Frontline physical care staff at Planned Parenthood North Central States announced plans to unionize Thursday, saying they need higher wages, more and a bigger voice in running the organization.
“I spend my days listening to my patients and worrying about them. I want to know that my employer will do the same for me. That’s why we want to shape our union and have this replaced together,” said Sadie Brewer, a nurse at a St. Brown clinic. John. Paul, at a press conference.
Workers say most of them have signed cards in favor of forming a union, an organization that could reach more than 400 employees at 28 clinics in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. in the union, adding administrative staff, organizers, nurses and other staff of the clinic.
The union crusade comes as Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the United States, seeks a conservative U. S. Supreme Court to allow states to ban abortion by repealing Roe v. Wade.
If Roe is canceled, Minnesota would be a haven for legal access to abortion, as the state charter protects abortion rights. North Dakota and South Dakota have so-called cause laws, meaning they would automatically make abortion illegal, unless in rare circumstances.
The union effort also comes as the organization undergoes leadership changes, with the imminent departure of Executive Director Sarah Stoesz, who led the organization for 20 years and oversaw its expansion into 3 new states.
A spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood North Central States said the organization’s leaders did not yet know whether they would voluntarily recognize the union or force staff to hold elections.
The spokeswoman provided one from Molly Gage, vice president of human resources, saying the organization has always “prioritized autonomy and choice. “
“We respect the same exercise of autonomy in the pro-life lives of our employees. We help our employees, and it’s up to them to make a decision about whether and how they need to be represented through a union,” Gage said. before proceeding to the verbal exchange with staff about the most productive way to care for patients at this crucial time for abortion access. “
The organizing crusade at Planned Parenthood is the latest example of the resurgence of the hard work movement in years. SEIU Healthcare Minnesota
Planned Parenthood staff say a union will accompany the organization as it prepares to provide fitness services in a post-Roe country.
“Unionization is a way to make sure the NSPP takes care of our staff so we can make sure our workers have fair and equitable wages, good enough staffing ratios, and equivalent access to benefits,” said April Clark, a senior nurse through training for 8 Planned Parenthood clinics around Des Moines and eastern Iowa.
Clark said salaries at Planned Parenthood clinics are lower than those at other fitness centers, while there are also huge wage disparities between clinics.
“With the existing shortage of physical care that the pandemic has only worsened, it is difficult to hire staff and retain staff when we pay far less than any other physical care provider in our area,” Clark said.
She said they had to close a clinic when they couldn’t find anyone to cover a shift. Elsewhere, they had to reduce the number of days of the week they offered due to understaffing.
In addition to low wages and high turnover, staff say they feel ignored by managers and that a union will give them greater decision-making power within the organization.
“The leadership team constantly makes decisions that we do with little to no input from those who make the actual paintings,” Brewer said. Corporate has taken us for granted for too long.
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Frontline physical care staff at Planned Parenthood North Central States announced plans to unionize Thursday, saying they need higher wages, more and a bigger voice in running the organization.
“I spend my days listening to my patients and worrying about them. I want to know that my employer will do the same for me. That’s why we want to shape our union and have this replaced together,” said Sadie Brewer, a nurse at a St. Brown clinic. John. Paul, at a press conference.
Workers say most of them have signed cards in favor of forming a union, an organization that could reach more than 400 employees at 28 clinics in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. in the union, adding administrative staff, organizers, nurses and other staff of the clinic.
The union crusade comes as Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the United States, seeks a conservative U. S. Supreme Court to allow states to ban abortion by repealing Roe v. Wade.
If Roe is canceled, Minnesota would be a haven for legal access to abortion, as the state charter protects abortion rights. North Dakota and South Dakota have so-called cause laws, meaning they would automatically make abortion illegal, unless in rare circumstances.
The union effort also comes as the organization undergoes leadership changes, with the imminent departure of Executive Director Sarah Stoesz, who led the organization for 20 years and oversaw its expansion into 3 new states.
A spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood North Central States said the organization’s leaders did not yet know whether they would voluntarily recognize the union or force staff to hold elections.
The spokeswoman provided one from Molly Gage, vice president of human resources, saying the organization has always “prioritized autonomy and choice. “
“We respect the same exercise of autonomy in the pro-life lives of our employees. We help our employees, and it’s up to them to make a decision about whether and how they need to be represented through a union,” Gage said. before proceeding to the verbal exchange with staff about the most productive way to care for patients at this crucial time for abortion access. “
The organizing crusade at Planned Parenthood is the latest example of the resurgence of the hard work movement in years. SEIU Healthcare Minnesota
Planned Parenthood staff say a union will accompany the organization as it prepares to provide fitness services in a post-Roe country.
“Unionization is a way to make sure the NSPP takes care of our staff so we can make sure our workers have fair and equitable wages, good enough staffing ratios, and equivalent access to benefits,” said April Clark, a senior nurse through training for 8 Planned Parenthood clinics around Des Moines and eastern Iowa.
Clark said salaries at Planned Parenthood clinics are lower than those at other fitness centers, while there are also huge wage disparities between clinics.
“With the existing shortage of physical care that the pandemic has only worsened, it is difficult to hire staff and retain staff when we pay far less than any other physical care provider in our area,” Clark said.
She said they had to close a clinic when they couldn’t find anyone to cover a shift. Elsewhere, they had to reduce the number of days of the week they offered due to understaffing.
In addition to low wages and high turnover, staff say they feel ignored by managers and that a union will give them greater decision-making power within the organization.
“The leadership team constantly makes decisions that we do with little to no input from those who make the actual paintings,” Brewer said. Corporate has taken us for granted for too long.
Minnesota Reformer belongs to States Newsroom, a network of grant-backed news offices and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Minnesota Reformer maintains its editorial independence. Please contact Editor Patrick Coolican if you have any questions: info@minnesotareformer. com. Follow Minnesota Reformer on Facebook and Twitter.
Max Nesterak is deputy editor of Reformer and publishes articles on paintings and housing. Most recently, he was an associate manufacturer of Minnesota Public Radio after a stint at NPR. He also co-founded Behavioral Scientist and earned a Fulbright Fellowship in Berlin, Germany.
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