Doctors at Coney Island Hospital, a member of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), voted on June 23, 2010 to join Doctors Council SEIU, as over 83% voted for the doctors' union. With 115 of the 139 eligible doctors voting, 96 voted yes and 19 voted no. As a result, 139 full-time doctors will now be represented by Doctors Council SEIU, the nation's largest union of attending physicians.

For the past 21 years, Doctors Council has represented only part time doctors at Coney Island Hospital. Last night's vote expanded Doctors Council's overall representation at Coney Island to over 200 doctors.

University Group Medical Associates (UGMA), the HHC affiliate that employs the doctors at Coney Island Hospital was represented by Jackson Lewis, a law firm specializing in preventing unionization.

"While Doctors Council has had a presence at Coney Island Hospital for two decades, there was a greater role for us to play in the advocacy of doctors and patient care in the Coney Island and South Brooklyn community that rely on this vital HHC hospital for medical care," said Barry Liebowitz, M.D., President of Doctors Council. "With healthcare being targeted for cuts across the country and with many hospitals struggling or failing, doctors need to stand together more than ever and advocate for resources and funding for staffing and patient services."

"As doctors voted yes for Doctors Council SEIU for our patients and ourselves, we can now be stronger advocates for patient care," said Aycan Turkmen, M.D., OB-GYN at Coney Island Hospital. "This is a victory for the doctors, patients and communities served by Coney Island Hospital. Doctors Council representation will give the doctors at Coney Island a real voice in decision making and more transparency in administration."

Coney Island Hospital is owned and operated by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), the largest municipal hospital and health care system in country, and a $6.3 billion public benefit corporation. HHC serves 1.3 million New Yorkers every year.

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Founded in 1973, Doctors Council SEIU is the nation's oldest and largest union of attending physicians and dentists, representing thousands of doctors, including doctors in New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Pennsylvania. In 1999, Doctors Council affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). As part of that affiliation, Doctors Council partnered with the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR) and formed the National Doctors Alliance (NDA) which represents over 17,000 doctors nationwide. For more information, visit www.doctorscouncil.com.

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