Members of the Committee of Interns and Residents have reached a tentative agreement with UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland (Calif.), averting a looming strike.
The union, a local of the Service Employees International Union, represents more than 80 physicians at the hospital, according to an Oct. 6 news release shared with Becker's. UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland is part of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals and among the region's only safety-net hospitals.
Union members voted in September to authorize their union's bargaining committee to call a strike. A looming strike is averted with the tentative deal, which the union said includes a 6 percent wage increase in the first year of the contract, followed by 4 percent in both the second and third years, and a $500 retention bonus.
According to the union, the proposed contract also includes:
- A housing stipend increase starting with $11,000 in the first year of the contract.
- A $2,400 relocation bonus that now includes fellows and increased parental leave.
- An annual 40 percent increase to meal allowances.
"I'm so thrilled that we've finally reached a resolution with [Children's Hospital Oakland], without being forced to spend any time away from our patients," Jay Kwon, MD, a second-year pediatrics resident at the hospital. "All we want is to keep giving our all to the families we serve without wondering if we’re going to be able to pay our rent or care for our own families, and this contract gets us a lot closer to that being the case."
In a statement shared with Becker's, Children's Hospital Oakland said: "We're pleased that the federal mediation process enabled us to reach a tentative agreement with our medical residents while they receive the necessary training to further their careers. We look forward to continued collaboration as they complete their training and continue to honor our shared commitment to providing care for the Oakland community."