UB medical residents begin 4-day strike after employer doesn't respond to union proposal (2024)

University at Buffalo medical residents began a four-day strike at midnight after the Union of American Physicians and Dentists was informed Monday evening by University Resident Medical Services, representing UB and area hospitals, that it wouldn't respond to the union's proposal until Sept. 9.

"It is so unfortunate, and so arrogant and disrespectful that the shell company can't get together to provide us with a fair contract after more than a year of bargaining," said lead union negotiator Rob Boreanaz, who considers University Resident Medical Services a "shell company" because it has no employees or office space.

It remains to be seen how many in the bargaining unit of 829 physicians-in-training pushing for better salaries, health care and working conditions will not report to work at UB-affiliated hospitals and clinics. The union had a 93% strike authorization vote, showing widespread support.

A statement from University Resident Medical Services blamed the union for the impasse.

"Despite UMRS' best efforts to reach agreement– including providing the union with a salary proposal that is virtually the same as the union's proposal– the union has decided to move forward with the strike," the statement said.

"This disappointing news from the union comes after a Sept. 1 bargaining session in which the union made a last-minute demand, little more than 24 hours prior to the strike, for an additional $15 million in salary increases over three years. It is pretty apparent that, by doing this, the union is not interested in settling this contract negotiation any time soon."

Larry Ross, URMS' lead negotiator, declined to speak with The News. Union organizer Cary Lane said the added salary amount was "a creative solution" to compensate for benefits the union is seeking and which URMS said some hospitals are unable to provide.

"They are using our desire to work with them against us," Lane said.

The URMS statement also said the union proposal fails to "fully consider the tremendous value of the educational and training benefits provided to the residents," and "is not fiscally responsible for UMRS or the hospital training sites."

"While we are disappointed with the union's recent actions that prevented an agreement to avert a strike, UMRS will continue to bargain in good faith with the hope that an agreement will soon be reached," the statement said.

Boreanaz said he was notified at 7 p.m. Monday that there wouldn't be a response to the union's offer, that was presented Sunday night during a long bargaining session.

"Given the recent series of disrespectful reactions to our efforts at bargaining, I am sensing the residents are very upset, and they understand their legal rights," Boreanaz said. "These are very sharp and intelligent people who are driven and their resolve is strong."

Boreanaz expressed frustration with UB and area hospitals for not taking a bigger role in negotiations.

"Nobody from UB has ever set foot in the bargaining room, or the affiliate hospitals – Kaleida, Catholic, Roswell, ECMC – despite repeated attempts to accommodate confidentiality demands," Boreanaz said. "They're hiding and they should all be ashamed. The community needs to hold everyone responsible for this colossal failure."

Boreanaz expected the hospitals to go down to essential services and cancel elective surgeries, "one of the more profitable billing opportunities for hospitals," he said.

The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences said in a statement that it was "disappointed an agreement wasn't reached," but is "encouraged that UMRS has offered a salary on par with their peers at upstate hospitals."

"As negotiations continue, we remain committed to supporting residents and providing them with the outstanding educational opportunities, training and experiences they need to become highly skilled physicians within the health care community."

Earlier in the day, Dr. Stuart Bussey, the union's president, expressed measured optimism.

"The ice is breaking," Bussey said. "If they are smart they will avoid four days of embarrassment.

“We’ll see if they respect the residents and want to give them what others in the state have – better pay and better benefits,” Bussey said.

One of the sticking points was the introduction of a health plan with a higher premium and higher deductible without informing residents in advance. UB residents pay more for their health care coverage – and are paid less and receive fewer benefits overall, including meal and training stipends – than residents at the University of Rochester, Albany Medical College, the University of Pittsburgh and other SUNY upstate schools, the union said.

Another change the residents are seeking is a uniform policy for residency extensions that provide certainty and fairness.

“It’s all about power, right, especially in academic bureaucracies,” Bussey said. “They don’t want to give up their power over these residents, but residents make the hospitals run and generate a lot of income.”

The last strike by residents in New York State occurred in May 2023, when more than 160 residents walked out of Elmhurst Hospital Center in Queens for two days before their union, the Committee of Interns and Residents, reached an agreement that included an 18% pay increase and a meal stipend. It was the first strike by doctors in New York City in 33 years.

This is only the fourth strike the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, which represents 7,000 bargaining units, has authorized in 52 years.

"Anytime you call a strike, it's a last resort," Boreanaz said. "Always the goal is to avoid strikes and reach collective agreements, but you can't do that without a willing bargaining partner, and over the course of the last year with hospitals and UB hiding behind the shell company, we really haven't had a good-faith bargaining process."

Impacted hospitals and clinics include Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Erie County Medical Center, Sisters of Charity Hospital, Buffalo Psychiatric Center, Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, Olean General Hospital, Buffalo General Hospital, Gates Vascular Institute and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Others affected are John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Jericho Road Community Health Center and University at Buffalo Neurosurgery Clinic.