Abortion Research Group Guttmacher Targeted in Labor Complaint
Guttmacher Institute accused of retaliating against union organizer
Abortion rights demonstrators during a rally outside the US Supreme Court in Washington, on July 4.
Photographer: Ting Shen/BloombergThe union representing workers at the Guttmacher Institute filed a federal labor board complaint accusing the abortion research organization of illegal retaliation.
Shortly after Guttmacher employees voted to unionize this week, the nonprofit fired one of the organizers who led the campaign to join OPEIU Local 153, according to the filing with the National Labor Relations Board. Sam Heyne, the complaint says, was called into a meeting and questioned about her advocacy. Heyne invoked her Weingarten rights — the right to request a union representative — but was denied and her employment was immediately terminated, according to the complaint. Federal labor law prohibits companies from punishing workers for organizing.