Resident physicians and fellows at Philadelphia-based Temple University Health System and Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals have ratified their first labor contracts.
The contracts cover approximately 2,200 physicians represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents who provide direct patient care at more than 20 hospitals and medical facilities across greater Philadelphia. The Jefferson agreement was ratified June 1, according to a health system statement shared with Becker’s.
According to CIR, which is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union, the agreements include “substantial wage increases” and “greater investment in resident education.” The union also said the Jefferson contract brings Einstein Hospital residents to the same salaries as their peers at other Jefferson hospitals, while the Temple contract moves Chestnut Hill Hospital residents to near pay parity with their Temple Main and Fox Chase counterparts by the second year of the agreement.
“As physicians, we spend every day advocating for our patients to have the resources and support they need, and many of us are living paycheck-to-paycheck,” said Linda Li, MD, a resident physician at Temple Northwest Family Medicine at Chestnut Hill Hospital, said in a statement. “I’m incredibly proud that we stood together and won a contract that will make a material difference in our lives and for residents who come after us.”
In a statement shared with Becker’s, Jefferson said, “The first collective bargaining agreement with the Committee of Interns and Residents was ratified on June 1, 2026. We look forward to moving ahead together in support of the patients we serve.”
Temple Health said in a statement shared with Becker’s that the contract “reflects a mutual commitment to a constructive negotiations process” and is “a fair contract that appropriately supports our residents and Temple Health and preserves our ability to provide our patients with the high-quality care they deserve.”
The agreements come roughly 18 months after Temple and Jefferson residents launched a joint citywide campaign to unionize with CIR-SEIU. With both contracts ratified, more than 86% of resident physicians in the greater Philadelphia area are now covered by CIR-SEIU collective bargaining agreements, according to the union.
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