What would you love to see in your contract?

In the C-suite perched high atop the 3rd floor gardens and physically separated from the hospital, a group of residents delivered hundreds of “love letters” on Valentine’s Day to Stanford Healthcare admin regarding what they wanted in their new contract. Admin did not want to face us – they stayed in their offices and sent out their assistant to meet us! The power that these letters and our collective action represents is real. Join us this Thursday 2/16 at 5PM as we continue to bargain for higher salaries, better housing stipends, and more – things that will allow us to thrive instead of just survive, so that we have more energy to take care of ourselves and our patients.

Watch our delivery video below!

Captions:

(Background music: “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton)

9 to 5
Oh, what a way to make a livin’
Barely gettin’ by
It’s all takin’ and no givin’

They just use your mind
And they never give you credit
It’s enough to drive you
Crazy if you let it

This Valentine’s Day, the residents and fellows of Stanford’s Housestaff Union delivered “love letters” to our hospital CEO.

These Valentines from hundreds of our residents and fellows highlighted our hopes and wishes for better working conditions – and why we believe a fair contract will help to build a better Stanford.

(Natasha Abadilla, child neurology resident, speaking in SHC C-suite, with many other residents:

My name is Dr. Abadilla and we’re residents and fellows representing CIR/SEIU, the Stanford housestaff union. I’m not only a resident here at Stanford now, but I’m also a Stanford undergrad alumnus and Stanford med school alumnus and so many of us also are. We love and respect our patients and care so much about them. We brought some love letters for our C suite and management, and we hope that you love and respect us enough to read these love letters saying what we would love to see in our new contract as we move forward with bargaining for our union.

Here’s a small sample of our “love letters” to Stanford.

Increased paid parental leave, childcare support, & lactation accommodations

Handicapped accessible call rooms and lounge

Paid internal moonlighting for sick call coverage. Residents feel guilty for getting sick because it means overworked colleagues are pulled to do extra work without pay.

Liveable wages and housing support for training in one of the highest cost of living areas in the country

We’ve made our wishes known. This week, we will continue our negotiations with Stanford Healthcare. Residents and fellows – come join us at the bargaining table this Thursday evening 2/16 to discuss critical issues including compensation, benefits, and more.