Hundreds of Des Moines nurses could unionize this weekend

[Omaha Steve]

It's Thursday, December 4, 2025.

After a delayed vote because of the government shutdown, hundreds of nurses at four UnityPoint hospitals in the Des Moines area are voting this weekend on whether to unionize with Teamsters Local 90—an election being closely watched by non-union nurses across Iowa who are also struggling with understaffing and patient violence.

The postponed UnityPoint vote among 1,776 health care professionals at Blank Children's Hospital, Iowa Lutheran Hospital, Iowa Methodist Medical Center, and Methodist West Hospital has been rescheduled for Sunday, Dec. 7, through Tuesday, Dec. 9.

It's the state's largest private-sector union election ever, according to Teamsters.

"I'm excited. I'm ready to vote," said Belinda Carpenter, a registered nurse in the critical care and emergency departments who works at the three adult hospitals. "I think that nurses are seeing the bad side of what UnityPoint's doing."

FULL story: https://link.iowastartingline.com/view/650843af904f88308d52ecb5pj2ag.a2o/7941cc53

[Munu]

1. ... patient violence?

What is the story behind the patient violence?