Buffalo, NY — Resident doctors and fellows at University at Buffalo have voted to unionize, joining a nationwide movement to revamp the conditions, culture and compensation that physicians-in-training have long encountered.
Of those who cast ballots, 270 voted in favor of unionizing with the Union of American Physicians & Dentists, while 114 voted no. There also were 46 challenged ballots – not enough to sway the outcome, according to a count of the ballots at the National Labor Relations Board office in Buffalo on Thursday afternoon.
Dr. Armin Tadayyon, a second-year anesthesiology resident, called it a “great day for the future of medicine and patient-centered care,” noting UB resident physicians are at their tipping points and working 80 hours a week while struggling to pay down student loans.
“With this unionization, we can now fight for a fair and just contract and advocate for our patients,” he said.