Front-line resident physicians and fellows at three California hospitals have reached a tentative agreement with Los Angeles County.
The labor deal covers members of the Committee of Interns and Residents, a local of the Service Employees International Union, which represents more than 22,000 resident physicians and fellows in the U.S. This includes more than 1,300 at LAC+USC Medical Center, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center, according to ABC affiliate KABC.
"We reached a tentative resolution in our contract negotiations with LA County [June 5] after months of stalled bargaining and recent preparations for what would have been the first resident physicians' strike by CIR members since 1990," the union said in a news release shared with Becker's.
The tentative agreement comes after the Los Angeles County resident physicians and fellows voted to authorize a strike, citing a need for a new contract that provides the wages and other resources they need to care for their patients and their own families. With a tentative deal in place, a strike is averted.
The union said it will share more details about the tentative agreement in the coming days as well as next steps for ratifying the contract.
Meanwhile, in a statement shared with Becker's, Los Angeles County said it is pleased a tentative deal was reached.
"The proposed new contract recognizes the contributions of these valued healthcare professionals in serving county residents, while balancing the county's commitment to fiscal responsibility," the statement said.