Kenmore, New York – More than 100 Residual Service and Clerical Workers employed at Kenmore Mercy Hospital in Suburban Buffalo have voted to Unionize with Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1133.
The 113 Health Care Workers hold positions as: Unit Clerks; in the Sterile Processing Department; in Patient Access; as Switchboard Operators; in EKG, Transport and Supply; as Operating Room Schedulers, Physical Therapy Assistants and in Medical Records. They cited job security, lack of pay raises, inadequate staffing and security issues as reasons for Unionizing, according to Local 1133.
Theresa Shaffer – who served as Local 1133’s Organizing Campaign Leader, told WNYLaborToday.com the decision by the formerly Non-Union Workers was being viewed “as a shift in Health Care” as those employed as Caregivers are looking “at a lot of uncertainty,” especially with Federal cuts being made by the Trump Administration to Medicaid. “(Non-Union Health Care) Workers are ‘finally waking up’” to the realities of what is to come under the Trump Administration “and they figure ‘they are next,’” Shaffer said.
Local 1133 Leader Mobilizer Rebecca Aldrow was ecstatic over the organizing victory, remarking that it was her “first time out” being involved in such an effort for her Union.
“It was a nice experience,” she said. To assist its Organizing Committee, CWA Local 1133 built a strong mobilizing structure among their current Members employed at Kenmore Mercy Hospital.
CWA’s Organizing Campaign began in March (2025) and ended in June as the Workers voted for Unionization. There had been initial interest by the Workers to joining Local 1133 several years ago, Shaffer said, but that interest reignited due to Local 1133’s Members employed at Kenmore Mercy Hospital, who continually educating them on the benefits of Working Union.
The Organizing effort was led by a committee of 15 members who consistently challenged management during their many captive audience meetings and encouraged others to be vocal and visible in their support of the Union. “We conducted a ‘powerful’ mobilizing campaign,” she said. “And now, we got them.”
Local 1133’s newest Members join more than 2,700 Health Care Workers already represented by the CWA at Kenmore Mercy Hospital, which include Sterile Processing Techs, Switchboard Operators, EKG Techs, Transport and Supply Staff, Operating Room Schedulers, Physical Therapy Assistants, and more. This newest group of Members were folded into Local 1133’s Membership and will eventually be covered under a Master Contract that is presently being negotiated by the CWA with the Catholic Health System at Kenmore Mercy Hospital.
The Union released the following statement after announcing the successful Unionizing effort: We are now even stronger with our power in numbers across CHS (Catholic Health System) and united for a fair contract. We know an active Union is the only way to win lasting improvements in the workplace and have seen the true value of a legally-binding contract. When they join us in our Union, we will be able to advocate side by side like never before around the issues that affect us all, and we will soon have even more power in numbers. We are urging Catholic Health management to voluntarily recognize these Workers since we are currently in bargaining and we have a super-majority of support. CWA Provided Photo.
