The group will join the Committee of Interns and Residents, the largest U.S. house staff union that represents more than 37,000 resident physicians and fellows, according to a news release shared with Becker’s on Jan. 16. CIR is also affiliated with the Service Employees International Union.
“It’s very exciting that Christiana residents have come together to form a union, creating the framework to support each other in each department’s needs,” Layla Annous, MD, a resident physician in medicine and pediatrics at ChristianaCare, said in the release. “We look forward to partnering with Christiana to create a fair contract that promotes the well-being of our resident physicians and helps us to be the best physicians possible for our community.”
The news comes after ChristianaCare physicians at Delaware and Maryland voted to join the Doctors Council, also an SEIU affiliate, in July 2024.
The group plans to advocate for working condition improvements which will in turn improve patient care, the release said.
“ChristianaCare respects the decision made by our residents, and we are committed to moving forward constructively through good-faith bargaining with the union,” a spokesperson for ChristianaCare said in a Jan. 16 statement shared with Becker’s. “We will continue to foster a collaborative environment and an exceptional educational experience for these physicians who are the next generation of healthcare.”
