 hour employee, you have to work 6 hours. If you are a 12 hour employee you have to work 9 hours.
  • If a column says unpaid in WFM, please review the correlating paycheck to make sure the hours were paid.
  • COVID and FLU or any other contagious disease within 24 hours please contact IDM and the COVID hotline. You must have a doctor's note and a positive test from a laboratory.
  • Any issues from the retro checks, please request a detailed print out of your pay stub from HR. Please also call the union hall with the information.
  • Please make sure you are filling out short staffing forms.
  • 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:

Hi! My name is Andrea Gilmour. I am the new Director of Mobilizing/Organizing. I am a 5 year employee of CHS Mercy Hospital, a union steward, I sit on the Health & Safety Committee and I am the Co-Chair of the Women’s Equity and Civil Rights Committee. 

We are looking for interested union members to join me as a lead mobilizer under our new contract. Anyone interested should reach out to the hall for more information and ask to speak with me! 

In Solidarity, Andrea Gilmour

Community Service Committee:

  • We gave a donation to the Friends of the Night people.

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.