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2-YEAR, 8% CONTRACT PLUS 4% LUMP SUM
RATIFIED BY GENERATIONS +/NORTHERN
MANHATTAN NETWORK DOCTORS

FIRST CONTRACT FOR D&TC DOCS AS DOCTORS COUNCIL MEMBERS

New York, NY: On July 23^rd , 2003, doctors employed at HHC’s Generations +/Northern Manhattan Diagnostic and Treatment Centers (D&TC’s), Belvis, Morissania and Renaissance, unanimously ratified its first contract with New York Medical College, which provides doctors to the three D&TC centers. The 2-year contract provides the approximately 20 doctors employed at the three clinics with two 4% increases.  The first 4% increase is retroactive to July 1, 2003 and the second 4% increase commences on July 1, 2004.  In addition, the contract provides the doctors with a 4% lump sum, retroactive to the date that Doctors Council was recognized as its union in November 2002 , resulting in a 12% overall increase over the course of the contract.

“One of the significant highlights of January’s contract for our doctors at Metropolitan Hospital was the recognition of Doctors Council as the sole and exclusive bargaining representative for the doctors employed by New York Medical College at HHC’s 3 D&TC’s,” said Barry Liebowitz, M.D., President of Doctors Council.  “That provision became a reality when the doctors at Belvis, Morissania and Renaissance approved their first union contract.”

Other contract highlights include:

• Creation of a Patient Care Committee, comprised of doctors and management which will convene once a month to discuss patient care issues.
• Establishment of a $6,000 deferential for each board certification.
• Establishment of longevity deferentials of $1,000 for 5 years of service, $1,500 for 10 years of service and $2,000 for 15 years of service. This takes effect on January 1, 2004.
• Just Cause Job Protection, which requires the employer to prove legal just cause when attempting to dismiss a doctor.
• 5 days off for Continuing Medical Education (CME) and one additional day for board certification or recertification.
• Up to $2,000 in CME reimbursements per year.

Doctors Council, an organization of doctors, by doctors, and for doctors, is the nation's oldest and largest union of attending physicians in the United States, with over 3,700 members in the New York Metropolitan Area.  On March 1, 1999 Doctors Council affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).  As part of the affiliation, Doctors Council partnered with two of SEIU’s locals, the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) and the United Salaried Physicians and Dentists (USPD) to create the National Doctors Alliance.                             

The National Doctors Alliance has a membership of over 16,000 members nationwide. and its major functions are to address issues of common concern for doctors, and to determine the best and most efficient course of action for organizing new members here and around the country.

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