Physicians at MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital in Tacoma, Wash., have voted to join Northwest Medicine United.
Of the 97 eligible voters, 68 voted in favor of union representation and 15 voted against it, with two challenged ballots, according to the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB must still certify the results.
“We came together to have a voice in the decisions that impact our patients,” Andrea Gravatt, MD, said in a May 22 union news release. “In a time of growing challenges, physicians must be at the table to advocate for the children and families we serve. We’re proud to stand united in our commitment to compassionate, high-quality care, and now our united voice will indeed be heard.”
A hospital spokesperson shared the following statement with Becker’s:
“A subset of physicians at Mary Bridge Children’s voted last week for union representation. We respect our physicians’ right to decide their representation. Regardless of whether our team members are represented by a union or not, we will continue our work in ensuring Mary Bridge Children’s is a place of excellence for our teams and our patients.”
MultiCare is a 13-hospital system with a workforce of more than 26,000. Northwest Medicine United, formerly known as the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association, is part of AFT Healthcare.
