After eight months of delays, 1,700 nurses at UnityPoint in Des Moines, Iowa have received confirmation from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) that they won their union election with Teamsters Local 90.

The victory comes on the heels of 10,000 Teamster nurses at Corewell Health East in Michigan winning a tentative agreement on their first union contract.

The organizing efforts have inspired each other over the past year and mark a new era of Teamster healthcare organizing. 

In December of 2025, Registered Nurses at UnityPoint facilities in Des Moines cast ballots in a union certification vote. The majority of nurses voted yes to unionize with Teamsters Local 90.

Instead of accepting the vote, UnityPoint protested the election. Now, the NLRB has overruled the employer's objections nearly across the board. 

In a 32-page decision on July 31, the NLRB Regional Director rejected all but two of the employer’s objections. The revised official vote count reported is 872 YES, 667 NO. 

Two remaining objections will be reviewed at a hearing on August 26th in Des Moines. But the outcome of the vote is beyond doubt. 

“Our employer has used every delay tactic their union avoidance consultants could think of in the hopes that we would lose hope,” Whitney Armstrong, an 11-year nurse at UnityPoint said. “We are excited about the result but mostly proud of our members for staying strong through months of union busting.”

The United Nurses of Iowa are organizing a contract campaign and drafting contract proposals to prepare to negotiate their first contract. Nurses continue to sign union cards.

“UnityPoint nurses voted to unionize and their votes and their voices should be respected,” said nurse Belinda Huerta. “It’s time for UnityPoint management to meet with nurses at the bargaining table and negotiate meaningful improvements for hard-working nurses and the patients who depend on us.”