Montefiore Resident Doctors Win Historic First Contract

March 19, 2025

The 1,200 Bronx Physicians Secure Groundbreaking Tentative Deal After Two-Year Fight

Bronx, NY – [Date] – After nearly two years of negotiations and non-stop union action, the resident physicians and fellows at Montefiore Medical Center reached a tentative agreement on their first contract with the health system late on Monday night. Represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU), the residents say this historic deal, which includes an 18% salary increase, a $2,500 annual child care allowance, a $3,000 housing stipend, improved healthcare benefits, and critical due process protections, will directly impact both their well-being and ability to provide high-quality patient care for the Bronx.

This hard-fought win is part of a nationwide movement of physicians organizing to challenge an exploitative, profit-driven healthcare system. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, CIR has more than doubled in size, as doctors across the country join together to win improvements that are setting new standards for residency.

Montefiore’s more than 1,200 housestaff, the collective term for resident physicians and fellows, work 80+ hours per week, providing the majority of care to the largely immigrant and working-class communities they serve. Despite working at one of the biggest healthcare systems in the city, they were the lowest-paid residents across all five boroughs, and many struggled to afford basic necessities including rent and groceries.

“We are thrilled to announce a hard-earned victory after nearly two years of organizing and fighting for the resources we deserve. This contract provides Montefiore housestaff with benefits and protections that will improve our sense of security and our quality of life so that we can be at our best for the people of the Bronx,” said Dr. Clara Bertozzi-Villa, a fellow in Maternal Fetal Medicine. “I have been so inspired by my colleagues and everyone who stood with us throughout this fight.”

Montefiore is the dominant health system in the Bronx, a borough with one of the highest disease burdens in the state, where community members already face huge obstacles to healthcare due to decades of divestment and systemic racism. Now, with their contract secured, Montefiore residents are looking towards the future.

“We are more united than ever,” said Dr. Bertozzi-Villa. “It’s time to celebrate this contract and get to work on what’s next.”

“This contract was always about more than just us—it was about ensuring we can provide the best possible care for our patients,” said Dr. John McCarthy, a second-year Montefiore resident in pediatrics. “But our work isn’t over. With this contract secured, we’re looking forward to working productively with hospital leadership in labor-management meetings to address ongoing healthcare disparities in our community and the urgent issues affecting our patients and our profession every day.”

Montefiore’s resident physicians reunionized in 2023, reviving an organizing effort that began more than 40 years ago when Montefiore residents won their first union with CIR in 1976.

The bargaining team is presenting the proposal to the full membership, and says a ratification vote will happen between March 20–26.

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 37,000 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.

Montefiore Resident Doctors Win Historic First Contract

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