On June 10, workers at the Planned Parenthood health center in Kalamazoo, Mich., made history by joining UFCW Local 951 and becoming the first Planned Parenthood unit in Michigan to unionize. The eight workers at the health center are employed as medical assistants.
The workers at the health center initially came together to remove an abusive manager from their location and realized the power of collective bargaining. The workers were also concerned about improving the workplace for themselves and their co-workers, as well as improving health care for their patients.
The campaign to organize these workers included reaching out to the workers through digital platforms, including group chats, Zoom meetings, and digital authorization cards.
“We have proven we have strength in collective action at a single clinic,” said Deedee Rounds, who works at the Planned Parenthood facility in Kalamazoo. “But we are only a small group of working women that know we deserve better. And this is bigger than just our clinic; our experience here is similar to working people everywhere. Alone, we can be replaced and exploited. United as a class with the help of the UFCW, we command genuine power!”