Doctors Council Advocacy Committees Chicago

Workplace Advocacy Committee

This Committee is committed to organizing, educating and training doctors to improve the lives of our members and build our membership through collective action. We will achieve this by creating a network of leaders and activists who communicate and educate other doctors to address workplace issues. This Committee enhances our flexibility to address issues which may or may not be addressed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Additionally, we may mobilize within a department, a hospital or system-wide.  Workplace Advocacy Doctors will be asked to talk with members and hear their concerns.  Once members understand the issue and what is at stake, we can involve them in collective actions to increase our power (e.g., wearing a button, passing out flyers, signing petitions). By building a Doctors Council that has grassroots membership support and involvement, we put ourselves in a better position to bargain stronger contracts in the coming years, and help us fulfill our mission to advocate for our members, ensuring safe staffing and workload, and to win the respect we deserve.We will also work on quality issues through our Patient Care Committees.

Community Outreach & Policy Advocacy Committee 

We understand the community plays a vital role in what we do. This Committee will work together to strengthen existing and create new strategic partnerships and alliances with community organizations. As a union, we can see how important existing partnerships have been through our work on the closure of coal burning plants on the Cook County’s south side, partnering with community, immigrants, and health care organizations to improve access to CCHHS services for uninsured county residents, advocating for increased funding for the system, and protecting pediatric services at Stroger Hospital. The struggle of the work we do every day is closely tied with the struggles of the communities we live and work in.  We must work closely with partners and allies to improve not only where we work but to combat inequalities that directly affect our patients and communities we serve.  Being a part of this Committee means being part of a group of key leaders involved with specific community organizations that we share values with. We also will work together to get our message out on issues to advocate for our patients on matters of social justice and community health. We will formulate a platform to inform our advocacy work in 2017 and beyond.  Our COPAC will identify issues of common interest to doctors to ensure a more just health system for all. We would love to hear your ideas and the issues you are passionate about.