Cori Gambini - RN

Cori currently works at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital as a registered nurse in the surgical care unit; she brings 36 years of experience with Kaleida Health to the union.  She has been actively engaged in the union for over 25 years holding many roles, formerly as an Area Vice President, Executive Vice President and most notably serving as our local President since 2012. 

When asked to share her story and explain why unionism is important to her, she stated “I had very little exposure to unions growing up and in my first position as an RN, I was nonunion (1987 to 1999). I was a nursing supervisor and a nurse manager. Once the merger happened, I saw the writing on the wall and knew I wanted to go back to being a staff RN. I left Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital and went to the post anesthesia care unit at Millard Fillmore Suburban. I worked with some of my coworkers to help organize Millard Fillmore Suburban into CWA Local 1168. I was then elected to an Executive Board position and Bargained Millard Fillmore RN bargaining unit's first agreement. I knew I could do more for patient care and my coworkers as a union representative than in a leadership role at the hospital. I love bargaining contracts to improve the lives of our members and their families. I love standing up and fighting for quality patient care. I love standing up and fighting for safe staffing to provide quality care to our patients and improve working conditions for our members. This is only accomplished when people come together and take on these fights. The Patient is our purpose, and the Union is our voice.”

Looking towards the future Cori stated she hopes “that we continue to grow in numbers, and we’re able to organize the nonunion so they too can have a voice in their workplace with no fear of retaliation.”  Cori hopes that our members will remain active in the labor movement and that there is a constant pipeline to fill the leadership roles with in the local and national union.