MVHS Announces Unprecedented Agreement With Labor Unions

Mohawk Valley Health System and three labor unions have signed an unprecedented Memorandum of Agreement that enables members of those bargaining units to take part in a four-month furlough.

MVHS received overwhelming support from the New York State United Teachers, Communications Workers of America and the United Food and Commercial Workers.

A fourth union, the New York State Nurses Association, rejected the hospital’s offer to furlough the nurses in the St. Elizabeth bargaining unit and instead decided to invoke the layoff provisions in their contract.

That means the affected nurses will not receive the same benefits as the other union members who accepted the hospital’s furlough.

MVHS announced a four-month furlough of about 800 employees as part of its COVID-19 Recovery Plan.