Minnesota Planned Parenthood workers vote to unionize, join SEIU
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A majority of workers at Minnesota Planned Parenthood locations voted to join the Service Employees International Union Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, the organization announced Thursday.
"This victory is a turning point for us and reproductive healthcare workers everywhere. It's us, the workers, talking every day to people, 40 hours a week, whether that's about excitement or fear or anxiety," said Sage Shemroske, a Minnesota Planned Parenthood employee.
Ninety percent of workers who participated in the election voted yes to join the union following a vote count by the National Labor Relations Board.
"This is an amazing day and will make Planned Parenthood an even better space for our patients and for those of us doing this critical lifesaving work," said training and development specialist Ashley Schmidt, who works in Nebraska.
Workers from Planned Parenthood North Central States, including clinics in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska, voted in the union election.
"Unionization will make PPNCS stronger. It will most importantly allow us to give the best quality compassionate care to our patients by ensuring that we have adequate staffing ratios and a voice at the table when decisions are being made that affect our patients and our work," said senior training and development specialist April Clark, who works in Iowa.
The group consists of over 400 frontline workers who do around 100 different jobs at 28 locations across the five states, SEIU said.