Contract bargaining updates

Here are the most recent bargaining updates! (Last updated 10/24/2023)

Articles still in negotiation:

  • Wages
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Union proposalManagement response
7%/7%/6% (e.g. % raise in each year of the 3 year contract. Year 1 will be a 7% increase, Year 2 7% increase, and Year 3 6% increase).

Additional $200/mo to chief residents

8% ratification bonus
5%/5%/3%

Additional $200/mo to chief residents

1% ratification bonus

Current status: we have historically gotten a 3% ‘cost of living’ increase in salary every September, dating back the last several years. Note that this is currently NOT guaranteed in our housestaff handbook, so without a union contract to protect necessary wage increases to compensate for inflation, GME would have had the option to stop offering this at any time.

Our resident salaries + housing stipend place PGY 1-4s in the “low-income” category for Santa Clara County (low-income = < 80% of area median income (AMI). AMI has increased by $30,000 since 2021).

  • Housing
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Union proposalManagement response
$865/month ($10,380/year), until 6/1/2024

On 7/1/2024, $10,380 to be added to base salary

Maintenance of benefits (e.g. individual departments offering additional housing stipend to continue offering this)
$791/month ($9,492/year), until 6/1/2024

On 7/1/2024, $9,500 to be added to base salary

NO maintenance of benefits (e.g. individual departments may elect to continue department-specific additional stipend, but would also be allowed to rescind it)

Current status: $600/month ($7,200/year). The last time the SHC GME housing stipend was increased was in 2018. Prior to this it was $500/month ($6,200/year). As of 2023, rent for a 1b/1ba apartment in Welch Road (Stanford subsidized housing) cost a minimum of $2,081/month.

Our resident salaries + housing stipend place PGY 1-4s in the “low-income” category for Santa Clara County (low-income = < 80% of area median income (AMI). AMI has increased by $30,000 since 2021).

  • Meals
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Union proposalManagement response
$3,800 added to the July paycheck annually$1,600 added to the July paycheck annually

Current status: We receive $10 on our paychecks for each 12 hour inpatient shift logged at SHC on MedHub (outpatient shifts do not count). SHC began taxing this amount in 2022, without a concomitant increase in the meal stipend amount. Now that they have started taxing this, the equivalent is $6.50 for a 12 hour shift, which barely covers a small bowl of soup from the cafeteria. No one should feel like they have to hoard food from noon conference.

  • Maintenance of benefits
Union proposalManagement response
Departments shall maintain current department-specific benefitsNO
  • Jeopardy pay
Union proposalManagement response
Shift 12-24 hours: $500
Shift 6-12 hours: $400
Shift < 6 hours: $250

Differential for Sat/Sun/Holiday: $100

Home call/”on pager”: $150
NO

Articles with tentative agreements:

Fatigue mitigation
Housestaff will be able to use app-based transportation from all rotation sites if they are too fatigued to drive home.

Current status: Housestaff only had access to the SHC Uber account for rides to/from SHC/LPCH, and not other rotation sites such as Valley or VA. Even after presenting stories from housestaff who had fallen asleep at the wheel and gotten into accidents to due sleep deprivation and lack of safe transport home, SHC management fought hard against our proposal for safe rides home for all housestaff. Thanks to our members’ strength and participation in collective action, we finally have secured this essential provision for our safety.
Employee orientation
Housestaff shall be paid their normal rate of pay for days spent at orientation.
The union will also be provided a table at orientation and a list of housestaff.

Current status: Housestaff orientation is currently unpaid! Access to orientation will allow our union to educate our new members about their rights.
Moonlighting
Each training program must have a policy governing moonlighting. Residents must not be required to moonlight.

Current status: Previously, moonlighting was a nebulous topic with an arbitrary blanket ban on internal moonlighting by GME. Programs may now create their own policies for moonlighting.
Lactation accommodations
SHC will provide refrigerators for all lactation spaces in 300P/500P.

Current status: The Lactation Task Force at Stanford delivered several recommendations in 2021 to improve spaces and support for lactating parents At the time of union negotiations, not all spaces had refrigerators.
Grievance and arbitration
Violations of the union contract are settled through established procedures (filing ‘grievances’). If the grievance is not internally resolved between the union and SHC, then ‘arbitration’ provides a formal process for a neutral third party to resolve the grievance.

Union access
Union representatives (CIR staff) will be able to meet with housestaff in work rooms and closed meeting rooms at the hospital (to discuss issues including grievances).

Do you believe you deserve this in your contract? Want to help us win it? Then join your fellow housestaff as union members to increase our bargaining power and win a contract as excellent as the care we provide our patients.