Importance Score: 58 / 100 🔵
Massachusetts Clinicians at Cambridge Health Alliance Form Union
More than 230 healthcare professionals at Cambridge Health Alliance (CHA) in Massachusetts have successfully formed a labor union, receiving official certification from the state Department of Labor Relations. This significant development allows these clinicians to collectively bargain for improved working conditions and patient care standards.
Union Representation and Membership
The newly formed union, SHARE CHA/AFSCME, represents a diverse group of medical professionals. Approximately half of its members are physicians, encompassing primary care doctors, psychiatrists, and hospitalists. The union also includes physician assistants (PAs) and psychologists, reflecting a broad coalition of caregivers seeking unified representation.
Motivations for Unionization
Dr. Jeremy Stricsek, a primary care physician at CHA, stated that discussions regarding enhancing work environments and patient treatment protocols began several years prior. The COVID-19 pandemic further underscored the necessity for collective action. By the summer of 2022, these discussions evolved into a formal organizing drive as clinicians recognized the need to unionize to effectively advocate for themselves and their patients. A central concern driving this movement was the growing pressure to deliver more services with fewer resources.
Collaboration and Shared Goals
Dr. Stricsek emphasized the importance of collaboration among the unionizing group from the outset. Many members, particularly within primary care and mental health services, routinely share patient responsibilities. This interconnectedness reinforced the sentiment that “We’re all in this together” in their pursuit of improved conditions.
Broader Labor Movement in Healthcare
News of the CHA clinicians’ union certification was initially reported by the Boston Globe. Andrea Cáceres, an organizer with SHARE, explained that unionization empowers clinicians to actively participate in discussions with hospital management. This collaborative approach aims to creatively redesign work systems to the advantage of the hospital, the healthcare providers, and foremost, the patients. She highlighted CHA’s role as a safety-net hospital, serving a patient population with complex needs, potentially greater than those seen at other medical facilities.
Precedent at Cambridge Health Alliance
Notably, residents and fellows at CHA had previously established their own union, setting a precedent for collective bargaining within the institution.
Recent Unionization Efforts in the Region
The successful unionization at CHA is part of a broader trend of healthcare worker organizing in the region. Recent efforts include union drives by physicians at Salem Hospital, a part of Mass General Brigham, and nearly 450 healthcare workers at Fenway Health in Boston.
Inspiring Others
Dr. Stricsek expressed hope that the actions taken by him and his CHA colleagues will serve as an inspiration for other healthcare professionals considering unionization to improve their workplaces and patient care.
CHA’s Response
Cambridge Health Alliance released a statement affirming its respect for employees’ right to organize. CHA stated, “We aim to always work in the best interest of our providers and patients.”
“CHA is committed to moving forward and bargaining in good faith with SHARE CHA,” the statement continued. “We have reached out to SHARE to let them know that our intent is to negotiate in a collegial and constructive manner. We plan to meet with them soon to discuss the logistics of negotiations and to set up dates to begin the process.”