UNM & CIR: FAQ Sheet
Why should we unionize?
On May 25th, all University of New Mexico residents were informed by email of large increases in our health insurance premiums. Only after residents and fellows energetically protested the unfair increases were they rescinded. But who knows when new increases or other changes to our residency programs might occur? Besides healthcare costs, residents at UNM would like to change:
· Inadequate pay when compared to rising cost of living;
· Insufficient on-call rooms;
· Lack of safety in parts of the hospital;
· Inadequate meals;
· Book and conference funds available only in some departments; and
· Increasedhealth care access and advocacy for underserved populations.
We love our programs and care deeply about our patients. That’s why a growing number of UNM residents are talking about change and improving our working conditions. By joining CIR, the nation’s largest and oldest union of interns, residents and fellows, we can negotiate with the hospital and make lasting improvements for ourselves and our patients.
Forming a CIR chapter will give us the right to negotiate our own contract with the University. Collective bargaining will give us stronger influence on the character of the place where we work and learn. It also provides us with a more powerful voice in advocating for our patients.
What is CIR?
The Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) is a national house staff union with more than 12,000 members at 60 hospitals across the nation. Its executive committee is made up of residents and fellows. CIR has helped residents over the past fifty years form collective bargaining units (unions) and negotiate their own union contract. A union contract is a legally binding document between the housestaff and the hospital administration. It contains provisions that we, the housestaff at UNM, decide to negotiate for. Thus CIR contracts at various institutions are different from each other and must be voted on by the housestaff at each facility in order to be approved.
Would forming a house staff union improve patient care?
Yes. Unionization improves patient care. Many residents and fellows choose to form house staff unions because of patient care issues. While it is difficult for us as individuals to exert much influence over administrative or governmental decision-making, collectively we can have a much more significant impact. Being part of a national organization dedicated to improving patient care and access provides us with resources that can help us more effectively advocate for our patients.
Would a house staff union undermine the relationship between housestaff and faculty and interfere with educational goals?
No. While there may be some initial tension during the organizing process, experience from other programs has shown that the relationship between housestaff and faculty can actually grow stronger as we work together toward common goals. Faculty and housestaff share many objectives, such as: improving ancillary staff, enhancing discharge planning, improving access for patients, and assuring adequate financial support for the institution. There are no provisions in CIR contracts that ‘dictate’ how your program educates you.
Would a house staff union create a new level of bureaucracy and make it more difficult to resolve disputes or address concerns informally?
No. Any contract we negotiate with the administration would preserve the informal relationships and processes that already exist at UNM. Having a strong house staff union and a legally binding union contract establishes an effective process for those times when informal channels do not work.
Would a house staff union decrease the flexibility of individual departments to provide benefits to their residents?
No. The purpose of negotiating a contract is to increase the options available to residents, not to decrease flexibility. Any contract that we negotiate would absolutely preserve the flexibility that individual programs have to award extra benefits. Contracts are designed to raise basic standards for all residents. However, if a department wishes to provide a benefit to its residents that we cannot win for all residents, they are free to continue to provide that benefit.
I do not want to strike. Would the being in a union mean we have to strike?
No. First of all, public employees are prohibited from striking by New Mexico State Law, so a strike is totally out of the question. It is also important to note that decisions about what actions to take or not to take would be made solely and independently by the local CIR chapter, made up exclusively of UNM residents and fellows. Strikes are exceedingly uncommon for resident unions. Over the last 50 years, CIR residents have developed a wide range of effective strategies to win fair contracts and resolve disputes without striking.
Does being a member of CIR mean we have to follow their national agenda?
No. We decide for ourselves what issues are important and which changes to pursue. As members of CIR we would benefit from the extensive experience that CIR has working with residents and hospital administrations to improve our education and working environment. We get support from the national office when we request it, but we will always set our own agenda.
How much will this cost and what do we pay for?
Being a member of CIR would require paying dues. Dues are currently 1.5% of salary, an amount that is set by an elected representative body of residents at an annual convention. We would not pay any dues until a contract is negotiated and ratified, which would require a majority vote by all housestaff at UNM. Every first contract that CIR has negotiated has included benefits and compensation increases that far exceed the cost of dues.
Dues are the only source of income for CIR. They will be used to help fund a full-time staff person and office here in Albuquerque as well as a national office with a team of lawyers and professional staff that work to maintain high standards for all members of CIR. CIR staff works full time to help enforce and uphold current CIR contracts, organize new members into CIR in order to grow and strengthen the union, as well as advocate for issues in the public and private sector that concern residents on a national and local level.
Where can I get more information about CIR?Contact the local CIR office at (505) 244-8775. You can also go to the national website, www.cirseiu.org, or call the national office at 1-800-247-8877
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Best regards,
The UNM Housestaff Organizing Committee