No Vote Left Behind in the KU Health System Union Election

Jon Irvine, Coordinator, The Pharmacy Guild/IAM -

The pharmacy technicians at The University of Kansas Health System who have spent the last year and a half organizing for a union with IAM Healthcare/The Pharmacy Guild.

As public sector employees, the technicians participated in a mail-in ballot union election overseen by the Kansas Public Employee Relations Board (PERB). Ballots were mailed to eligible employees on April 1, 2025, and were required to be returned by May 14, 2025.

On the day of the ballot count, an alarming number of ballots from known union supporters were missing. As a result, the union lost by just one vote at each of the bargaining units where elections were held.

In response, the union filed an election challenge and submitted 31 sworn affidavits from pharmacy technicians affirming that they completed and mailed their ballots before the May 14 deadline. While the challenge was pending, PERB notified both parties that 37 additional ballots had been received, all postmarked before the election deadline.

Those 37 ballots deserve to be counted.

The University of Kansas Health System has stated that it does not support counting these ballots and is not interested in a re-run election. The pharmacy technicians are now fighting to ensure that every eligible vote is counted and that workers are not disenfranchised through circumstances beyond their control.

To demand that every vote be counted, we are holding a rally and asking labor and community allies to stand with these workers.

RALLY DETAILS

Friday, June 12, 2026, 6:00 PM

Corner of 39th Street & Rainbow Blvd

The University of Kansas Health System Kansas City, Kansas

T-shirts will be provided while supplies last, and water will be available for attendees.

This rally is a critical moment for these pharmacy technicians and their families. We are asking your organization to:

• Mobilize your members to attend the rally.

• Share our petition with your membership, social media followers, and networks.

• Encourage supporters to sign and share the petition: actionnetwork.org/petitions/every-vote-counts?source=direct_link

This fight is about more than one election. It is about protecting workers' rights, ensuring fair elections, and making sure that every eligible vote is counted.

Thank you for your solidarity and support. Together, we can send a clear message: Count Every Vote.

In Solidarity,

IAM Healthcare/The Pharmacy Guild Organizing Committee

Jon Irvine

Coordinator, The Pharmacy Guild/IAMIAM Healthcare