SAINT PAUL – SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa (SEIU), the union of over 50,000 healthcare workers – including more than 400 workers Planned Parenthood North Central States (PPNCS) – praised a settlement agreement between PPNCS, SEIU, and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) concerning Grace Larson, a nurse and SEIU bargaining team member who was fired by PPNCS in March 2023, and the discipline PPNCS issued earlier that year to all members of the SEIU bargaining team.

SEIU filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge with the NLRB shortly after Larson’s firing.  Following an initial determination in PPNCS’s favor by the regional office of the NLRB, SEIU appealed the case to the NLRB’s Office of Appeals.  The NLRB’s Office of Appeals determined that the SEIU’s ULP charge has merit and directed the NLRB’s regional office to issue a complaint against PPNCS.  The case was scheduled to go to trial in January 2025.  In December 2024, PPNCS, SEIU, the NLRB, and Larson executed a settlement agreement to resolve the pending disputes.

Following execution of the settlement agreement, SEIU released the following statement:

“Grace was universally recognized as an amazing nurse by her patients and coworkers.  We wish she were still providing that care to patients at PPNCS today.  Although we appreciate this settlement agreement, it won’t change the fact that Grace shouldn’t have ever had to face this situation. We’re proud that Grace and her fellow SEIU members at PPNCS stood up and fought back against this situation and we’re thankful for the NLRB’s Office of Appeals finding merit in SEIU’s ULP charge against PPNCS.  We’re also glad to have the discipline PPNCS issued to every member of the SEIU bargaining team removed from their records. Going forward, we will continue to push to ensure that all SEIU members at PPNCS are treated fairly as they do the critical work every day to ensure patients across the Midwest have the reproductive care and support they need.”

Larson has since moved on to a new career. As part of the settlement agreement, PPNCS does not admit any wrongdoing but SEIU celebrated the outcome that showcased the perseverance of Grace, the entire SEIU bargaining team, and the solidarity of the SEIU membership in fighting back against the discipline and firing.

The PPNCS workers with SEIU achieved a first contract earlier this year after an extensive bargaining process, raising wages and increasing protections for the workers amidst nationwide attacks against reproductive rights following the sudden overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.