GWU Doctors to Hold Informational Picket, Demanding Fair Contract Amid Crisis in Physician Well-Being

September 20, 2024

Resident Physicians to Escalate Fight for a Fair Contract, Citing Rampant Burnout and Unfair Labor Practices by GWU

Washington, D.C.—Amid a nationwide crisis in physician well-being and rapidly rising living costs in the D.C. metro area, resident physicians at George Washington University (GWU), unionized with the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU), are holding an informational picket Wednesday evening to once again demand a fair first contract. The doctors say that after spending nearly a year in negotiations with GWU, during which time their employer has consistently engaged in delay tactics and unfair labor practices, they are more united than ever around their demands, which focus on a living wage and strong mental health care.

“We organized a union because we understood that residency and ultimately our exploitative healthcare system need to change,” said Dr. Jason Robart, a third-year anesthesiology resident. “There is nothing ‘revolutionary’ about forcing the doctors at the center of care to sacrifice all of ourselves in order to keep the hospital running–this is a toxic culture that we aim to flip on its head. We know our patients stand behind us, and we look forward to greeting folks outside the hospital Wednesday to talk about why better working conditions and a living wage for us will directly improve care for our community.”

WHAT: CIR/SEIU resident physicians will come together outside George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences to hold GWU management accountable for their continued refusal to consider the basic needs of their housestaff and the impact on patient care.

WHERE: Outside and around the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (Ross Hall) on 23rd Street NW.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 25th from 6pm to 8pm.

WHO: GWU resident physicians, who are members of CIR.

Working up to 80 hours a week at the center of care at a number of George Washington University-affiliated hospitals and clinics, the GWU residents care largely for D.C.’s working class communities of color, including patients with increasingly complex medical conditions who have experienced significant medical trauma. The physicians say that their struggles to afford to live and work in the area, along with extreme working conditions and a lack of mental health benefits, have pushed them beyond their breaking points.

Growing by more than 16,000 physicians since 2019, CIR/SEIU is rapidly expanding as healthcare workers reject the exploitative status quo in medicine, including the GW physicians, who joined the union in 2023. Among the top issues driving unionization is physician mental health, with high rates of depression and suicide among resident physicians.

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 34,000 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.

GWU Doctors to Hold Informational Picket, Demanding Fair Contract Amid Crisis in Physician Well-Being

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