Doctors working for the city and its public hospital system kicked off a series of rallies Friday to draw attention to their months-long fight for a new union contract. The group of 2,800 physicians are members of Doctors Council, a local of the Service Employees International Union, and work at hospitals and clinics across the city. Chief among their concerns is understaffing as patient volume and acuity has increased, leading to physician burnout and high turnover. In one example cited at Friday’s rally outside Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, doctors said the rheumatology department had to be closed due to insufficient staffing. But the contract negotiations are far from simple, thanks to the doctors’ employment structure. NYC Health + Hospitals is on the other side of the bargaining table, but the Physician Affiliate Group of New York, NYU Langone and Mount Sinai are also involved because, in some instances, they serve as the physicians’ employer. “In recent years the health system has made significant investments in its clinical workforce,” NYC Health + Hospitals said in a statement. “While discussions are on-going with Doctors Council, our hospitals remain places our patients trust for their care." Union members will host rallies on Tuesday at the Elmhurst hospital in Queens and on Thursday at South Brooklyn Health. Their tagline: “Recruit! Retain! Respect!” IN OTHER NEWS: — In-house staff for the health care union 1199SEIU have voted to unionize, representatives announced Friday. The group of roughly 260 employees voted 82 percent in favor of joining the Washington-Baltimore News Guild. ON THE AGENDA: — Tuesday at 10 a.m. The City Council’s health committee meets to discuss legislation on coverage of reproductive benefits and rapid testing sites for STIs. — Thursday at 9:30 a.m. The state Public Health and Health Planning Council's Committee on Codes, Regulations and Legislation will convene, followed by a meeting of the full council. MAKING ROUNDS: — Vincent Tammaro was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of the Mount Sinai Health System. Tammaro, who is currently CFO of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, joined the system in October. GOT TIPS? Send story ideas and feedback to Maya Kaufman at mkaufman@politico.com. Want to receive this newsletter every weekday? Subscribe to POLITICO Pro. You’ll also receive daily policy news and other intelligence you need to act on the day’s biggest stories.
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