The vote was 407-85 in favor of unionization, the union announced Jan. 24.
Beth Israel Deaconess physicians join their peers at Boston Medical Center, the UMass Chan Medical School, and Cambridge Health Alliance, who have also voted to unionize.
“This is an opportunity to advocate for ourselves and to prevent burnout while continuing to provide excellent patient care,” Kevin Makhoul, MD, a psychiatry resident physician at BIDMC, said in a news release shared with Becker’s. “This was the story we heard time and time again from the majority who voted to form a union. We are so excited about the result and know the real work begins now: To negotiate a contract that reflects the tireless work that resident physicians provide to their communities.”
A spokesperson for Beth Israel Deaconess shared the following statement with Becker’s:
“BIDMC is proud of its role as one of the country’s leading academic medical centers, and we value our residents, interns and fellows as an important part of the BIDMC community. As such, we respect their right to organize and are committed to working collaboratively with their chosen representative/CIR on our shared commitment to continue an environment that supports excellence in patient care, education, innovation, and professional growth. As the first step in this new relationship, we will begin working, in good faith, with CIR representatives on a first contract.”
Beth Israel Deaconess is part of Beth Israel Lahey Health.
