More than 260 residents and fellow physicians at the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed) successfully unionized after an overwhelming 152-12 victory on March 21. 93 percent of the residents voting certified the Resident & Fellow Alliance (RFA) as their union. RFA is affiliated with AFT Michigan/AFT/AFL-CIO.
“We came together to form the Resident and Fellow Alliance at WMed to raise standards in patient care and residency education,” said Linda Saju, resident physician in psychiatry. “Our residents have been organizing for almost a year and we have won the election by a landslide. RFA will be the third resident and fellow union in the state of Michigan. Our current system needs to change and we, as physicians, want a voice in the process.”
“Residents everywhere work hard and we deserve fair contracts which reflect the value we bring to our organizations and our communities,” said Jamil Khondker, resident physician in psychiatry. “RFA will give us a voice in the workplace, the ability to negotiate for fair contracts and working conditions, and protection from exploitation. It’s my hope that this process benefits all stakeholders, including the WMed residents and fellows, WMed as an organization, and the Kalamazoo community that we serve.”
RFA is working to create a voice for residents and fellows at WMed in addition to improvements in many areas, including salary, flexibility in time off, and fair educational stipends.
“Residents and fellow physicians here at WMed and across the country are at the front lines of patient care, and are far too often being exploited in the name of education and cost-cutting,” said Dhruv Srinivasachar, WMed resident in Medicine-Pediatrics. “We see far too many accounts of overwork, burnout, and, sadly, suicide. We the residents and fellows of WMed, through the Resident and Fellow Alliance, have an opportunity to lead in the process of changing the system for the better for ourselves and our patients. We ask that WMed works with RFA collectively to create a model environment that prioritizes effective and just patient care, provides a safe and rich space for clinical education, and ensures the well-being of all residents and fellows.”
AFT Michigan also represents resident physicians at Wayne State University and is currently organizing with residents who work for Detroit Education and Research at Detroit Medical Center hospitals.
