My interest as a psychiatry resident incorporates wellness of all my resident colleagues. This led me to get involved with our union at first and later gave me an opportunity to network with other residents at a regional and national level. Networking with the residents from other hospitals enabled us to negotiate a better contract for us.
I can’t imagine not having a CIR at our Hospital. CIR has helped us improve our workplace environment by calling the labor-management meetings with our hospital management on several occasions. With the help of CIR, we were able to negotiate a better contract which includes two percent increase in our salary for next three years, a designated fund for patient care up to 30,000 USD/year. We were also able to secure a WIFI at our hospital building for residents.
The most exciting thing for me at a personal level is CIR’s Family Health Challenge (FHC). FHC is an eight-week community-based program for 7-11 years old children for developing healthy lifestyle habits. I enjoy the opportunity to work with the kids in school and find it extremely fulfilling. CIR not only provided me an opportunity and experience to network with colleagues at our hospital, region and nationally but is also our collective voice which gives us strength as residents at our hospital, in our region and at the national level.
The use of social media for advocacy work is essential. I would like to involve more residents in our hospital and in our region for outreach. I also feel bringing CIR to other hospitals across the region that will help to increase our strength. Joining other unions across the nation will increase the strength of our union as well. In my opinion, involving social media to show cohesiveness may be another way for us to counter organized labor attacks.
As a CIR Hospital Delegate in 2017, I have continued to work with my fellow colleagues on ongoing issues. We are constantly working on improving work conditions at our hospital in terms of security, which was highlighted by a shooting at our hospital that happened earlier in June 2017 where a doctor was killed and five other doctors were wounded severely. We are working on a CIR supported survey to understand the impact of workplace violence on residents and help develop the multidisciplinary task force to handle it. As a psychiatry resident, I also wish to explore our role in the wellbeing of our colleagues not only at my hospital but also at regional and national levels.
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.