I Support Planned Parenthood
November 15, 2022
To: Planned Parenthood Orange/San Bernardino County
Re: Letter to Planned Parenthood – Worker Termination for Union Activity
I write to you to express deep concern over the termination of a Planned Parenthood Anaheim employee for raising concerns about their workplace and involvement in union activity. The firing of T.A.* is a clear affront to your organization’s public commitment to empower people to access the care they need to be healthy and free. Surely Planned Parenthood recognizes that workers who experience workplace issues like wage theft, discrimination, sexual harassment, unsafe work conditions, and abuse on the job are adversely impacted both economically and emotionally; especially immigrant workers and workers of color who experience such violations in greater proportion.
So when Planned Parenthood Orange/San Bernardino Counties engages in intimidation tactics against workers who speak up against workplace issues, your organization – like any employer engaging in such bad faith and potentially unlawful tactics – must be held accountable.
While T.A.’s termination on November 2, 2022 was allegedly due to “bad reviews” regarding patient satisfaction or performance, T.A. believes speaking out about dangerous working conditions and management’s observation of their union activity is the real reason they were terminated.
T.A. has been actively speaking about their working conditions since January 2021, when a patient assaulted them, and they suffered mental distress after the incident. Despite repeated communication from T.A., management has not addressed fundamental safety concerns.
Planned Parenthood Anaheim, and Planned Parenthood clinics throughout Southern California, have been facing chronic understaffing. T.A.’s termination exacerbates this and puts their patients’ care at risk.
I support T.A. and all Planned Parenthood workers exercising their right to come together with one voice under a union. The following actions must be taken:
- Planned Parenthood must bring T.A. back to work immediately and make them whole for their lost work time;
- Planned Parenthood must remain neutral and allow its employees to decide for themselves on whether they want to join a union; and
- 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 I proudly support this mission. Planned Parenthood’s mission simply can’t be met without employees who provide care for patients with honesty, support, and without judgment.
As an employer, Planned Parenthood must respect the rights of workers who provide fundamental care to patients.
Sincerely,
*We are using T.A.’s initials due to the sensitive nature of their work
