TO: All members of CWA Local 1168 at Kaleida Health
FROM: CWA Local 1168
RE: Kaleida Health COVID-19 Premium Pay Clarification
DATE: July 22, 2020
Our recent update caused some confusion and resulted in several calls to the Local about COVID-19 premium pay.
The Premium Pay will expire July 31, 2020. There will be no premium pay for COVID patients under investigation or COVID positive patients after July 31, 2020.
The original MOU went into effect on March 29, 2020. The intent of that MOU was that all staff/titles assigned to a COVID designated unit or a cohorted section of a unit would be paid the $10.00/hour premium pay.
Recently, in response to a decreased number of COVID positive patients, Kaleida management made a unilateral change in terms of pay and decided to only pay staff that was assigned to a COVID positive patient. The Union objected to this change in practice that was clearly outlined in the initial MOU.
The Termination MOU dated July 16, 2020 sought to assure that Kaleida would follow the original intent of the first MOU with respect to eligibility for the premium pay. Therefore the former practice which includes all staff/titles assigned to a COVID designated unit or a cohorted section of that unit or pod must be paid.
Screeners For the past several months every designated entrance to the Kaleida Health facilities has been staffed with screeners that screen those entering the premises including staff and visitors. Union staff was utilized from departments that were experiencing low volumes or closure, restricted duty employees and posting extra time and OT. The hospitals are much busier, volume has increased, and staff is needed to care for patients across the system. Kaleida management revealed in our discussion their intentions of hiring non union temporary employees to fill that role moving forward. They were planning on hiring 37 full-time screener positions. The union(s) took the position that our union members have been performing the work and those positions need to be union. We will keep you updated as we work through this issue.
