The inclination to organize and sound off for better working conditions and more patient-centric job descriptions continues to spread among healthcare workers.
This time the movement gets a boost from more than 500 physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants at 12-hospital, Minneapolis-centered Allina Health who voted to unionize Oct. 13.
Allina is operates more than 100 care sites in Minnesota and has a presence in Wisconsin as well.
The on-board clinicians, who cover around 50 sites, say they’re frustrated working understaffed shifts that cause burnout while being dogged by administrative duties that take them away from patient care.
The new union is receiving guidance from the New York-based Doctors Council, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union.
A leader of the Doctors Council tells the press that, if the vote to unionize gets certified by the National Labor Relations Board, the Allina group would become the largest private-sector doctors’ union in the country.
More than 400 of its 500+ members-to-be are physicians.
A ‘win’ for clinicians, a ‘disappointing decision’ for leadership
Most physicians in the present action are specialized in primary care or urgent care.
The Minneapolis Star-Tribune notes the campaign is the second at Allina, as 150 or so inpatient doctors at one Allina hospital moved closer to unionizing last spring.
“This is a win not only for the doctors who stood together and the supporters who rallied alongside them but also for the patients and the communities they serve,” representatives said in a brief statement posted online by Doctors Council Oct. 13.
For its part, the leadership of Allina Health released a statement pointing out it “has been nationally recognized as one of the top places to work in healthcare” and is known for paying “special attention to support employee mental health.”
More:
“While we are disappointed in the decision by some of our providers to be represented by a union, we remain committed to our ongoing work to create a culture where all employees feel supported and valued. in Minnesota are newly unionizing.”
Along with securing NLRB certification, the nascent union would need to be recognized by Allina Health in order to negotiate a contract on behalf of its members.
‘This is a start to fix healthcare ‘
A nurse practitioner who helped lead the organizing activities tells the Star-Tribune the efforts brought to light the staffing problems vexing the health system, especially at the level of its many smaller clinics.
The extent of clinician dissatisfaction became apparent as organizers heard from dispersed workers in a systematic way.
“If you look at what happened during COVID, our profession rose to the occasion and kind of committed a miracle,” says the nurse practitioner, Beth Gunhus. “Now it feels like we don’t have any support or any of the things we need to go back to day-to-day living.”
Notable quotes from other coverage of the development:
- “We were promised that, when we get through the acute phase of the pandemic, staffing would get better. But staffing never improved.”—Cora Walsh, MD, Allina Health family medicine practitioner (source: The New York Times)
- “Staffing was an issue and nobody listened to [the clinicians]. Patients were overbooked, and the doctors were really burnt out. If there was a consensus between management and the doctors on how to take care of the patients, I don’t think this would have happened.”—Frances Quee, MD, Doctors Council vice president (source: Fox 9 Minneapolis)
- “We ask that Allina accept our union. We’re ready to get to the bargaining table. Unionizing is viable. This is a start to fix healthcare.”—Matthew Hoffman, MD, Allina Health family medicine practitioner (source: Minnesota Reformer)
There’s more news on recent labor activities in healthcare at the links below.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.