Thousands of resident doctors across five major hospital systems in the Philadelphia region want to unionize.
Residents from Jefferson Health, Einstein Healthcare Network, Temple Health, ChristianaCare and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia rallied in front of the former site of Hahnemann Hospital Thursday night to say that they want union contracts with benefits. Among their requests are safer staffing levels, better sick leave policies, and limits on working hours, which can sometimes be more than 24 hours a shift. They say the current working conditions make it hard for them to provide good patient care.
This move comes amid other union efforts at hospitals in the region and around the country. In October, residents at Penn Medicine ratified a union contract, making them the first group to unionize their residency program in Pennsylvania. In July, doctors at ChristianaCare in Delaware voted to form a union. Other resident doctors across the country are organizing to form unions as well.
