Ignored and disrespected by management, two thousand nurses at UnityPoint Health celebrated Nurses Week in union style.

For nurses across the country, Nurses Week is a time when hospitals show their appreciation. But not this year at UnityPoint. Hospital administrators offered to sell nurses a t-shirt–and nothing else. 

When Teamster nurses found out about management’s plans, they sprung into action. Nurses assembled handmade goodie bags and distributed them at hospitals and clinics across their hospital system. 

Their message was loud and clear: “Our bosses don’t appreciate us, but our union does”.

Two thousand nurses at UnityPoint Health in Des Moines voted to unionize with the Teamsters last December.

Ever since, hospital administration has been attempting to delay contract negotiations by filing legal appeals. Management hopes if they stonewall long enough, nurses will become demoralized and give up. 

It’s not the first time that hospital administrators have underestimated nurses.

Still, there are challenges. Some nurses have left UnityHealth for better opportunities, and new hires are subjected to captive audience meetings where they are told that the union isn’t real. 

When management again disrespected employees by ignoring Nurses Week, members stepped up. 

With the help of Local 90 and the IBT, nurses assembled bags with snacks and union swag. A note in the bags showed appreciation for the hard work and sacrifices their coworkers make every day. 

On the back of the note was an update on the progress of their union campaign and an invitation to a future action. The nurses delivered the bags and used the opportunity to have deep organizing conversations with their coworkers. 

The response was positive. Many nurses noted the bags were the only appreciation they received. The United Nurses of Iowa are using this new burst of energy to organize toward a rally at the Iowa State Capitol on June 8th.