It all begins with a highly paid Union “Avoidance” law firm and ends up with a fancy but sincere-looking “info” website. We want to share some info of our own that busts their propaganda.*
*The source for all images on this page and others in the tab titled “Demystifying Anti Union Propaganda” is the website run by the employer (https://ummcstayinformed.com)
UMRFA Response: We appreciate their appreciation but they have shown no proof they are actually working to address these issues. As the saying goes, “Talk is cheap.” Our issues have been present since long before our tenure here at UMMC. Why should we expect things to change unless we make them change? They note that they don’t believe “a union is necessary…[to] reach agreement” on solutions to these problems. If we don’t have a union, what kind of agreement is happening? Agreements have to happen between two sides. Right now, there is just the hospital dictating terms. There is no other side for an agreement to happen with for a solution.
Aside from a raise that did not keep up with cost of living increases they have done little to demonstrate they are addressing our concerns.
UMRFA Response: Those commitments are laughable in the experience of most residents and fellows at the hospital. We have all seen how profit has been prioritized time and time again over the “education, well-being, and success” of residents and fellows, not to mention patient care. Each specialty can likely cite unique ways in which education and well-being have been compromised due to the institution’s focus on its financial bottom line.
Here they are again, more overtly this time, stating the union as a “third party.” The union is not a third party and they know it. Residents and fellows are the union and referring to the union as a third party is insulting to all of us since it is we who are asking for all these things.
They say we “have a voice in many aspects of [our] work life..” - that may be true but having a voice does not mean that our voices are listened to or heeded in any meaningful way. The widespread belief among the residents and fellows’ body is that our desires for change have been ignored time and time again. This is not exclusive to resident and fellow benefits; this extends to patient care, hospital facilities, and more.
Of course, the hospital prefers us to remain “union-free.” This will allow them to save millions of dollars to keep in their pockets and avoid making any changes that we are demanding.
UMRFA Response: UMMC could have just acknowledged the majority of support our union already obtained. However, we are more than happy to demonstrate the same support in an election. We just hope the hospital does not utilize underhanded tactics to delay the election and minimize participation from residents and fellows.
UMRFA Response: We say that the information is part of a “union-busting” effort because that is what it is. Our materials are written by actual residents and fellow physicians. When they say “as our medical training has taught us to do,” that is likely written by someone at the expensive anti-union firm (aka not a physician) they hired to try to prevent or slow down this process. Very few of the people making day-to-day business decisions at this hospital have as much medical training as our residents and fellows.
UMRFA Response: UMMC could have agreed to the demand for recognition we submitted on April 25th and started contract negotiations on April 26th, instead they’re stretching out this process. However, now that we are moving towards an election we do encourage as many people as possible to vote and to vote yes.
UMRFA Response: Yes, graduating seniors will be able to vote as long as the election takes place before they graduate. This is a unique opportunity to fundamentally change the dynamics of graduate medical training for generations of people coming behind you. You may not personally benefit from these changes but think of how many people your vote can impact.