(KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN) - More than 260 Residents and Fellow Physicians at the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed) have successfully Unionized by an overwhelming 152-to-12 vote.

Union Representatives said the voting certified the Resident & Fellow Alliance (RFA) - which is affiliated with American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Michigan, as their Union. 

“We came together to form the Resident and Fellow Alliance at WMed to raise standards in patient care and residency education,” said Linda Saju, Resident Physician in Psychiatry. “Our residents have been organizing for almost a year and we have won the election by a landslide. RFA will be the third Resident and Fellow Union in the state of Michigan.  Our current system needs to change and we, as Physicians, want a voice in the process.” 

The RFA is working to create a voice for Residents and Fellows at WMed, in addition to improvements in many areas, including salary, flexibility in time off and fair educational stipends. 

AFT Michigan also represents Resident Physicians at Wayne State University and is currently organizing with residents who work for Detroit Education and Research at Detroit Medical Center Hospitals.

To Directly Access This Labor News Report, Go To: WMed Residents & Fellows Vote to Unionize - AFT Michigan