PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Resident physicians at Einstein Healthcare Network and Temple University Hospital have voted to unionize.
“Unionizing is good for the residents, and also good for the patients,” said Dr. Matt Nguyen, a third-year postgraduate resident at Jefferson Einstein Hospital in North Philly. “If we are optimizing our work conditions, that also optimizes how we can see patients, and at the end of the day, I think that is what’s really important to us.”
In November, residents and fellows at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Einstein, Jefferson Health, and Temple Health announced their intent to unionize under the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR), a local of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The move followed in the footsteps of Penn Medicine physicians, who secured a contract in September.
Election results rolled in for Einstein on Wednesday, with a 356-35 vote, and on Thursday for Temple Health, with a 425-11 vote. Both will join CIR.
Nguyen says some of his international colleagues felt pressured ahead of the union vote and voiced concerns about losing their visas, but honest conversations helped create enough solidarity for the landslide vote.
“We ended up being a little resilient about it, and it focused us to push back and try to alleviate people’s fear about anything that might happen to them if they join the union or stuff like that,” he said.
Residents at other Philly health care facilities will vote next week.
“This is your chance to make your voice be heard and to give you as residents an opportunity to come together and make your needs known,” Nguyen said.
KYW reached out to Einstein for comment and has not heard back.