CWA 1133 Communications Vital Signs

December 2025 Vital Signs

Weather Emergency:

Article 39: Weather Emergency 

Section 1. When a weather emergency is declared, by Catholic Health, one of the Employer/Hospitals or by a governmental entity the Union will be notified immediately by the Employer/Hospital. During such weather emergency, the following process will be followed. 

a. During a Catholic Health or Employer/Hospital declared weather emergency: 

• 1. It is expected that all employees will make every effort to report for work as scheduled despite severe weather conditions which may adversely affect their travel;
  • i. Catholic Health employees are permitted to travel during a local travel ban by showing their ID badge to law enforcement;
  • ii. the back of each ID badge identifies the employee as essential personnel authorized for emergency travel;
  • iii. if employees are traveling through municipalities where severe weather or a travel ban exists, and are told to return home despite showing law enforcement their ID badge, and are unable to report to work, such employee shall have an excused absence approved.
• 2. An employee who reports for work during a weather emergency and who works at least one-half (1/2) of their shift will be paid for the hours that they usually work, even though the employee may have come to work late or was sent home before the end of the shift.
• 3. An employee who reports for work during a weather emergency and works less than one half ( I /2 ) of their shift will be paid only for the hours actually worked.
• 4. Employees shall not be paid for remaining scheduled hours if they voluntarily leave early. An employee being paid a portion of a scheduled workday may request the remainder of the day be paid with accrued paid time off (PTO) or take an excused absence without pay.
• 5. Accrued sick time may not be used.
• 6. Employees unable to report for work must notify their supervisor. Such employees may choose to be paid accrued paid time off (PTO), or take an excused absence without pay. 

Section 2. During a governmental entity declared weather emergency: 

• a. When the Employers/Hospitals determine employees must remain at work for specified times to care for patients at the affected facility and/or for scheduled employees covering on-call in the hospital/department during such declared weather emergency, such employees will be paid per this Section, (2.) below, - inclusive of any applicable incentive bonus or premium pay (only if the shift was already picked up) for all hours they are required to remain at the facility beyond the last regularly scheduled work shift.
• b. If mandated to stay an employee will automatically begin to receive time and one half for all hours they are mandated, even if the employee has not reached 37.5 hours. Once the employee reaches 37.5 hours that week any additional time beyond the 37.5 will be paid at double time. The exception would be during a holiday; the employee will be entitled to double time and one half. 

Section 3. The Employer/Hospital impacted by a weather emergency will activate the Emergency Response Team for the purpose of decreasing the number of staff mandated to remain during such declared weather emergency. 

Section 4. If the Employer(s) is forced to temporarily close or discontinue operations in a unit and/or department for weather related or other emergency reasons, employees may be required to work in other areas as determined by the Employer(s) with the understanding that the employees will not be required to work beyond the end of their regularly scheduled shift and will only be required to work to their level of competency. If no such work is available, employees shall have the option of utilizing either accrued paid time off or a low census day without pay. 

Section 5. Employees with a documented inability to report for work because of a weather emergency declared by an Employer/Hospital and/or governmental authority will not, because of that absence, forfeit any pick-up bonus/premium payments for which they are otherwise eligible.

It is the intent of this Article for employees to make every effort to get to work during inclement weather. In the event a governmental authority (i.e. County, City, State) declares a weather emergency the Employer/Hospital impacted will then activate the Emergency Response Team and begin mandating employees to stay.

Highlights from Contract:

• Attendance Policy: You have to do 3/4s of your shift now in regard to leaving early for it to count as a tardy, not ½ of your shift.
• After 15 years, no floating for RNs. If everyone has over 15 years on your unit, it goes in inverse seniority.
• Shift Differential:
  • $2 for RN and STC from 3p-11p.
  • $2.75 for Service and Clerical from 11p-7a.
  • $3.75 for Technical from 11p-7a.
  • $4.50 for RN from 11p-7a.
  • $4.75 for RN from 11p-7a for ICU, CVICU, ER and Critical Care Floats.
• Lead pay is $1.50 for STC.
• Preceptor Pay is $2.00 for Service and Clerical, $2.75 for Technical and $3.00 for RNs.
• Preceptor pay for RNs is also included for students as well.
• Charge pay is $3.00

Reminders & Updates:

• Please make sure you check your PTO, ESL and SLP in workforce management!!
• Retro checks should be by the end of December.
• Electronic copies of the contract will be available after all the articles have been proofed.
• When the contracts are available, please read them to see the changes!
• Know your correct step and grade.
• When self-scheduling, make sure you check the new dates in workforce management. Only 4-week increments, your schedule is no longer month to month, the closing date will now vary. Please refer to the new date on the schedule sheet.
• SLP will be reset in January.
• 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 Rebecca Aldrow at the union hall 716-828-1133.

4th Quarter Retirees!:

• Sylvia Smigiera, MHB RN- 8/27/25 

• Julie Galley, MHB RN- 9/15/25 

• Julie Walek, MHB RN- 10/4/25 

• Patricia Harter, KMH RN- 10/4/25

•  Patricia Wamback, MHB RN- 10/5/25 

• Laura Reyes Ortiz, MHB NA- 11/1/25

Congratulations to all of our retirees this year!

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.