Members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) at Michigan Medicine have been negotiating their first contract for over a year. SEIU represents respiratory therapists, phlebotomists, clerks, patient care techs, and patient services staff at the hospital. 

Their negotiations have been slow and they have not been provided the types of raises and benefits that employees at one of the state's largest health systems deserve. Members of the SEIU voted to empower their bargaining team to call for a work stoppage in order to exert pressure on the Michigan Medicine administration.

We know our union siblings are not making such a decision lightly. We support them in their efforts to secure a fair contract.

The HOA Board issued the attached letter to Hospital Administration and the Board of Regents supporting SEIU in its fight and urging management to issue fair proposals to them in negotiations. The Board also asked management to reduce operations in the event of a work stoppage in order to preserve patient safety,

Letter Supporting SEIU

9/30/24

Dr. Runge and Dr. Miller,

We, the elected Board members of the University of Michigan House Officers Association (HOA), write this letter in support of our union siblings in SEIU Healthcare Michigan, who are in negotiations for their first contract. We are disappointed that the hospital has been unwilling to provide fair bargaining proposals with a possible work stoppage on the table. We know our fellow union members in SEIU do not take this step lightly.

With this in mind, the loss of our SEIU colleagues for any length of time, even one day, will have a tremendous impact on patient care and safety. Members of the HOA and other care personnel are understaffed and stretched thin. We are concerned we will be unable to provide the high-quality care our patients deserve without these team members by our sides. Our own over-stretched members will not be able to make up for their loss, nor should they be expected or ordered to do so.

We ask that in the event of a work stoppage of any length, Michigan Medicine demonstrates that safe, high-quality patient care is its top priority by canceling all elective and non-essential procedures on those days and diverting as many emergency cases as possible to another local health system.

Dr. Sam Schuiteman
President

Dr. Rachael Tesorero
President-Elect

Dr. Jaclyn Mauch
Vice President

Dr. Jamarie Geller
Secretary

Dr. Nadine Ibrahim
Treasurer

Dr. Mario Belfiglio
Dr. Elise Corden
Dr. Alexis Holman
Dr. Connor Knowles
Dr. Emily Lawrence
Dr. Joseph Linzey
Dr. Haley Marber
Dr. Tricia Pendergrast
Dr. Alexa Pinskey
Dr. Sudhu Srinivasan