Negotiated settlement reached after last week's health walkout

From the Bruin: Resident physicians, fellows and interns won health benefits and union access [last] Wednesday night in their most recent negotiating session with UCLA administration. After 10 months of bargaining with UCLA Health, the administration and residents reached a tentative agreement that includes wage and housing stipend increases, sustained health benefits until 2021 and unrestricted union access in the hospital, said Caleb Williams, a resident physician, in an email statement.

About 80 resident physicians and interns, as well as outside union members and supporters, gathered outside the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center [last] Wednesday before the negotiations in a walkout to express their concerns with proposed cuts to health insurance benefits and restrictions to union access.

The walkout was organized by the Committee of Interns and Residents, the largest house staff union in the United States and a local of the Service Employees International Union, which represents physicians and fellows. Caleb Wilson, a medical resident, said in an email statement over 70 residents attended the bargaining session the evening of Wednesday’s Unity Break, which he feels helped the committee’s effort to negotiate for a stronger contract.

“We are pleased with our contract and definitely believe Wednesday’s Unity Break provided a much needed push to come to a swift and strong conclusion,” Wilson wrote.

A UCLA Health spokesperson said in an email statement that the university is pleased to have reached a tentative contract agreement with the union, and the university is hopeful CIR members will ratify it in their upcoming vote...

Full story at http://dailybruin.com/2019/08/18/after-months-of-bargaining-medical-residents-reach-tentative-agreement-with-ucla/