Central Coast Planned Parenthood workers have voted to authorize a strike.
The workers, represented by SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, include medical assistants and clinicians who provide reproductive and preventative healthcare to thousands of patients annually.
Unionized staff voted unanimously to walk out over what they call unfair labor practices and severe understaffing.
Michael Solemar, a physician at Planned Parenthood California Central Coast, said low pay and a lack of support from management are driving workers away. The resulting understaffing, he said, is causing burnout and longer patient wait times.
“I pride myself on providing quality care, but because we don't have the staffing and because we have high turnover, we aren't able to provide the care that our patients deserve,” Solemar said.
Months of failed negotiations with management have led to this point, according to the union.
“Nobody wants to go on strike,” Solemar said. “We did not start this bargaining process thinking this is where it would end, and so we hope that we can reach an agreement before the strike actually starts.”
Planned Parenthood California Central Coast did not respond to KCBX’s request for comment.
A strike date has not yet been set. If it moves forward, the strike would affect health centers in San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Thousand Oaks and Oxnard.
