Medical residents and fellows at four Rhode Island hospitals affiliated with Brown University's Warren Alpert School of Medicine in Providence are looking to unionize, The Brown Daily Herald reported Nov. 19.
Here are five things to know about the possible unionization:
1. The residents and fellows work across two separate healthcare systems: Brown University Health, formerly known as Lifespan Health, and Care New England Health.
2. Physicians and residents within each system submitted filings to the National Labor Board on Nov. 15 looking to link the Local 1957 chapter of the Service Employees International Union's Committee of Interns and Residents, which currently represents more than 33,000 resident physicians nationwide.
3. The bargaining units would represent 721 Brown medical residents and fellows, as well as all 229 residents and fellows at Care New England. Some of the Care New England residents are affiliated with the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine.
4. If recognized by health system leaders, the unions will represent residents, interns, chief residents and fellows at Rhode Island Hospital, Butler Hospital, and Woman and Infants Hospital, all in Providence, and Kent Hospital in Warwick, R.I.
5. Representatives from Brown and the two healthcare systems did not immediately respond to the Herald's request for comment.