FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 11, 2026
Media Contact:
mediarelations@seiu-uhw.org
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Alan Faustino, a Registered Nurse and Air Force Veteran, has filed a federal whistleblower complaint after he was terminated from his job at a Fresenius Medical Care dialysis clinic in retaliation for protected activities, including speaking to members of Congress about poor working conditions like low pay and short staffing, which put both workers and patients at risk.
Faustino, a member of the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW), has long been active in the fight to organize a union at dialysis clinics across California, and to improve conditions at Fresenius clinics. Since joining the effort, Faustino has spoken at two virtual panels for Congressional staff; at a press conference with Representative Lofgren and Senator Schiff and former Representative Porter; in person to White House staff in the Biden Administration; and publicly on strike lines and social media.
In November 2025, Faustino traveled to Washington DC to speak with members of Congress and their staff about short staffing in dialysis and its impact on workers and patients. In addition to attending meetings, Faustino’s photo was on an informational flyer given to staff, and he was featured on social media about the trip. Two weeks later, Fresenius terminated him from his position.
“There was no warning – they just took me into the office and told me I was fired,” says Faustino, who asserts he was denied his legal right to union representation in the meeting. “I was targeted because I’m a union leader and spoke out, and the company wants to send a message and disrupt morale. I really, really love my job. I like doing what I do and I love my patients. I just want to get my job back, and give them the best quality care possible.”
“Alan Faustino was a good nurse, respected by coworkers and loved by his patients,” says Cass Gualvez, Organizing Director for SEIU-UHW. “By terminating him, Fresenius violated his rights to organize collectively and raise concerns about his working conditions and that experienced by his patients. It’s also the latest callous and calculated chess move in a multi-year campaign that Fresenius has waged on its workers in California to suppress worker organizing. Alan deserves Justice. And Fresenius workers and their patients deserve better.”
Federal whistleblower laws prohibit retaliation against workers who report problems in good faith. Faustino’s complaint, filed on January 28th, 2026 with the Inspector General’s Office of the Veterans Administration, explains that Fresenius—a VA contractor—terminated Alan because of his protected activity, including disclosing to members of Congress certain public health and patient care concerns he witnessed as an employee. In his Complaint, Alan explains why the stated reason for his termination was pretext for unlawful retaliation.
In addition to the Federal whistleblower complaint, Faustino has filed a retaliation complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. SEIU-UHW has also filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge on Faustino’s behalf, alleging his termination was in retaliation for his protected union activities, including his advocacy on Capitol Hill.
The dialysis industry is plagued with controversy, particularly surrounding Fresenius Medical Care and DaVita, two companies who hold multi-million dollar government contracts.
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SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West (SEIU-UHW) is a healthcare justice union of more than 120,000 healthcare workers, patients, and healthcare activists united to ensure affordable, accessible, high-quality care for all Californians provided by valued and respected healthcare workers.