San Jose, CA — Valley Physicians Group, a union representing doctors in Santa Clara County’s public health system, reached a tentative agreement with the County on the evening of October 28, 2022. This agreement averted the doctors’ strike originally planned for November 1-4 at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center due to staffing shortages and heavy workloads directly impacting the quality of care for community members.
Prior to finalization, the agreement will be presented to the County Board of Supervisors and union members for a vote of approval. They released the following joint statement:
“The parties look forward to focusing their efforts on the shared commitment to provide the highest quality care to the patients we serve. As we did during the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to deliver the excellent healthcare that all members of our community need and deserve. We are committed to working together to tackle a number of difficult challenges that all those who provide health care in this nation face, especially those who serve a safety net population.”
This outcome wouldn’t have been possible if not for the solidarity of the union and its physicians. When doctors stand together for a righteous cause to fight against a system that isn’t working, a plan is set in motion and results happen. This strike vote is one of many examples of how unions fight for workers when the employer doesn’t listen to the doctors’ needs. Unions give you a voice and work on your behalf to represent your best interests at the bargaining table.
Read more coverage:
Doctors’ Union to Announce Planned Strike in Santa Clara County
Looming Physicians Strike Averted with Tentative Contract Agreement
San Jose Doctors Delay Strike Amid Agreement
In Unity
The Union of American Physicians and Dentists stands in solidarity with other unions fighting for healthcare workers.