The Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services has certified the Committee of Interns and Residents, a local of the Service Employees International Union, as the exclusive representative for more than 200 resident physicians at Minneapolis-based Hennepin County Medical Center.
The certification occurred April 3, marking the first unionization of resident and fellow physicians in Minnesota, CIR said in a news release shared with Becker’s.
“This is an amazing and historic residency program, and we’re all so proud to work here and care for our patients,” Allyssa Jonsson, DO, said in the release. “We believe that now that we have a union, we can become even better doctors and make Hennepin even better for Minnesota – especially for the folks facing the highest barriers to care.”
Hennepin Healthcare shared the following statement with Becker’s in response to the certification:
“Our institution deeply values our residents and their contributions to patient care, medical education and research. We are committed to providing a supportive learning environment, fair compensation, a competitive benefits package, and the necessary resources to help our trainees thrive in their careers. We recognize their legal right to consider union representation, and we respect their right to make this decision. Throughout this process, we will maintain this commitment.”
A supermajority of the resident physicians at Hennepin moved to unionize in March, filing for recognition with CIR.
The physicians cited a desire to improve both physician well-being and patient care in Minnesota and address concerns over pay, staffing and working conditions, as key reasons for their organizing efforts. They seek to begin negotiations for a first union contract immediately.
