Petition to Reinstate University Hospitals Pediatricians Fired for Union Push Gains Steam

Two UH pediatricians were apparently fired by their employer on June 19 for using an internal communications system to advance their union push. Credit: University Hospitals

Lauren Beene and Valerie Fouts-Fowler, two seasoned pediatricians at University Hospitals, were put on administrative leave June 19 for allegedly using an internal communications system in a way that infringed on company policy. The doctors were fired June 24.

The two are behind Concerned UH Physicians, an advocacy group that has been trying to nudge fellow doctors and nurses towards a union vote for the past year, claiming that employees don’t have enough of a say in company operations. The two allegedly used the UH Provider app to communicate about unionization efforts with coworkers.

In an interview with Scene on Tuesday, Beene and Fouts-Fowler framed their firing last week as a clear attempt at union busting on UH’s part.

Other doctors have used the UH Provider app to send out non-medical-related text blasts before, Beene told Scene, including invitations for baby showers and information on company fundraisers.

They have been singled out, they told Scene, for their union advocacy.

UH denies that allegation.

“After a thorough and complete investigation, appropriate action has been taken against the physicians who improperly used their colleagues’ personal data,” a statement from the hospital system said. “Due to privacy concerns, we will not offer any additional details at this time.”

“To be clear,” it added, “UH’s actions had nothing to do with organizing or retaliation.”

The community backlash against UH’s decision has been swift: A petition demanding that UH reinstate their jobs has gathered more than 5,000 signatures, from everyday citizens to mayors to fellow medical professionals.

The petition is also a kind of pre-union rally cry by and for UH employees who want an irmpoved approach to handling longstanding issues — understaffing, delays in referring patients to specialists, lengthy ER wait times, doctors who work on calendars that are triple booked.

“Our ability to stay, speak up without retaliation and speak up effectively on behalf of the challenges to patient care that we encounter on a daily basis is what we’re really fighting for,” Beene said.

“Silencing doctors is silencing patients,” Fouts-Fowler added. “And that’s pretty much it: we need a voice to protect our patients.”

The Cuyahoga Democratic Women’s Caucus was among groups who shared the petition on social media.

“There’s been a tremendous number of signatures,” Cindy Demsey, a spokesperson and member of the Cuyahoga Democratic Women’s Caucus, told Scene on Friday.

“We had close to 3,000 within a 48-hour period,” she added. “It’s still growing. We keep on getting requests and demands for it. We’re going to keep everybody informed.”

As the letter states, both doctors have experience and plaudits that make their firing seem purely politically motivated. Beene herself is on three health-related boards, two pro-choice coalitions and helped get Issue 1 on the 2023 Ohio ballot. Fouts-Fowler has been ranked one of UH’s “Top Ranking Providers.” Both doctors have been on Cleveland Magazine’s Best Doctors list.

“These women are not being punished for wrongdoing, but for speaking up,” the petition reads. “Reinstate them immediately.”

Over a hundred people signed onto a Zoom call last Thursday to rally around the two doctors.

State Rep. Nickie Antonio joined the Zoom, she told Scene, to figure out how exactly to pressure UH to reconsider the firing of the two women who did nothing more than stand up for UH nurses, doctors, and patients.

“This issue is something bigger than just these two physicians,” Antonio said. “And talking to them about better patient care is part of the work they’re responsible for doing. So I think that’s the core” issue.

Both physicians are in talks with the Doctors Council of the Service Employees International Union, the labor organization that has been walking the two through typical organizing strategy, and where UH employees may unionize if a vote in the future is granted.

On Friday, July 11, from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., Beene and Fouts-Fowler are organizing a picket for fellow union supporters in front of UH’s Management Services Center at 3605 Warrensville Center Road.