Loma Linda, CA — Resident physicians at Loma Linda University Medical Center are attempting to unionize, citing low pay and terrible working conditions that they say threaten the health of both patients and doctors.
“A union is a way of saying that we will no longer tolerate your avoidance of resident wellness and patient care,” Jessica Muñoz, a second-year resident working in emergency medicine at Loma Linda University Health, told a crowd of several dozen healthcare workers on Friday, Feb. 24 — Thank a Resident Day — across the street from Loma Linda University Medical Center.
Residents — doctors taking part in a post-graduate training program — often work 30 hours straight and up to 120 hours a week, getting paid the equivalent of minimum wage without lunch breaks, according to Muñoz. Physicians at the hospital have killed themselves due to the strain, she said.
“We are here to make this a better place, safer for you, safer for your patients,” Muñoz said.