Why Doctors Need A Union
Physicians have had it with the way that they and their patients have been treated by the health care industry. The Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD) is committed to putting physicians back where they belong—in control of their practice and with a leading role in American health care.
UAPD is a tough and effective labor organization which has successfully represented doctors for more than 30 years. Affiliated with the 1.3 million member American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), UAPD can draw on additional lobbying, research, and organizing resources to support its efforts on behalf of doctors.
Who Can Join UAPD?
Salaried DoctorsSalaried doctors have the right to join a labor union and bargain collectively over their salary, benefits, and working conditions. This includes doctors directly employed by the State of California or by any county agency.
The Union of American Physicians and Dentists can negotiate improvements in doctors’ salaries, fringe benefits, job security, and working conditions, and it can help doctors regain control over the quality of the medical care that they deliver.
A Professional UnionUAPD has professional labor negotiators on its staff who know the issues of salaried doctors inside and out and have the expertise to get the job done.
A Doctor-Run UnionThe UAPD is a democratically-run union governed by an elected executive board composed entirely of physicians. All contracts must be ratified by the members working for that employer.
What Unionized Doctors Have GainedHigher Wages -- UAPD has negotiated major salary increases for its members in every bargaining unit that it represents.
More Job Security – The contracts that UAPD negotiates with employers give added security to represented physicians. Doctors have a right to bring unresolved grievances before a neutral third-party arbitrator.
Shorter Workweeks – UAPD has negotiated an average workweek of 40 hours for the physicians it represents. Physicians under these contracts can work more than 40 hours, but they receive extra pay or hour-for-hour time off.
Excellent Benefit Packages -- UAPD has negotiated improvements on pension plans, health and dental insurance, educational leave, malpractice coverage, and other benefits for thousands of physicians.
More Control – Because regaining control over the quality of care is a top priority for doctors, UAPD has negotiated contracts that give ultimate authority to medical staff.
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Private Practice DoctorsPrivate Practice Doctors can join a labor union as individuals, but they are prohibited by law from bargaining collectively over their salary, benefits, or working conditions.
Changing the law so that doctors may work together to win improvements for themselves and their patients is one of the UAPD’s principle legislative goals. UAPD encourages private practice physicians to join the union today, because union membership offers them a number of immediate benefits, such as: Union IPA: Union members can join UAPD's successful non-profit Independent Physicians' Association and gain immediate access to multiple plans and thousands of new patients.
Claims and Practice Fee Recovery: UAPD assists its members with Medicare and Medi-Cal insruance claims, as well as HMO, PPO, and IPA claim problems. Contract Review and Consultation |
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More Resources By Grace Budrys, Ph.D.
Author of When Doctors Join Unions
By Lyle N. Yates, M.D.
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