2021 Mercy Hospital strike

The 2021 Mercy Hospital strike was a labor strike that took place at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo in Buffalo, New York, United States. It occurred from October 1, 2021, to November 4, 2021, following failed collective bargaining negotiations between the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and Catholic Health, the hospital's management.

The strike was preceded by the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement in 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the agreement was extended until September 2021. In June 2021, a new law in New York required hospitals to involve nurses and other workers in staffing plans.

The CWA provided evidence of unsanitary conditions at the hospital and criticized the hospital's hiring practices. They claimed that despite the hospital's difficulty in finding cleaning workers, only 12 out of 89 applications were hired between March and April 2021. In late August, the CWA organized a rally outside the hospital to protest working conditions and mistreatment of staff.

During the strike, the nurses and hospital workers demanded better working conditions, higher pay, and improved staffing levels. The strike ended on November 4, 2021, after an agreement was reached between the CWA and Catholic Health.

The 2021 Mercy Hospital strike was part of the larger Striketober movement, which saw numerous labor strikes across the United States during the same period.

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