Milwaukee, WI, July 15, 2025 — The American Academy of Emergency Medicine (AAEM) today announced a new alliance with Doctors Council, a union of attending physicians affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), as part of its broader effort to offer emergency physicians tools to confront the growing crisis facing the specialty.
Emergency physicians are being pushed to the breaking point as they face corporate control over medical decisions, unsafe staffing models, and the erosion of due process, all while bearing the weight of an increasingly strained healthcare system. This alliance brings together two organizations committed to defending the integrity of physician-led care and restoring the voices of frontline doctors.
“This is about protecting the work we do and the patients we serve,” said Robert Frolichstein, MD FAAEM, President of AAEM. “Too often, decisions about emergency care are made without input from the physicians actually providing it. This alliance may provide some emergency physician groups a stronger voice and a better chance at real change.”
This partnership comes at a time when more than 75% of U.S. physicians are employed by hospitals or corporate entities. That shift has increased the demand for legal protections, fair treatment, and a collective voice in decisions that affect patient care and physician well-being.
Doctors Council SEIU brings more than five decades of experience successfully organizing attending physicians across a wide range of academic, nonprofit, and public health systems nationwide. The union currently represents physicians in two of the three largest public hospital systems in the United States, including New York City and Chicago.
“This partnership is an exciting and essential response to the growing concern among physicians,” said Dr. Frances Quee, President of Doctors Council SEIU and a practicing pediatrician in the Bronx. “Our profession has become increasingly subject to corporate priorities. But there is no limit to what we can accomplish when physicians stand together.”
AAEM and Doctors Council are ready to stand with physicians who want to take action—offering tools, knowledge, and support for those who feel this approach aligns with their needs and circumstances. For more information, please contact info@aaem.org.
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This partnership gives AAEM members access to support from the oldest and most experienced labor union of attending physicians in the country. It reflects a shared commitment to:
- Defending physician-led care
- Protecting the physician-patient relationship
- Strengthening the voice of emergency physicians in their workplaces
Doctors Council SEIU is an affiliate of the largest healthcare union in the United States. Their leadership and advocacy are grounded in decades of experience fighting for physicians in academic, nonprofit, and public systems.
Today, more than 75% of U.S. physicians are employed by corporate entities or hospital systems. In this environment:
- Clinical autonomy is under threat
- Due process protections have been eroded
- Physicians report feeling silenced or sidelined in critical decisions
- Staffing models often prioritize efficiency over patient safety
AAEM has heard from many members expressing frustration about these trends. This alliance is a direct response—designed to give physicians a path forward grounded in organizing, advocacy, and solidarity.
The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), passed in 1935, protects the rights of all employees—including physicians—to:
- Organize and engage in collective bargaining
- Form or join a union
- Act together to improve workplace conditions
This includes “protected and concerted activity”, which means that even in non-unionized settings, physicians have the right to speak out collectively without retaliation. That protection is especially relevant today as more physicians seek control over their working conditions and patient care decisions.
Doctors Council SEIU has successfully organized physicians across a range of major health systems. While specific campaigns vary, their accomplishments include:
- Representation of attending physicians in New York City and Chicago, two of the nation’s largest public health systems
- Leading successful union efforts at major nonprofit and academic hospitals
- Building partnerships with hospital leadership to create problem-solving forums that address:
- Staffing
- Physician safety
- Quality of care
They also work to:
- Prevent harmful administrative decisions that limit access to care
- Negotiate transparent and fair compensation plans
- Advocate for physicians through local and national legislative efforts
Negotiate transparent and fair compensation plans
AAEM and Doctors Council SEIU are committed to:
- Educating members about their rights
- Providing support for those considering organizing
- Offering legal and strategic guidance tailored to emergency medicine
If you want to learn more about how this alliance could support you or your colleagues, contact us via email.