Boston, MA — April 21, 2025 — In a major step forward for the unionization efforts of primary care physicians at Mass General Hospital (MGH) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH), the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled in favor of the physicians, affirming that all academic primary care doctors belong in a single bargaining unit. This decision clears the way for a union election, despite months of delay tactics by Mass General Brigham (MGB).

After filing for a union election with Doctors Council SEIU in November 2024 with a supermajority support, physicians faced fierce resistance from MGB. The hospital system hired a high-cost anti-union law firm and attempted to divide doctors by arguing that many did not belong in the same unit. The NLRB rejected MGB’s claims, siding with the physicians and upholding their right to unionize together.

MGB has its first opportunity to appeal the ruling from now until May 2. Ballots will be mailed on May 6, must be returned by May 29, and will be counted in person on May 30 at 2 PM.

“MGB tried to delay, divide, and discourage us—but we stayed united,” said Dr. Kristen Gunning, a physician at MGH Bulfinch Medical Group. “This ruling confirms what we’ve known all along: primary care physicians must have a collective voice to fight for our patients and our profession.”

Physicians began organizing in response to growing concerns about collapsing access to primary care, unsustainable workloads, and a healthcare system that puts profits before patients. This legal victory is an important milestone—but the power to make change has always been with the doctors themselves, who have remained united and determined from the start. Now, with the path to the ballot clear, they’re ready to use that power to win lasting improvements through collective bargaining.

Across the country, doctors are standing up for their rights and forming unions in response to the same pressures—corporate consolidation, burnout, and barriers to delivering quality care. MGH and BWH primary care physicians are proud to be part of this national wave of physician-led change.

“We're proud, we're ready, and we’re voting,” said Dr. Jiani Guo, a physician at BWH Faulkner Community Physicians in Hyde Park. “Our unity has carried us this far—and we’re not stopping now.”

About Doctors Council:
Doctors Council is the country’s oldest and largest union of attending physicians. Founded to give doctors a collective voice, Doctors Council works to improve working conditions, enhance patient care, and restore the dignity of the medical profession. The union represents physicians across the United States who are committed to improving the healthcare system and advocating for the rights of doctors and their patients.

Media Contacts:
Gabrielle Hanley, Lead Organizer
ghanley@doctorscouncil.org

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