Central Coast Planned Parenthood workers vote to strike

May 12, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

Healthcare workers at Planned Parenthood California Central Coast voted to authorize a strike over alleged unfair labor practices and over refusals to address a short-staffing crisis.

The workers overwhelmingly approved the strike with a 100% vote following months of failed negotiations. The workers accuse Planned Parenthood’s management of continued bad-faith bargaining.

As a result, the workers are planning an unfair labor practice strike at six Planned Parenthood California Central Coast locations: San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Thousand Oaks, and Oxnard. The date or dates of the strike have not yet been determined.

“We work here because we care deeply about our patients and our community. But there’s only so much we can do when we’re constantly understaffed and management refuses to bargain in good faith, ” said Mike Solemar, a physician at Planned Parenthood California Central Coast. “Patients are waiting longer, and sometimes not getting seen at all. We believe in our mission to provide quality reproductive care for anyone who walks through our doors. Enough is enough. We need management to stop the unfair labor practices and listen to the frontline healthcare workers.”

Despite their dedication to the mission of Planned Parenthood, workers argue management refuses to invest in staff. The issues with pay have led to high turnover rates, as experienced caregivers leave for higher-paying, more sustainable jobs, according to workers.