Resident physicians employed by Detroit Education & Research and working at Detroit Medical Center hospitals are seeking a unionization election.
On March 24, the American Federation of Teachers Michigan filed union authorization cards with the National Labor Relations Board asking to allow resident physicians to vote on whether to unionize.
The new bargaining unit would include about 1,300 resident physicians, interns and medical fellows, according to the filing.
"Our organizing campaign has been going extremely well with an overwhelming majority of residents choosing to sign cards supporting the union and our right to collective bargaining," Justin Bria, MD, a third-year resident in the surgery department, said in a union news release. "This organizing effort has been successful because residents know that through a union we can bargain together for the resources, respect and support we deserve on the job while ensuring patients are receiving the best care possible and improving the hospital system as a whole."
Representatives of Detroit Education & Research did not immediately respond to a request from Law360 for comment March 27.
Detroit Medical Center shared the following statement with Becker's: "We are committed to working with our trainees to ensure they continue to receive the most advanced and comprehensive medical training in a supportive environment.
"We believe any concerns related to the program can best be addressed and resolved by working collaboratively with Graduate Medical Education and hospital operations leadership without the involvement of a third party."
The effort in Detroit is among the latest by physicians across the U.S. to unionize.
A number of factors are driving the trend. Physicians are seeking greater investments by hospitals in working conditions, staffing and other resources needed to provide patient care. Hospitals and health systems, meanwhile, emphasize their commitment to quality care and these professionals during a challenging time in healthcare. They also express their preference to work directly with workers.