Resident physicians and fellows have approved their first labor contract with Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Health Care.
Nearly all (99.7%) of the more than 1,400 resident and fellow physicians voted to ratify their first union contract after 13 months of bargaining, according to a Dec. 20 news release from their union, the Committee of Interns and Residents.
The CIR, a local chapter of the Service Employees International Union, said the deal includes a 21% compensation increase over three years, along with a $50,000 annual stipend for a resident wellness committee, a $20,000 fertility benefit package, and a retirement plan with a 2% contribution and 2% match.
Additionally, the contract retains essential departmental benefits, and it includes a new fatigue mitigation policy providing all house staff access to free rideshare services home after long shifts, according to the union.
Under the new contract, the 2025 cohort of first-year resident physicians at Stanford will become the nation's first interns to earn six figures, according to the CIR.
"Residents are essential to patient care and vital in day-to-day hospital operations, so this contract is about so much more than a pay raise and benefits," Simran Kaur, MD, said in the union release. "It's about retaining and empowering talented and diverse doctors so that even those without generational wealth can complete their medical training here. It will help ensure house staff can focus on what matters most — caring for our patients — without the constant worry over how we'll pay our rent or afford groceries."
Stanford shared the following statement with Becker's: "Stanford Health Care is extremely pleased that a majority of our house staff voted to ratify the tentative agreement reached between SHC and the union. The new contract not only provides competitive wage increases and an expanded yearly housing allowance, but it maintains the market-leading benefits already in place for house staff, including free health premiums and no copays or deductibles through SHC providers, education allowance and sick leave.
"We greatly appreciate the hard work and dedication of the bargaining teams for all of their hard work and success in reaching an agreement our house staff could be proud of and support."