Elected Representatives Call On Mayor Adams to Support Fair Contracts for Healthcare Heroes
New York — 74 elected state and city representatives rallied behind the 2,500 dedicated members of the Doctors Council/SEIU as they call for fair contracts amidst ongoing negotiations. These frontline healthcare professionals, serving in NYC Health + Hospitals (NYC H+H) facilities have demonstrated unwavering commitment and sacrifice and yet remain without a fair contract. The elected officials called on Mayor Adams to press the Office of Labor Relations, NYC H+H, and all of the affiliate practice groups to negotiate in good faith and recognize the members of the Doctors Council for their contributions and sacrifice on behalf of New York City.
“The Doctors Council SEIU is very concerned about the status of our negotiations as we continue with the hope of securing a contract that further supports the H+H healthcare system and provides the proper funding to fill vacancies that threaten to disrupt that care we provide. We are encouraged to have so much support from members of the NYS Senate, the NYS Assembly, and the NYC Council who understand this ongoing problem and the challenges our members face,” said Doctors Council President Dr. Frances Quee, MD.
The elected officials noted in a jointly-signed letter to Mayor Adams that the issue concerns all New Yorkers’ safety, security, health, and well-being as well. Longstanding understaffing has resulted in burnout, turnover, and an inability to adequately recruit. The inability to secure a fair contract will lead to further understaffing, making wait times for care longer, exacerbating healthcare inequity, and making care more rushed to meet the needs of an overwhelmed system.
“It is imperative that we recognize the invaluable contributions of our healthcare heroes and prioritize their well-being. Fair contracts are not just a matter of justice for these essential workers but also critical for safeguarding the health and safety of our communities. I stand in solidarity with the Doctors Council and urge Mayor Adams to stand with us so that these vital community doctors and healthcare workers are granted a fair negotiation in good faith,” said State Senator and Chairwoman of the Senate Labor Committee Jessica Ramos.
“There is no doubt that we would have been unable to manage the COVID-19 epidemic were it not for our doctors. We are calling on Mayor Adams to support these workers and the well-being of our communities. As the representative of a community that was the epicenter of the epicenter of the pandemic, I know how vital the work of these essential workers is. Now it’s time to put our money where our mouth is and treat them with the respect they deserve so they can get to the work of helping New Yorkers,” said Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas.
“The 2,500 members of the Doctors Council SEIU have dedicated their lives to caring for the most vulnerable New Yorkers. They carried this city through the darkest hours of the pandemic, risking their lives daily to deliver care. We have a moral obligation to ensure healthcare heroes receive a fair contract. The failure to secure a fair contract will not only hurt our healthcare professionals, but it will be detrimental to every single New Yorker seeking medical care. As the Chair of the Civil Service and Labor Committee, I have dedicated my Council tenure to advocating on behalf of the city’s workforce. The Doctor’s Council has my support, and I firmly call on the administration to ensure that all stakeholders in the bargaining process negotiate in good faith,” said Council Member Carmen De La Rosa.
________
The Hon. Eric Adams
Mayor of New York City
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
April 24, 2024
Dear Mayor Adams,
We are writing to express our support for Doctors Council/SEIU members as they seek new contracts.
The 2,500 members of the Doctors Council SEIU are physicians and other healthcare professionals who work in NYC H+H facilities and a variety of Mayoral agencies. They are on the front lines of care for the most vulnerable New Yorkers practicing medicine as a public service. They risked their and their family’s lives daily during the height of the pandemic, and continue working around the clock to treat the New Yorkers who need it most. In the public health wars, they genuinely are first responders. Now, New York City owes these healthcare heroes a fair contract.
Doctors at NYC H+H facilities may be employed by NYC H+H or by an affiliate group, such as PAGNY, NYU, or Mount Sinai. Ultimately, this is a distinction without a difference—all Doctors working in NYC H+H facilities must be treated fairly. These workers and the Doctors Council members working for Mayoral agencies all deserve a fair contract. The City and NYC H+H must agree to adequate compensation and work rules that are sufficient to recruit and retain a full complement of doctors. Otherwise, vacancies across the hospitals and agencies where Doctors Council members work will continue to grow, and patient care will suffer.
This is not just about a fair contract for these city health workers. This concerns all New Yorkers’ safety, security, health, and well-being. Longstanding understaffing has resulted in burnout, turnover, and an inability to adequately recruit. The inability to secure a fair contract will lead to further understaffing, making wait times for care longer, exacerbating healthcare inequity, and making care more rushed to meet the needs of an overwhelmed system.
You have spoken passionately about being a blue-collar union Mayor. As the first Mayor in generations to have risen through the ranks of the City’s workforce before being elected to office, you are uniquely experienced to understand the challenges faced by these essential workers. That’s why, with contract negotiations stagnating, we are asking you to press the Office of Labor Relations, NYC H+H, and all of the affiliate practice groups to negotiate in good faith and recognize the members of the Doctors Council for their contributions and sacrifice on behalf of New York City.
In short, we are joining together to stand with Doctors Council/SEIU members and urge you to do the same.
Sincerely,
______
April 23, 2024
Mayor Adams:
We are writing to express our support of Doctors Council/SEIU members as they seek new contracts.
The 2,500 members of the Doctors Council SEIU are physicians and other healthcare professionals who work in NYC H+H facilities and a variety of Mayoral agencies. They are on the front lines of care for the most vulnerable New Yorkers practicing medicine as a public service. They risked their and their family’s lives on a daily basis during the height of the pandemic, and continue working around the clock to treat the New Yorkers who need it most. In the public health wars, they genuinely are first responders. Now, New York City owes these healthcare heroes a fair contract.
Doctors at NYC H+H facilities may be employed by NYC H+H or by an affiliate group, such as PAGNY, NYU, or Mount Sinai. Ultimately, this is a distinction without a difference—all Doctors working in NYC H+H facilities must be treated fairly. These workers and the Doctors Council members working for Mayoral agencies all deserve a fair contract. The City and NYC H + H must agree to adequate compensation and work rules that are sufficient to recruit and retain a full complement of doctors. Otherwise, vacancies across the hospitals and agencies where Doctors Council members work will continue to grow, and patient care will suffer.
This is not just about a fair contract for these city health workers. This concerns all New Yorkers’ safety, security, health, and well-being. Longstanding understaffing has resulted in burnout, turnover, and an inability to adequately recruit. The inability to secure a fair contract will lead to further understaffing, making wait times for care longer, exacerbating healthcare inequity, and making care more rushed to meet the needs of an overwhelmed system.
You have spoken passionately about being a blue-collar union Mayor. As the first Mayor in generations to have risen through the ranks of the City’s workforce before being elected to office, you are uniquely experienced to understand the challenges faced by these essential workers. That’s why, with contract negotiations stagnating, we are asking you to press the Office of Labor Relations, NYC H+H, and all of the affiliate practice groups to negotiate in good faith and recognize the members of the Doctors Council for their contributions and sacrifice on behalf of New York City.
In short, we are joining together to stand with Doctors Council/SEIU members and urge you to do the same.
Sincerely,
