→ UPDATE YOUR MEMBERSHIP HERE ←
Because of our union, CIR, we have one of the strongest contracts of any residency program in Florida and are the only unionized residency in the state. For over 30 years, anti-union legislators in Florida have been threatening to pass laws that attempt to weaken and dismantle unions and worker organizations. But, this year, a bill is making its way through the state legislature at an alarming speed. The legislation could strip housestaff’s ability to collectively bargain over our wages, benefits, working conditions and our ability to provide patient care. We could lose all of the gains that the residents before us have fought hard to negotiate so we can have a strong union contract during residency and fellowship. Unlike other workers in the healthcare system, we have little opportunity to improve our working conditions on our own or find a new employer. As residents, we are considered expendable workers for the hospital and the relatively short number of years in our programs make us an easy group of providers to be exploited. Our union is one of the few tools we have to meaningfully advocate for ourselves.
We’re prepared and fighting back. It’s time to re-engage, re-connect and re-commit!
What is the new law and how will it affect my contract/union
Florida Senate Bill 256 is an effort to divide workers and make it harder for union members to collectively bargain. It would essentially:
- Make it so much harder for housestaff to keep our union contract intact by making it mandatory for all unions to maintain at least 60% membership in order to have bargaining rights.
- Put all of our economic and non-economic contract gains at risk including our annual wage increases, reimbursements and existing committees working on initiatives that matter most to interns, residents and fellows.
- Change how union members pay dues through a direct pay system through the union.
Will we lose our union if everyone doesn’t join using the new Unioni.se system?
Yes. We can protect our union by making sure that all current members and incoming housestaff sign up on the new and secure direct pay system called UNION.ISE. Without a strong union, the many things we stand to lose include our $175,000/year housestaff involvement fund; hazard pay; conference reimbursements; free parking, the minority inclusion taskforce and so much more.
Will I still be a member if I don’t sign up on Unioni.se ?
All current members must sign up on Unioni.se to maintain their status as a member. If we do not have your updated form, you will no longer be considered a member with voting rights and access to member-only programs.
Will I still receive the benefits of my contract if I don’t sign up for Unioni.se ?
The salary and benefits negotiated by you and your colleagues cover all housestaff for the duration of the contract. However, under the new legislation, if union membership falls below 60%, the union can be decertified and JMH would not be required to provide step 3 reimbursements, our weekly $50 supplemental pay, potentially thousands of dollars in rotation pay, emergency shift pay and more.
How will this new law affect our contract?
Our current contract ends on September 30, 2023 and in order for us to protect our ability to negotiate a new contract that includes improved compensation, benefits, and protections for housestaff — the law states that we must maintain a high union membership rate. We stand to lose all gains from our contract including annual wage increases, legal union representation, and a forum to address non-clinical work and workplace issues too.
Will I be able to vote on the new contract if I have not signed up to join via Unioni.se?
No. Only CIR members are able to vote on our contract.
Will non-members be penalized for not signing up on Unioni.se?
Under the new law, each housestaff who does not sign up could weaken our ability to negotiate or maintain our strong contract. Ultimately if our membership is low, we could lose our union and our ability to negotiate with Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Will Unioni.se app collect my data or continue deducting dues after I’ve graduated?
All mobile apps have policies around data collection. Click here for their data safety information. Dues will only be deducted throughout your residency or fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital and will stop once your training and employment ends.
How secure is the Unioni.se system?
Payments are processed by two of the largest processors in the payment industry (Stripe and Square) and the Unioni.se platform cannot see any payment information, nor is any payment information visible to the union as all of this data is stored securely by the payment processors.
