Nearly 3,000 Philadelphia Area Resident Physicians Rally to Unionize Amid Growing Healthcare Industry Pressures

With over 3,000 resident physicians and fellows from several major health systems announcing plans to unionize due to rising work hours and patient care concerns, Philadelphia’s health care environment may be about to undergo a dramatic change. According to an announcement by the Committee of Interns and Residents, this move involves residents from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Temple University Hospital, and Einstein Healthcare Network. The unionization effort also extends to ChristianaCare in Delaware.

The physicians at these institutions are seeking better conditions that they believe will improve patient care and their own well-being, as evidenced by the recent successful contract negotiation by Penn Medicine’s residents. They cite understaffing and demanding work schedules as major factors in their decision, according to a statement obtained by The Philadelphia Inquirer. Their intentions are solidifying in the face of a potential shift in federal labor policies under the incoming Trump administration, a labor board structure that frequently changes depending on the sitting president.

The movement is part of a growing trend among doctors to join unions, which reflects broader changes in the healthcare industry. Most doctors now work for larger health systems instead of operating their own independent practices, and this shift has resulted in more doctors joining organized labor due to increased administrative burdens and fixed salaries without overtime pay. PhillyVoice shared that CIR’s membership has doubled since 2019.

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier says, “The resident physicians who steward world-class institutions deserve world-class wages and world-class contracts,” in an interview with 6abc Action News. Jefferson Health responded to the union efforts by saying they offer competitive wages and benefits because they believe a direct working relationship between team members and leaders yields the most productive outcomes. This sentiment is echoed in the communications from various healthcare systems. Residents are banding together to hold union elections, and they have gained the support of local council members in the process.

“For all the work we do, we deserve better and so do our patients,” said residents like Dr. Natalie Labossier, who spoke about her terrifying work hours. According to 6abc Action News, the doctors’ resolute efforts to push for unionization before possible political obstacles arise could soon bring about significant changes to the way resident doctors work and negotiate their terms of employment in Philadelphia’s healthcare system.

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