MON AM News: National union accuses Rogers Behavioral Health of ‘illegally’ firing more workers; Venture Investors Health Fund rebrands as Clarevia Ventures

May 11, 2026

— Disputes between the National Union of Healthcare Workers and Rogers Behavioral Health continue after a recent vote in favor of unionizing, with NUHW once again accusing the employer of “illegally” firing workers associated with the effort.

About two weeks after dozens of workers at Rogers sites in West Allis and Madison voted to join the union, NUHW on Friday issued a statement claiming the care provider had fired three more workers at the West Allis facility.

The union says Rogers has now “fired six staunch union supporters” there since earlier this year, including a doctor and two nurse practitioners who were previously fired in February after telling the employer workers were seeking to join the union.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Rogers says “we have acted in compliance with applicable law, professional licensure requirements” and its own organizational policies and procedures.

In the latest round of firings, the company allegedly let go two mental health clinicians who put on “costumes” on April 22 when the union votes occurred, as well as a front desk worker who didn’t prevent the three previously fired workers from entering the facility to vote.

Kate Zolandz, one of the mental health therapists who was fired, says she will “fight to get my job back” and accused her former employer of trying to intimidate workers. The union says she put on a cape for 30 minutes during lunch and her attire was later referenced as cause for her being fired.

Zolandz had agreed to serve as the vote count monitor for the union before being suspended, according to NUHW. Rogers also allegedly threatened to “discipline” her if she joined a panel discussion held by local media.

“We’re all going to demand that Rogers respect our rights, follow the law and bargain a contract that lets us provide the best possible care for the people we serve,” Zolandz said in a statement provided by the union. “That’s what Rogers did when workers in California unionized, and that’s what Rogers is going to have to do here in Wisconsin.”

In response to the union’s allegations, the spokesperson for the employer said Rogers “takes the safety and wellbeing of our patients seriously” and said its professional conduct standards exist in part to protect them.

“Those standards apply to every employee, consistently and regardless of their views on union representation,” the spokesperson said in an email over the weekend. “Our focus continues to be on serving the patients in our community.”

Rogers Behavioral Health, based in Oconomowoc, has agreed to contracts for workers at facilities in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and San Diego which NUHW calls “among the best in the industry.” They include “strong” raises for workers, caseload limits and guarantees workers won’t lose their jobs to AI and other technology.

Labor negotiations with other workers in Philadelphia are ongoing, Friday’s announcement notes.

Meanwhile, the federal labor board is now investigating April’s 54-4 union election in West Allis, according to NUHW.

The union alleges the company “refused to allow” a union representative to enter the facility, potentially preventing ballot counting. Another worker volunteered to observe the vote count after this occurred and Zolandz was suspended, the union says.

The other April election at the Madison location, where workers voted 24-4 in favor of joining, hasn’t been challenged by Rogers, per the release.

But the company has filed complaints about the West Allis election and claims the union “organized a trespass” because the previously fired workers entered the facility to vote, the union notes.

The latest developments come after Rogers previously tried to stop the union elections from happening by claiming its 13 Wisconsin locations should be considered a single bargaining unit, but that effort was rejected by National Labor Relations Board Regional Director Jennifer Hadsall.

See the union’s latest release.

See more in recent coverage of the unionization effort.

— Venture Investors Health Fund has rebranded as Clarevia Ventures to reflect a more defined focus on early-stage healthcare investing.

“This is not about becoming something new overnight,” Clarevia Ventures CFO and Partner David Arnstein said in a statement. “It is about putting a clearer name to the firm we have become, and to the kind of partner we intend to be for founders going forward.”

Since the firm was founded in 1984 as Madison Capital Corporation, it has made 123 investments and completed 52 exits across sectors, including therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices and digital health.

The firm recently invested $42.7 million in Elephas, a Madison-based cancer diagnostics company.

See more at Madison Startups.

— A judge in Milwaukee County has temporarily blocked enforcement of a 10 p.m. curfew for food trucks in the city after a challenge by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty.

WILL on Friday announced the decision, which prevents enforcement of the curfew until at least June 10, when an evidentiary hearing has been scheduled.

The group sought to block the ordinance on behalf of Abdallah Ismail, who owns The Fatty Patty food truck. WILL notes the ordinance would have affected food truck operations while allowing bars and traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants to continue operating, claiming that constitutes a violation of their “constitutional right to earn a living” as well as equal protection under the law.

The ordinance, sponsored by Ald. Robert Bauman, reportedly aimed to address concerns around late-night violence among young people loitering in the streets.

Kirsten Atanasoff, associate counsel for WILL, says the group is pleased the court granted the temporary restraining order to “protect Milwaukee’s small business owners” from the “unlawful” ordinance.

“Food truck operators like Abdallah Ismail work hard to serve their communities and earn an honest living, and the City of Milwaukee cannot unfairly target them while allowing brick-and-mortar establishments to remain open,” she said in a statement.

See the release and order.

— State officials are providing $5 million in grant funding for talent recruitment efforts across Wisconsin.

The grants, which range from $100,000 to $500,000 per recipient, are going to 17 communities partnering with regional and state-level organizations on related projects. Funding comes from the 2025-27 biennial state budget.

John Miller, secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., says the grants will help relocating families “find jobs that fit their skills and allow them to grow” in the communities they call home.

“Workers and their families don’t just throw a dart at a map and move somewhere,” he said in a statement. “These are important, life-changing decisions.”

Programs getting funding include those offering incentive packages to retain workers in “high value sectors” like healthcare and engineering, new forgivable mortgage structures to incentivize long-term residency, efforts to fill specialized roles in emerging tech sectors, transition and integration support and more.

The grant funding will last for two to three years depending on the project.

See details on awardees and see the release.

— In the latest Dem radio address, Gov. Tony Evers celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week.

“Folks, tourism is a powerhouse of economic development and prosperity in our state, including a record-breaking — get this — $25.8 billion in economic impact in 2024, generating a record $1.7 billion in state and local revenue,” the Dem governor says.

Evers touts the creation of the Office of Outdoor Recreation and the Wisconsin Film Office with the film tax credit program. He also announced $50 million through the Non-State Grant Program to support local infrastructure and development projects across the state.

“All of these projects not only create new experiences and opportunities for visitors and locals alike, but they also support strong economies and family-supporting jobs,” Evers says.

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