Kaleida’s Wage Proposal Isn’t Enough: Info Picket 8/18!
Economic counter-proposals: The unions and Kaleida have now exchanged two sets of proposals/counter-proposals with Kaleida.
Wages: Kaleida Proposed 2 %, 2 % + 3% General Wage increases.
Retirement: Kaleida rejected all proposed improvements for both Unions.
Short scales: For the Clerical and Service scales, where there is a lower-paying “short scale” with fewer steps for members hired since 2011, 1199SEIU and CWA want to move everyone to the “long scale.” Kaleida is still standing by their counter-proposals that enlarge the short scales and move everyone to those. We will keep pushing back.
Shift differentials: Kaleida rejected Union’s proposed increases to shift differentials for most job titles.
Preceptor/trainer: Kaleida rejected union proposed increases.
Staffing: 1199SEIU and CWA have been reviewing Kaleida’s staffing counter-proposal.
Kaleida has maintained their position on Clinical Staffing Committees (CSC) they want. The union’s proposal has better ratios that would provide for an environment of optimal care.
Retention: Kaleida rejected a Step 10 in the wage scales for members who have been with the employer 25 years or longer. We will keep pushing for this important retention item that recognizes our most experienced coworkers.
Health/Dental insurance: Kaleida continues to push for new hires to be responsible for a higher cost-sharing burden than current members. Both unions feel that this is unacceptable and have re-proposed keeping the insurances as they are – for us and for future members.
Labor proposed $5 co-pays for prescriptions at retail pharmacies, and Kaleida did come down $10-20 on prescription drug co-pays using a mail-order pharmacy, beginning in 2023. They have backed away from two things that were in last month’s counter-proposal: the $100/month charge for spouses who have alternative insurance available but remain on a Kaleida plan, and are no longer talking about creating a high-deductible health insurance plan in the future.
Incentive: In our original proposal, both unions demanded $35/hour for extra time/overtime shifts for all job titles. Kaleida countered with $30/hour for RNs and $15/hour for everyone else. Both unions are discussing our next counter-proposal.
Informational Picket: CWA and 1199SEIU have given Kaleida our required 10-day notice of our intent to hold an informational picket at BGMC on Thursday, August 18th from 3:00pm-5:30 pm, with a press conference at 4:00pm. If you’re off that day or you can take your break/lunch during this time frame, please fill out the commitment form sent by your union or use the QR code below to sign up now! Family, friends, and community are welcome.
Remember to clock out if you are scheduled to work and want to attend the picket! It’s important to have a strong turnout for the picket because it shows Kaleida we are serious about getting a contract and improving staffing and conditions. An informational picket is different from a strike because we continue to go to work, but we are putting pressure on Kaleida for their failure to hire and staff our departments appropriately and notifying the public of our working conditions and lack of contract. For now, we are not contemplating a strike.
APP grievance wins: Both unions had open grievances dating back at least a year regarding four Nurse Practitioners whose collaborating agreements were revoked, putting them out of a job. In bargaining, Kaleida and Labor have discussions underway to find collaborating physicians and give these NPs jobs again, and we are strengthening the contract language to ensure that no more Advanced Practice Practitioners suffer the same fate. After years of stalemates, this is huge!
Long Term Care: Kaleida has agreed to eliminate Appendix G (also known as the L Scale), which covers wages in Long Term Care. Members who work at HighPointe and DeGraff SNF will be moved to the corresponding wage scale for their job titles at acute care sites. For example, LPNs who work in Long Term Care move to the Technical scale, Unit Secretaries move to the Clerical scale, CNAs move to the Service scale. This amounts to a raise for many LTC members, because the hospital wage scales are higher. Eliminating the lower-paid Appendix G is a longtime goal of CWA and 1199SEIU, and we are very excited about this win!
Tentative Agreements: We have agreements to settle several articles.
- Dental Benefits (Article 30) adds the stipulation that two fluoride treatments per year are included for covered members under age 18, and coverage will now begin on the first day of the month after 30 days’ employment.
- Layoff and Recall (Article 51) will stay at present contract language, minus the Operating Engineers who are no longer part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and with language to reflect the deletion of Appendix G for HighPointe.
- Patient Staffing Plan (Article 107) will be deleted.
- Drop and Add Relative to FTE (MOU 11): No change to SEIU’s language, but CWA will no longer participate.
- Contracting out work/Bargaining Unit Work (MOU 43): EEG Technicians who are competent will continue to provide support for spinal surgeries. If the volume of spine cases decreases, no EEG Technician will be laid off. Neuro Alert’s contract will be extended for brain surgery only.
- APP Security (MOU 47): We strengthened the language protecting our Nurse Practitioners’ and Physicians’ work from encroachment by APPs who work for doctors or physician groups. If a doctor withdraws a collaborating agreement, Kaleida will secure another physician to collaborate, and will reimburse the member for any loss in pay and benefits.