Striking hospital workers in Buffalo recently found themselves without health coverage — something Assemblyman Pat Burke, D-Buffalo, wants to prevent in the future.

Burke has introduced A.8500 in the state Assembly to amend the state Social Services Law to make striking workers and their dependents eligible for Medicaid as long as they meet regulations that would be developed by the state health commissioner.

“Companies are not required to continue providing healthcare coverage to their striking employees? and thereby often do cancel insurance for striking workers,” Burke wrote in his legislative justification. “This was the case in the recent CWA strike at Mercy Hospital of Buffalo where health coverage was cancelled for striking workers after 31 days on the picket line. Until such time that medical coverage is a universal right for all we must protect New York workers’ access to Medicaid coverage so they may be undeterred to fight for better workplace conditions.”

Catholic Health discontinued health benefits after workers had been on strike for a month, affecting some 2,500 workers. In a press statement, Dennis Trainor, CWA District One vice president, noted that a national union relief fund meant that no worker faced financial hardship for medical or dental emergencies and that medical care for chronic conditions continued.