Unions!!

I have readers who are physicians practicing in the United States. I am often asked to speak on certain differences with how medicine is practiced here in New Zealand compared to the States. One thing that I love about working here is that I get to be part of a union!

I remember back in 2020 and 2021, there was so much talk about physicians finally unionizing in the US. Sadly, despite all of the anger and outrage about how our lives, livelihood and health were completely disregarded and devalued during the pandemic, it did not come to fruition.

It is a well-known fact that when an industry has a union, workers often do better at receiving the conditions, benefits and wages that they deserve and desire. Looking at recent news of Starbucks and Amazon workers' successes through unionization can show that in real time. This is also why there have been efforts by lawmakers in the United States and those who serve corporations and capitalism to weaken unions and roll back workplace safety and wage protections.

When I was still in the US and received my contract for the hospital I work for, I was able to send my contract to ASMS (Association of Salaried Medical Specialists) for review, for free and I hadn't even joined the union yet. I was shocked to see how transparent wages were across specialties and level of experience. It was all there on their website for all to see. There is an equity in compensation regardless of specialty that I never conceived would be possible living in the US. (Of course that is just the base salary and most of us make well over $60,000 a year above that for our after hours and weekend work etc and there is variation between specialties for that amount)

In the short time that I have been a member of this physician union, I have watched them advocate for me personally to get an increased rate for after hours work that better matched those hired years before me, I have received thousands of dollars of an increase in my base salary due to negotiations they have done with the government on our behalf, and they continue to work for us.

With inflation and the cost of living increases experienced all over the world, as an employed physician in a public health system, we also need to have our wages increase to reflect that and ASMS is working on getting that for us again this year. Negotiations have been slow and not as productive as we would like, so we voted to do a series of strikes. Last week we had our first strike. All over the country, other than a skeleton crew of us providing life preserving services, clinics and surgeries were halted, and we took to the street to show that we need wage increases that keep up with cost of living increases. Also, it is not just about the money. It is about the fact that NZ needs to retain their excellent doctors and not have talent be lost to Australia where wages are higher there. If hospitals are understaffed, patient safety is in jeopardy.

It has been an interesting experience to be a part of a physician union. Especially when I think back on how desperate we were for this in the States, to walk into it was so refreshing (It was on my list of Why New Zealand in one of my early blogs #TheWhy )

There are so many ways that I am better able to see the tangible uses for the money that I spend here compared to when I lived in the US. I am happy to care for the people of Aotearoa and I am grateful to have a union that works hard to remind our leaders that we must care for those that care for others.

We've had lots of public and news media support. This lovely 80+ year old patient knew that she would be delayed in being seen at one of the clinics, but she stood with us for 2 hours in support of our strike.