DES MOINES, Iowa — Nurses at UnityPoint Health gathered Wednesday to gain support as they prepare for an October vote to determine if they will unionize.

UnityPoint Heath nurses began working with Teamsters Local 90 in November 2024 claiming workers were facing pay cuts, worker shortages, unsafe conditions, and that management had not taken action to rectify these issues.

“This unionization effort started basically from a lack of support from administration that has just gotten worse and worse over the years,” said Alex Wilken, a UnityPoint ICU nurse. “You know, it kicked off when they cut procedural pay, which affected procedural nurses quite a bit back in October. But really the heart of the issue goes back to patient safety, staffing ratios are incredibly important when it comes to taking care of patients in the hospital.”

Over the past several months, nurses at UnityPoint Health in Des Moines have held demonstrations demanding management fix working conditions and stop their alleged efforts to deter the nurses from unionizing.

In March, Cassie Freml, a radiology nurse, said UnityPoint administration had hired anti-union groups to pull nurses from shifts and breaks to discourage unionization.

“It’s disheartening to see how much of a priority it’s been to foster the misinformation, you know, and see senior leadership encourage people to take time away from their shift duties to go to these meetings,” Freml told WHO 13 News. “When I know individuals working in various parts of our hospital that can’t have time permitted away for appropriate breaks for lunch.”

Teamsters Local 90 and UnityPoint Health nurses claim the CEO, Scott Kizer, and Nursing Director, Sarah Brown, have spent between three and six million dollars in efforts to stop workers from joining Teamsters.

Following the nurse demonstration, UnityPoint Health released a statement to WHO 13 News saying,

UnityPoint Health believes strongly that working directly with our nurses is the best path to providing exceptional care for our patients and community as well as ensuring a collaborative team member experience. Therefore, we are investing heavily in time, energy and resources to preserve that culture.  

As we move toward an election, we are focused on educating all of our nurses, so they are fully informed regarding this unfamiliar process, their rights, and the potential impact of union representation by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. To help us navigate through this complex process, we have engaged labor experts to ensure we follow all the applicable rules while providing our nurses with the educational resources necessary to clarify misinformation and accurately answer their questions.  

The decision regarding union representation is significant, shaping the way our care teams work together each day for years to come. It is important that all eligible nurses take the time to make an informed decision and vote in the upcoming election.  

 As always, our focus remains on our unwavering commitment to provide amazing care for our patients and community.  

UnityPoint Health nurses will be holding the vote to unionize October 5-7.