Healthcare Workers Rally for Fairness at Catholic Health

On July 9, CWA, IUOE, 1199 SEIU, and UFCW members held a press conference and rallied outside the Diocese Of Buffalo - which owns one-third of Catholic Health - to send a message: Catholic Health employees are standing together and will do whatever it takes to get a fair contract.

4,000 union workers began a new round of contract negotiations with Catholic Health beginning the Spring of 2015 and continuing through 2017.  CWA represents workers at Mercy Hospital, Kenmore Mercy Hospital and Sisters of Charity Hospital’s St. Joseph campus.

Despite massive profits, and over 300 million in cash stashed away in reserves, Catholic Health’s management is pressing for yet another round of givebacks and cuts.

While workers are being pushed to work harder for less, top executives are getting big bonuses.

In fact, according to research conducted by Columbia University Clinical Professor Dr. Fred Hyde, compensation for Joseph D. McDonald, Catholic Health’s president and CEO, rose from $872,000 in 2008 to $1.7 million in 2013, a figure that included a bonus of $355,199. McDonald still earned less than James R. Kaskie, Kaleida Health’s former president and CEO, in 2013, when Kaskie earned $1.9 million.

Enough is enough. Catholic Health employees deserve a contract that shows respect for the important work they do everyday providing care and services to the patients of Western New York.

Stay tuned for more updates as bargaining continues.