Resident physicians and fellows at Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, Calif., have approved a new labor agreement with hospital management.
The contract, ratified in early August, covers members of the Committee of Interns and Residents.
It includes a 30% increase in compensation for incoming residents over three years, according to a union news release shared with Becker's.
The contract also includes protections against retaliation, changes to on-call shifts, and more flexible education funds, according to the release. Additionally, there are additional meal stipend funds and bereavement leave.
"We fought so hard for this contract because we know the difference it will make in our patients' lives," Colleen Reyes, MD, said in the release. "Our community deserves doctors who can devote their full attention to patient care. This contract, which includes basic protections against discrimination and retaliation in the workplace, will allow us to focus on our work without jeopardizing our well-being."
Kern Medical shared the following statement with Becker's: "Kern Medical is pleased to have reached an agreement with the Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Local 1957 that also aligns with the upcoming new California minimum wage law SB 525."
The Committee of Interns and Residents is a local of the Service Employees International Union, representing more than 34,000 resident physicians and fellows. Kern Medical, a 222-bed facility, is among the hospitals that are raising pay amid California's delayed minimum wage law. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 525 in October 2023 to gradually raise the minimum wage for healthcare workers to $25 per hour through a series of annual increases. The law is delayed until at least October.