They are seeking better pay, hours, and working conditions and felt a union would give them a "seat at the table" to advocate for themselves and their patients, the union said in a news release.
"Contending with rampant burnout, long hours, intense stints of night shifts, inadequate pay, overwork, and other issues, the doctors feel that their well-being is inseparable from the health of the people they provide care to," the news release reads.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center -- which is among those affiliated with Harvard Medical School -- said the organization was proud of its role as one of the country's leading academic medical centers and highly valued its residents, interns, and fellows.
"As such, we respect their right to organize and are committed to working collaboratively with their chosen representative/CIR on our shared commitment to continue an environment that supports excellence in patient care, education, innovation, and professional growth," the spokesperson said. "As the first step in this new relationship, we will begin working, in good faith, with CIR representatives on a first contract."
The Beth Israel doctors are part of a small but quickly growing number of physicians taking steps to unionize. Residents and fellows at Mass General Brigham voted to join a union in 2023, and those at Care New England and Brown University Health in Rhode Island announced they were organizing in November. CIR/SEIU also represents residents and fellows at Boston Medical Center, the UMass Chan Medical School, and Cambridge Health Alliance.