Michigan Medicine Diagnostic Technologists Become First Bargaining Unit To Gain Formal Recognition In New Healthcare Worker Union
On Friday, February 24, over 900 Michigan Medicine Diagnostic Technologists, who conduct scans and studies crucial to patient care, gained official recognition of their newly formed union: United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals (UMMAP), AFT Local 6739, AFL-CIO. The union’s majority support was verified by a neutral third party and the union received official notice of recognition from the University of Michigan/Michigan Medicine administration.
“By coming together as a union, we can ensure our voices are heard across the healthcare system and our knowledge and expertise of what it takes to have a balanced work environment is respected,” said Angela Brogan, a Mammography Technologist in the Rogel Cancer Center. “I believe unionizing will preserve a strong bond with leadership to not only secure world class patient care, but to employ and retain critical technologists throughout Michigan Medicine.”
Diagnostic technologists often work directly with physician assistants, who gained recognition in 2020 as the United Physician Assistants of Michigan Medicine (UPAMM), AFT Local 5297.
“The physician assistants of UPAMM are excited to welcome the UMMAP Diagnostic Technologists to our growing union family at Michigan Medicine,” said UPAMM President Jill Hasen. “We are looking forward to working with UMMAP to make the health system a better place to work for all of us, which will help us provide the best care to our patients.”
Paul Brown, Chair of the Board of Regents of the University of Michigan said, “Unions are a positive thing for Michigan Medicine and the University. Diagnostic technologists and all Michigan Medicine healthcare workers are the heart of Michigan Medicine and we are looking forward to working closely with UMMAP in providing high quality patient care.”
UMMAP will be a multi-bargaining unit union of healthcare workers spanning across Michigan Medicine, with diagnostic technologists leading the charge and becoming the first unit to gain official recognition. With a commitment to an open, transparent, and cooperative process, UMMAP is poised to improve the workplace culture at Michigan Medicine, ensuring that health care workers are given the respect and support they deserve.
United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals encourages healthcare workers from across Michigan Medicine to strive for respect, fairness, equity and transparency through democratic organizing and collective bargaining and looks forward to providing collective advocacy for Michigan Medicine healthcare workers from the three main hospitals in Ann Arbor to the 125 external clinics across the state.
