Washington, D.C. — Aug. 21, 2024 — After months of unfair labor practices, bargaining in bad faith, deteriorating workplace conditions, the resignation of 30 primary care providers, and the abrupt firing of over 40 support staff, an overwhelming 95% of Unity Health Care providers have voted to authorize a strike.
The providers at Unity Health Care, one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Clinics (FQHCs) in Washington, D.C., organized with the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD) last December to improve scheduling, enhance workplace safety, build transparency, and increase time spent with each patient.
“It has become clear that Unity and their expensive, union-busting lawyers have no intention of treating Washington, D.C.’s frontline providers with the respect they deserve,” said UAPD President, Dr. Stuart Bussey. “Unity and other FQHCs provide essential care to the District’s most vulnerable patients. Their disrespect ends now.”
Approximately 30 Unity Health Care providers have resigned over the last six months, citing inept leadership, untenable schedules, and deteriorating working conditions. Additionally, Unity has laid off or furloughed more than 40 support staff who recently organized with DC Local 1199.
The resignations, firings, and furloughs of so many employees at Unity leaves the equivalent of 40 primary care providers—of whom, only 14 are full-time clinical physicians. This means a mere few dozen providers are responsible for seeing 85,000+ underserved patients in the District of Columbia.
“The lack of leadership from Unity CEO Jessica Henderson Boyd and COO Tracy Harrison has caused the near collapse of consistent, quality primary care at Unity,” said Dr. Natasha Khawaja, a family physician at Unity. “The physician-patient relationship that is essential to achieving health equity for our patients is being undermined daily, and it’s not safe. Our overwhelming strike authorization is not only a vote for better patient care, it’s also a vote of ‘no confidence’ in Unity management.”
Multiple unfair labor practices charges have been filed against Unity in the wake of this disrespect and dysfunction. Those charges include:
- Bargaining in bad faith, including multiple delays and cancellations of bargaining sessions
- Ongoing retaliation against providers for their Union participation (violations of Sections 8(a)(1) and (a)(3) of the National Labor Relations Act
- Attempting to make unilateral changes affecting terms and conditions of employment, and refusing to make proposed changes which were agreed to by UAPD
- Refusing to provide pertinent information concerning Unity’s operational finances despite repeated claims that the Company is unable to alleviate scheduling and staffing concerns because of financial ramifications
- Providing forged and otherwise counterfeit information in response to Requests for Information
The strike authorization vote allows the UAPD bargaining team to call a strike if negotiations or working conditions fail to improve at Unity.
About the Union of American Physicians and Dentists
Established in 1972, the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD) is the largest union for licensed doctors and advanced practice clinicians in the nation—representing more than 7,000 private and public-sector healthcare practitioners. Affiliated with AFSCME and the AFL-CIO, UAPD brings the strength of the labor movement to the aid of providers in the interest of better medicine for all. Learn more at www.uapd.com.
Contact Information: Vivi Le, Communications Manager, vivi.le@uapd.com