We all know that, even before the horrific, world-changing event of COVID-19, society would fall apart without hospital workers and medical staff. But as we also know, like so many other fields and sectors of work, the medical field is a very stratified one. Even though we as patients may not see it, many of the folks who make hospitals and medical facilities run are overworked, understaffed, under-protected, and paid way less than we’re led to believe. This was made painfully clear last month when frontline physicians at LA county hospitals voted overwhelmingly in favor of striking over unfair labor practices. After voting to strike, LA County members of the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU), which is a local of the Service Employees International Union, won a historic tentative agreement with LA County, including average salary increases of 5.5% in the first year of the contract, followed by 3.25% in the following two years, a $3000 increase in annual housing stipends, a signing bonus for incoming interns, the creation of a $125,000 fund for diverse recruitment efforts and more. To talk about all of this and more, we chat with Dr. Frances Gill, a first-year resident physician at LAC/USC Medical Center who is training to be a psychiatrist.

Additional links/info below...

• Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR/SEIU) website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
• CIR/SEIU Press Release: LA County Frontline Physicians and CIR Members Announce Contract Resolution After History-Making Campaign 
• Dave Muoio, Fierce Healthcare, "LA County's Tentative Labor Deal Heads Off 1,300-Physician Strike at 3 Public Hospitals"

Permanent links below...

• Working People Patreon page
• Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show!
• Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
• In These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
• The Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter page

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

• Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song