Board Adopts Policies on Collective Bargaining and PFAS

July 18, 2024

The MMA Board of Trustees adopted two policies at its July 15 meeting – one supporting the right of physicians and physicians-in-training to take part in collective bargaining, which was proposed by the MMA Policy Council, and another advocating for the substitution of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), which was proposed by the MMA Public Health Committee.  

Prior to the Board action, both policies were routed for member input and comment via The Pulse, the MMA’s online policy tool. For the collective bargaining proposal, 87% of Pulse participants voted yes, 9% voted no, and 4% were neutral. For the PFAS proposal, 96% of Pulse participants voted yes for the proposal, 1% voted no and 3% were neutral. 

The adopted collective bargaining policy is as follows: "The MMA supports the right of physicians and physicians-in-training to engage in collective bargaining, including physician unionization, and supports the expansion of the number of physicians and physicians-in-training eligible for that right under state and federal law."  

The adopted PFAS policy is as follows: "Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (also known as PFAS), defined as any substance that contains at least one fully fluorinated methyl (CF3-) or methylene (-CF2-) carbon atom (without any H/Cl/Br/I attached to it), have health impacts from environmental and manufacturing exposure. The MMA acknowledges the efforts that have been taken to position Minnesota as a national leader in PFAS pollution prevention. The MMA encourages Minnesota to continue to take the steps necessary to ensure that PFAs exposure is reduced in the environment and in consumer goods. As such, the MMA supports the phase-out of PFAS and similar “forever chemicals” from manufacturing and processing of goods. To raise awareness of the health impacts of PFAS, the MMA will disseminate evidence-based resources to physicians and their patients."