Nurses in Des Moines rallied yesterday to demand that UnityPoint Health recognize their union. The majority of the 2,000 nurses who work at four hospitals in Des Moines have signed cards to join Teamsters Local 90. 

Substandard pay, unsafe staffing levels, and dangerous working conditions are fueling their organizing drive. 

“We as nurses are being required to take on unreasonable and often unsafe patient loads,” said obstetrics nurse Nicole Ledger. “We never know what will come in, and we are starting many days already understaffed.”

“I’ve been with UnityPoint for almost eight years and I've seen patient care be compromised because of unsafe conditions,” said critical care nurse Belinda Carpenter.  “We want to make changes so that our patients have better outcomes.”

The nurses delivered a petition to management to recognize their union. Management refused. 

“I’m disappointed they didn’t do the right thing–but not surprised,” said Carpenter. “At the end of the day the majority of us are with the union and we’re not going to back down until we win” 

The nurses have filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board.