UnityPoint nurses likely win union vote: News and layoffs from Iowa Worker’s Almanac

Working class news you can use:

• Voting on a union: The UnityPoint vote among 1,776 health care professionals at four Des Moines hospitals on whether to join Teamsters Local 90 was held Dec. 7-9. Unofficial results show nurses won their union, 871-666—but overnight recovery nurse Dawn Balek tells me there are 250 of those ballots being challenged. Given the vote margin, however, the union is fairly confident they will win. // Forty full- and part-time drivers and monitors at Durham School Services in Urbandale will vote on whether to unionize with Teamsters Local 90 on Tuesday, Dec. 16, from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the driver break room.

IOWA UNION VOTE:
Just hearing UnityPoint Des Moines nurses very likely won their union tonight.

Yes: 871
No: 666

250 ballots are being challenged, but mathwise a majority of those can be no and the union still wins.

From Dawn Balek, overnight recovery nurse at Methodist downtown:

[image or embed]

— Amie Rivers (@amierivers.bsky.social) December 10, 2025 at 11:52 PM

• Union endorsements: The Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union 33 in Central and Western Iowa endorsed state Sen. Zach Wahls for US Senate. “Zach has always stood with working people, middle class families, and retirees,” said Andy Roberts, business manager of the union. “He has the courage to stand up for us and against the corporate special interests, and he’s unafraid to stand up against corruption in either party when he feels it’s hurting Iowans. That’s exactly the kind of senator our members need in Washington.”
• Rally for ACA in Iowa City this morning: Members of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Action Fund, and Supervisor Mandi Remington will rally today at 9 a.m. at the corner of Melrose and Hawkins on the Kinnick Stadium side to call for an end to the plan to make further cuts to healthcare funding. 
• General Mills Cedar Rapids workers win in new contract: More than 500 workers at General Mills in Cedar Rapids ratified a new 3-year contract last month, winning raises, extending benefits, and securing new workplace protections. Read more of what they won here. 
• Affordability crisis: Nearly half of Americans said they find groceries, utility bills, health care, housing and transportation difficult to afford, according to a new poll.

Upcoming layoffs:

All information taken from Iowa Workforce Development’s WARN Act website. Read WARN Act and Iowa WARN Act criteria here.

• Wells Fargo in West Des Moines is laying off one worker by Friday, 63 workers by Dec. 26, 26 by Jan. 2, and 14 by Jan. 23.
• Insane Impact in Des Moines is closing and laying off 90 workers by Wednesday. However, the company told the Des Moines Register they were being acquired by Musco Sports Lighting and offered all workers roles with the new company, which will remain at the location. Read more here.
• Networking Imaging Solutions in North Liberty is closing and laying off 140 workers by Dec. 18. Read more here.
• Superior Tube Products in Davenport is closing and laying off 26 workers by Dec. 19. Read more here.
• Bauer Built Manufacturing in Paton is closing and laying off 62 workers by Dec. 31. The company says “a large majority” of workers will be offered jobs with Kloeckner Metals Corporation, which bought Bauer. Read more here.
• Mason City Clinic in Mason City is laying off 147 workers by Dec. 31. Read more about a potential WARN Act violation here.
• RELCO in Cedar Rapids is closing and laying off 34 workers by Dec. 31. Read more here. 
• RTX in Cedar Rapids is laying off three workers by Dec. 31.
• Toyota Financial Services in Cedar Rapids is closing and laying off 54 workers by Dec. 31. Read more here.