In this article, experts in labor and management address the question of whether unionizing is an appropriate vehicle through which psychologists can protect professional autonomy, standards, and quality of care. One threshold issue is the degree to which health care professionals have control over their incomes and working conditions in the current marketplace and their willingness to perceive themselves as "workers." Examples of successful labor-management collaboration on behalf of patients and union representation on behalf of psychologists are provided. Some legal and strategic considerations about forming or joining unions are also discussed.As corporate downsizing has been eliminating job security for millions of American workers, the prevailing conditions in the health care marketplace have been threatening the economic security of thousands of health care professionals, including psychologists. Health care providers have begun to use the leverage of forming large group practices as a means of acquiring more bargaining power with large managed care organizations.However, only a minority of health care professionals have explored another possible alternative that could potentially benefit them: forming labor unions to deal with corporate management (Sullivan, LaOana, Wiggins, & DeLeon, 1997).

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