Planned Parenthood Workers in Orange County Vote Union Yes!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2024
Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, jthompson@ufcw324.org
Planned Parenthood Workers in Orange County Vote Union Yes!
Buena Park, CA – Today, the Administrative Medical Assistants (AMAs) at Planned Parenthood at six facilities in Orange County have voted yes to join the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 324 in order to protect workers’ rights and create a safe workplace. Workers at the Orange County clinics Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino County (PPOSBC) runs were finally afforded the opportunity to vote following a determination by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in May 2024. The election was held by mail from May 29 to June 20, 2024.
“We’ve been fighting to unionize for almost two years, and I am proud to have stood alongside my co-workers and vote yes. Now we can have a voice on the job, talk to our employer as equals, and make decisions that impact not just ourselves but our communities,” said Alex Marin, a Float Administrative Medical Assistant at Planned Parenthood in Orange County. “This vote ensures that Planned Parenthood remains an employer and a health care provider that we can all be proud supporting.”
On May 12, 2023, the Administrative Medical Assistants (AMAs) at Planned Parenthood clinics in Orange County became the first in California to file for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board. In the year that has passed, Planned Parenthood Orange and San Bernardino County CEO Jon Dunn repeatedly opposed their decision to unionize, prolonging the election process by trying to include additional job classifications and clinics.
“This overdue conclusion to a long effort to unionize is a monumental achievement for these workers who have been tirelessly advocating for their rights, especially as their workloads have surged with the influx of out-of-state patients seeking care at Planned Parenthood,” said Andrea Zinder, president of UFCW Local 324. “Now, PPOSBC workers confidently stand behind well-deserved quality care for both employees and patients.”
The United Food and Commercial Workers represents over 55,000 healthcare professionals across the country, helping them win safe staffing levels for workers, respect, and transparency from management and contracts that emphasize public health. In Orange County, Local 324 represents several thousand healthcare professionals in retail pharmacies, labs, and at Kaiser.
“I’ve been a proud supporter of Planned Parenthood for years, and this election ensures the organization remains a top-tier provider of health care services for our community,” said Vicente Sarmiento, Orange County Supervisor, who joined the workers to witness the official election count by the NLRB. “When workers have a say in what happens at their workplace they can maintain patient safety, care standards and ensure patients have the respect and dignity they deserve.”
