Minneapolis, MN – Union members at Planned Parenthood rallied on Tuesday evening, April 11, along with community supporters. The central demands of the action were that Planned Parenthood immediately reinstate a member of the bargaining committee who they fired recently, and to stop engaging in union-busting activity.

Around 450 workers at Planned Parenthood North Central States Region (PPNCS), across Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota formed a union and joined SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa last year and have since been fighting for their first contract. Recently Planned Parenthood management fired one of the leaders of the bargaining committee and issued severe disciplines to every member of the bargaining committee in a clear show of retaliation for their union activity.

SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa say they have filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against PPNCS. In the charge, SEIU Healthcare MN&IA alleges that bargaining committee member Grace Larson was fired in retaliation for her leadership role in the union, that PPNCS has sought to intimidate and otherwise deter other elected bargaining team members from exercising their legal rights, and that PPNCS unlawfully surveilled private, non-work communications among elected bargaining team members.

Grace Larson, the fired Planned Parenthood worker, said, “Until two weeks ago I was a licensed practical nurse at Planned Parenthood North Central States, until the fired me for blowing the whistle on an employee accused of assault and abuse. I am a proud member of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa, and an elected bargaining team member at PPNCS United which is the union’s first contract team for bargaining. We all care about the mission and despite the challenges we face we have been willing to push through and continue to provide care for our patients, and continued to lead the union. We don’t want to pit abortion rights and workers’ rights against each other, especially at this critical time. We cannot have workers’ rights without abortion rights and we cannot have abortion rights without workers’ rights.”

Rachel Storm spoke at the rally and is a member of the Minnesota Abortion Action Committee. Storm said, “The Minnesota Abortion Action Committee is proud to stand here today in solidarity with the workers at Planned Parenthood in their ongoing struggle for justice and democracy in their own workplace. As an organization that advocates for the protection and expansion of reproductive healthcare, we understand on a fundamental level that it’s the workers at these facilities that make that care happen. We are appalled by the union-busting activities of Planned Parenthood North Central States and their firing of bargaining committee member Grace Larson, and we unite with the demand to reinstate Grace Larson and cease union busting-activities.”

After Storm, the next person to speak was Sasmit Rahman, who is a member of the Students for a Democratic Society at University of Minnesota: “SDS is proud to be here standing in solidarity with healthcare works at Planned Parenthood, fighting for their rights to organize and be paid and treated fairly.”

Rahman added, “These are vital frontline healthcare workers being pushed past their limits to serve our community. It is our responsibility to stand with them as they fight for the working conditions they deserve.”

The event was held on the University of Minnesota campus and, besides SDS and MNAAC, included other community and labor supporters. The crowd was around 100 people and was lively. Chants included, “What’s disgusting? Union busting!”

The Planned Parenthood workers are still in negotiations to win their first union contract, nearly a year after forming their union and becoming SEIU members. Judging from the attendance and energy at the rally they appear ready to keep fighting until they win the contract they deserve, Grace Larson is reinstated, and Planned Parenthood ceases union busting.

#MinneapolisMN #PlannedParenthood