400+ Kaiser Frontline Physicians Launch Unionization Campaign Across NorCal

April 3, 2024

Residents and Fellows Last Kaiser NorCal Employees Without Union Representation

Oakland, CA —Yesterday the resident and fellow physicians employed by Kaiser Foundation Hospitals announced their intention to unionize with the Committee of Interns and Residents, a local of the Service Employees International Union (CIR-SEIU). After the system denied their request for voluntary recognition, the physicians filed a petition for election with the National Labor Relations Board, just one day after residents at the University of Chicago Medical Center announced their effort to join CIR-SEIU.

The over 400 frontline doctors, who work across eight Kaiser campuses in Northern California, are the last remaining staff without union representation. If successful, their campaign will mark a significant milestone: a fully unionized workforce across Kaiser Northern California.

Kaiser housestaff regularly work an average of 80 hours a week and are the doctors providing the majority of patient care in system facilities. Amidst the ongoing housing crisis and the skyrocketing cost-of-living in the region, many say they are struggling to make ends meet. With the healthcare system seeing record profits, residents believe it has a responsibility to invest in the doctors who are essential to fulfilling its mission.

“We provide the majority of patient care, work longer hours than attending physicians — yet we receive the least pay and are excluded from hospital-wide bonuses,” said Dr. Apoorva Dharmadhikari, a second-year resident at Santa Clara. “As the primary care providers for many of Kaiser’s patients, we know firsthand what must be done to ensure the needs of patients and physicians alike are being met.”

Inspired by the successes of their colleagues and CIR physicians at nearby hospitals, the Kaiser physicians are looking forward to advocating to improve their working conditions and patient care across Northern California.

“My colleagues and I chose Kaiser to provide innovative, quality care to our communities here in the Bay Area and beyond – but we need adequate support to provide that top quality care without jeopardizing our own wellbeing,” said Dr. Brandon Anderson, a second-year internal medicine resident on the San Francisco campus. “We have seen the success our unionized colleagues have had, and we are ready for our own turn at the bargaining table.”

The Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) is the largest house staff union in the United States. A local of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), representing over 32,000 resident physicians and fellows. Our members are dedicated to improving residency training and education, advancing patient care, and expanding healthcare access for our communities.

Understanding S.P.I.T.

What are the benefits of forming a union?

When we come together as housestaff, we have a unified voice for safe working conditions and better patient outcomes. This pandemic has demonstrated that having workplace representation is urgent and necessary. Thousands of residents across the country have organized union chapters and have won historic improvements for housestaff and patients through collective bargaining agreements.

What’s legal? What’s not?

The laws vary from state to state as well as the type of employer you are paid by – private or public.Generally, however, most laws give employees the right to act together to try and improve their working conditions, with or without a union.It is illegal for employees to be fired, suspended, or otherwise penalized for taking part in protected group activity.

Generally, it is illegal for employers to S.P.I.T.:

(Document any activity that may look like this)

Surveil

Administration and department leadership may not conduct unlawful surveillance of employees’ union activity. Identifying, tracking and surveillance of employee discussions about the union or union meetings is illegal.

Examples:

Supervisors cannot inquire about what goes on at union meetings, ask which employees attend the meeting, or even give the impression of such surveillance.

Promise

Administration and department leadership must not directly or indirectly promise any benefits or reward employees for refusing to sign a union card, or for voting against your union. They may not promise a wage increase or give preferential treatment in exchange for refraining from union activity. Encouraging employees to withdraw or repudiate union authorization cards is also unlawful. They may not solicit grievances about working conditions while expressly or impliedly promising corrections if residents do not form a union.

Examples:

“I can get you a job here or give you a good recommendation letter if you don’t get involved.”

Reminder: There is nothing holding management accountable to any promises they make and they do not have to follow through.

Interrogate

Administration and department leadership should not interrogate, or ask, any employee whether or not he or she favors the union, has signed a union card, or has gone to a union meeting.

You can always say you’re not comfortable answering their questions. Remember to ask whether they’ve talked to others, whether they know if they’re allowed to ask, and if they have concerns about residents forming a union and what they are.

Questions they may ask:

Have you heard of a union being formed? Are you involved? Have you been asked to sign a card? Do any of your colleagues have interest in forming a union? Who have you heard union talk from? Do you think you’ll join?

Threaten

Administration and program leadership must not threaten employees with harm or reprisals (economic or otherwise) if they decide to get involved with the union or sign a union card.

Examples:

Administration may not threaten to take away residency spots or current department benefits if the residents decide to form or join a union.

What can we do to protect ourselves?

Despite being generally protected, it is always a good idea to be extra careful:

Remember to be discrete and never seek advice or reveal to management/administration that you are considering unionizing
Refrain from using hospital property – both physical (printers, computers, phones) – and intellectual (email, paging/messaging systems) – in communicating regarding union matters
Be mindful of where and when you discuss unionization with your colleagues – being overheard talking about unions in the hospital “on company time” can be considered “solicitation,” so exercise caution and discretion
As long as you are using personal means of communication such as personal phones, emails, and only talking to other interns, residents, or fellows, the hospital cannot discipline you

Reminder: Forming a union is 100% our legal right and our vote is anonymous.

400+ Kaiser Frontline Physicians Launch Unionization Campaign Across NorCal

Related: