Jun. 16—LEWISTON — The healthcare union representing Mount St. Mary's hospital workers says it was not given much notice of upcoming structural changes.
Michele Jerge, administrative organizer for 1199SEIU, said Friday that the union was informed last week about the service cuts Mount St. Mary's announced this past Monday. After June 30, Catholic Health is sending surgery, maternity, dialysis and GI services to other hospitals and converting the Lewiston location to a "neighborhood" hospital. Imaging services at 7300 Porter Road, Niagara Falls, are being discontinued.
The result will be similar to what is planned for the new Lockport Memorial Hospital.
Among the more than 400 Mount St. Mary's employees represented by 1199SEIU, about 100 will be displaced by the changes. The union contract with the hospital has language for options for employee transfers to different departments with no loss in status, working at another Catholic Health facility, seeking employment elsewhere or taking a layoff.
"The community of Lewiston loves the hospital," Jerge said; plenty of surgical technicians reside in the Lewiston area. "The employees there are community members and they love taking care of their neighbors."
She said one reason offered by Catholic Health for the change is difficuclty securing an anesthesia service, which is necessary for surgeries and Caesarian births.
Catholic Health said each of its hospitals in Erie County is a "center of excellence" focusing on a specialty such as stroke care, cardiovascular health, orthopedic care and women's services.
Union officials said many of the nurses affected at Mount St. Mary's have 30 to 40 years of seniority. They would have to change their specialty to continue their nursing career.
"After working for Catholic Health for 37 years, losing my job as a post surgical care nurse is heart wrenching," Terri Ross, RN, said. "We just found out that services at our hospital will be closing. Since my specialty is no longer here, I plan to take another position within Catholic Health which will require training and education. I'll have to learn an entirely new position. After being in the same work area for the last 24 years, it will be challenging."
In a statement regarding the changes, 1199SEIU vice-president for WNY hospitals Jim Scordato said inadequate Medicaid funding rates in upstate New York will lead to more cuts to hospitals and healthcare services.
"The union will work to find our members jobs within their specialty, even if it's outside the Catholic Health system," Scordato said.