News

CWA 1133 Communications Vital Signs

January 2025 Vital Signs

Staffing:

Mercy

  • The grids have been updated and will go into effect January 1st, 2025. New departments were added. The departments include all of med/surg, critical care, imaging, respiratory, pharmacy, cath lab, MIU, ASU, MAPU and all specialty departments.
  • The number of forms being filled out has dropped significantly, staffing is not better so please fill out the short staffing forms. November was the lowest short staffing forms have been all year.
  • The MOU for the ANC bonus for DAY shift is going to go away effective January 5th, 2025 for RNs, Surg Techs, Respiratory. The MOU was lost for day shift RNs and Respiratory because the hospital claims that staffing is no longer in a crisis and the Union has very few short staffing forms to say otherwise.
  • If you're utilizing the buddy system to cover breaks, that is a violation, fill out a short staffing form.
  • If you are covering your own 1:1, meaning you are pulling someone off the floor to sit in the 1:1, and that is making your floor short, please put that in the description box.
  • These forms are not only for being sent to the state to show them staffing is still an issue and CHS isn't doing what they are supposed to but also to protect you. It's a protest of assignment.
  • Want a seat at the table with your coworkers to improve the staffing on your unit? If you're interested in joining the CSC, text or call Jen 716-603-3193 or Shelby 716-380-9349 or email them at BMHCSC@cwa1133.com.

  • If you have any questions, please contact Jen, Shelby, or Jamie at the union hall.

Vacation Requests Coming Up:

Kenmore

KMH RN Article 11, Section 10, E:

  • E: requests for scheduling PTO vacation requests for one or more non-prime calendar weeks must be submitted in writing to the nurse manager three (3) months prior to the first day of the week in which time off is requested. Requests should indicate first and second choices. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate employee’s vacation preferences. Each employee will be approved for a minimum of one (1) week of PTO during prime-time summer (Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day weekend). Prime week requests must be submitted in writing to the nurse manager during the period March 1 – March 15 each year. If an employee is on vacation or off during the period of vacation selection, that employee must leave a contact number for the purpose of receiving a call to schedule. Weekends requested in conjunction with approved vacation time shall be approved. Responses to written vacation requests shall be in writing within fourteen (14) days of the last date such requests must be filed.

KMH Technical Article 10, Section 10, G & H:

Requests for June 1st-Labor Day are due by February 1st. Requests for one week or more of PTO shall be submitted three (3) times a year.

  • G: Each employee will be approved for a minimum of one (1) week of PTO during primetime summer (June 1 - Labor Day weekend). Additional weeks can be requested and are subject to management approval, only after each employee has been granted their first selection. Such request will not be unreasonably denied.
  • H: Weekends requested in conjunction with approved vacation time shall be requested at the time of the initial vacation request and shall not be unreasonably denied.

Example for weekends off around your vacation: Ask for the Saturday before your vacation starts to the Sunday after as the vacation end date. Vacation would be from Saturday to the following Sunday.

ESL Buyback:

Common Table. Section 14.

  • An employee who has accumulated more than one hundred twenty (120) sick leave days may elect to receive cash payments of fifty percent (50%) of sick leave days/hours accumulated in excess of one hundred twenty (120) days. The amount of the excess will be calculated at the conclusion of the payroll year and those days/hours if any, will be paid the following February in a separate check. When the excess sick leave (sick leave in excess of one hundred twenty [120] days) is paid, the accumulated sick leave will be reduced to one hundred twenty (120) days and the accumulation process will begin for the following year.

Membership Meetings 2025:

Meetings will be held at CWA Local 1133, all meetings will be at 4:30pm.

821 Elk Street, Suite A Buffalo 14210.

Food will be provided.

  • March 12th, 2025.
  • June 4th, 2025.
  • September 11th, 2025.
  • December 4th, 2025.

Benefits Increased:

Paid Family Leave (PFL) 2025:

  • Duration= 12 weeks.
  • Weekly Benefit= 67% of AWW; Max weekly: $1,177.32. (Per NYS avg. weekly wage $1,751.19)
  • Premium Rate= .388%/gross wage per period. Max annual employee premium deduction= $354.53.

  • Call Lincoln Financial or IDM for more information.

    IDM: Mercy Only!

  • If you have any questions for the IDM department, Thomesha Stevenson is the only one right now.

    NYS Paid Prenatal Leave Time:

  • Effective January 1st, 2025.
  • The person requiring the prenatal care is the only one this applies to.
  • Maximum yearly leave time is 20 hours. Increments of 1 hour.
  • This is separate from your PTO and ESL banks.
  • No probationary restriction.

Reminders:

  • Please check your pay if you know you're due for an anniversary raise or step increase, HR has claimed they will only go back 90 days, we did not agree to this.
  • Please continue to fill out your short staffing forms

  • If you are interested in communicating information to your unit regarding bargaining updates, please contact Bob Scime at the union hall 716-828-1133.

SLP/PSL:

  • Maximum amount that can be used is 56 hours.
  • Must be used for a minimum of 4 hours.
  • Must state that you are using SLP/PSL at the time you call in, with a brief reason.
  • See CT Art 59, Section 1, Sub Section A, B and C.
  • It is a non-disciplined occurrence.

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, Bonnie Shantz and Jennifer Williams.