Caring for patients at one of CIR’s oldest hospitals, University Hospital podiatry residents recently showed that when we’re willing to fight, even a small group of doctors can win crucial improvements in wages and working conditions.
The only public hospital in New Jersey, UH has existed for decades as an essential safety-net facility for the people of Newark and the surrounding area. It was initially established as a result of the 1968 Newark Accords, an agreement between representatives of the city’s Black communities and the city government–developed in response to a historic uprising against structural racism, including in health care.
Since then, the demands of profit, real estate developers, and the aggressive expansion of corporate medicine have continuously threatened New Jersey’s access to quality care, while the state’s unions, including CIR, have fought back again and again to protect public services and community health. Even the fact that podiatry residents are under a different program than their CIR peers at UH, who are employed by Rutgers, reflects consistent shakeups to New Jersey’s medical system.
Just a couple years ago, almost 1000 Rutgers residents ran one of CIR’s most ambitious campaigns in New Jersey in years, with the goal of improving both physician well-being and patient care, including for UH patients in Newark. After a tough fight and taking action again and again, Rutgers housestaff managed to win a strong contract in 2023, which included a critical salary adjustment beyond the wage pattern set by other Rutgers unions.
That fight laid the groundwork for UH podiatry residents, who have consistently united throughout their negotiations this winter, including when they participated in a button up together. Ultimately, they managed to win wages on par with their Rutgers resident peers, education reimbursements increased to $4000 per year, leaded glasses and other critical lead safety equipment, a new $1000 annual travel benefit, and more!
