Support Planned Parenthood Letter

November 14, 2022

To: Planned Parenthood Orange/San Bernardino County

Re: Letter to Planned Parenthood – Worker Termination for Union Activity

We write to you in strong support of Ms. Tara Amini and all workers at Planned Parenthood. Too many California workers experience issues like wage theft, discrimination, sexual harassment, unsafe work conditions, and abuse on the job, especially immigrant workers and workers of color. And when workers speak up to better their working conditions, they are often retaliated against. The employers at Planned Parenthood Orange/San Bernardino Counties must be held accountable for intimidating, bullying, or firing workers for speaking up to fix their working conditions.

On Wednesday, November 2, 2022, at 8:00 am, Planned Parenthood Anaheim employee Tara Amini was terminated based on alleged “bad reviews” regarding patient satisfaction or performance by Ms. Amber Kim, Vice President, Human Resources, and Ms. Terry Stapleton, Vice President, Patient Services. Planned Parenthood Anaheim, and Planned Parenthoods throughout Southern California, have been facing chronic understaffing. Tara’s termination exacerbates this and puts her patients’ care at risk. 

Tara has been actively speaking about her working conditions since January 2021, when a patient assaulted her, and she suffered mental distress after the incident. She reported the incident to management, but unfortunately, management did not do anything about it until after multiple attempts to address it. Tara also vocalized workplace issues, such as the taking away of COVID-19 premium pay that she and her co-workers received during the pandemic.

Additionally, Tara interacted multiple times with management about her union activity. On July 21, 2022, Tara was part of an event in San Francisco that involved her union activity. Management acknowledged her attendance at this union event. On October 27, 2022, Tara attended the Orange County Democratic Party’s annual dinner, where she greeted the Planned Parenthood CEO and other staff from the organization. At the event, Tara sat at a table with union members and staff.

We support Tara Amini and all Planned Parenthood workers exercising their right to come together with one voice under a union. Standing together, we demand the following actions be taken:

  1. Planned Parenthood must bring Tara Amini back to work immediately and make her whole for her lost work time;
  2. Planned Parenthood must remain neutral and allow its employees to decide for themselves on whether they want to join a union; and
  3. Planned Parenthood must be a good employer by agreeing to a Card Check.

Planned Parenthood invests in the communities they serve, providing high-quality, confidential, compassionate care for patients, and we support this mission. The employees are honest, supportive, and non-judgmental. Planned Parenthood’s employers must strive to be the same and respect the rights of their workers.  

Sincerely,