Resident physicians and fellows at the University of Chicago Medical Center voted to join the Committee of Interns and Residents, a local chapter of the Service Employees International Union.
More than 98% of voters cast ballots in favor of representation, according to a May 6 CIR/SEIU news release.
The vote, which covers more than 1,000 physicians, follows a vote by resident physicians and fellows at McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, which is on the university's Chicago campus, to join the union.
After the vote earlier this year by their Chicago peers, physicians at the University of Chicago Medical Center are looking forward to negotiating a first contract, according to the CIR/SEIU.
"While we love our jobs and caring for our patients, we do not have an endless supply of stamina and capacity. We are human beings who must have our basic needs met," Aisha Amuda, MD, a fourth-year resident in internal medicine and pediatrics, said in the release. "We are now in a position to advocate for necessary improvements to our working conditions that directly impact the quality of care our patients receive."
The University of Chicago Medical Center shared a statement with Becker's, saying it "respects the National Labor Relations Board's secret ballot process along with the results of the vote by our residents and fellows. We will, in the near future, begin the collective bargaining process with CIR-SEIU Healthcare in order to craft a fair and equitable contract that supports the needs of our trainees, our patients and our institution.
"This group of 1,040 residents and fellows are integral members of our clinical teams, and they provide exceptional care to our patients and community. Just as we did before the vote, UCMC is committed to continuing to foster an exceptional learning and care environment for our residents and fellows."