BUTTON UPDATE
Wednesday, January 8, 2020 11:45am
We, CWA 1168, distributed buttons, saying “Leading with Finance” with ‘care’ crossed out, to all the departments with CMAs this week in response to administration prioritizing money over patient care and frontline workers. (Not just in Kaleida’s decision to cut CMAs, but in: combining floors, closing clinics, willful understaffing, under-resourcing/supplying, consolidating labs).
Unsurprisingly, Kaleida brought out every policy they can imagine to get us to take the buttons off. They don’t want anyone else to know the truth.
We are fed up. We have been struggling, barely keeping our heads above water to provide decent care for too long.
Our legal department is clear that there is nothing illegal about our wearing these buttons and demanding we not wear them is a violation of our rights as union members by labor law.
We are asking folks to take the buttons off if anyone from management tells you to remove them. You are free to wear your button on your own personal time. This includes coming to and leaving work, on your breaks, and on any personal time. We are currently preparing to file a labor board charge against Kaleida.
If you are asked to remove your button by management, please do so and immediately contact the union hall or an organizer letting them know you removed your button.
In solidarity,
The Executive Board of CWA Local 1168
