Palo Alto, CA—Resident and fellow physicians at Stanford Health Care (SHC), represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR-SEIU), will hold a unity break on Wednesday, May 17, to draw attention to their ongoing struggle for a fair contract that would improve patient care and physician well-being.
As frontline healthcare workers, residents and fellows were relied upon heavily during the COVID-19 pandemic to bridge increasing staffing shortfalls at the hospital. Now, several months into their first contract negotiations, the hospital administration has delayed bargaining by canceling sessions and refusing to seriously engage with CIR’s proposals. Following unionization, the California doctors successfully filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB for bad faith bargaining after SHC management deliberately withheld information essential to the bargaining process.
Working in the most expensive metropolitan areas in the country, many SHC residents feel they have no choice but to drive home after up to 28-hour shifts without any sleep due to a lack of affordable transportation options. No one should be forced to compromise their safety due to financial constraints.
Who: SHC resident physicians and fellows, represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents, will be joined by CRONA nurses and other labor and community allies.
What: SHC housestaff will hold a unity break action as they continue negotiating for their first contract. Despite serving on the frontlines and working to support the city’s most vulnerable patients, residents and fellows at SHC are overworked and struggling with burnout. They will speak out at the event about how the lack of crucial protections and benefits impacts their mental health, well-being and their ability to care for their patients.
When: Wednesday, May 17th, from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. The event will start on time and the speaking portion will run for thirty minutes.
Where: Pasteur Dr & Welch Rd Palo Alto, CA
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 27,000 resident physicians and fellows. Our members are dedicated to improving residency training and education, advancing patient care, and expanding healthcare access for our communities.
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