When it snows in October!

I woke Sunday morning to no power. Seems like we just got over hurricane Irene with it's 7 day outage. Now, a snowstorm in October? Unusual weather for unusual times. If you had asked a year ago if we'd have a hurricane knocking out power for a week or a snowstorm in October, most would have laughed. Similarly, had you asked if Backus nurses would be sitting at the negotiations table, most would have laughed. “Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.” -Robert Francis Kennedy We started a year ago, talking in small groups. In May we formed a local. Now we sit at the negotiations table. How did it happen? We dreamed things that never were and said why not. Why not a hospital that puts patients before profits? Why not a hospital that treats patients and employees with respect? Why not a hospital that engages patients, employees, and the community in decision making? We asked "why not?" and then set out to answer the question. The road ahead is not smooth, change will not come easy or fast, but it will come. It will come because we have the strength, courage and will to ask why not. It took 118 years of Backus history for this to happen. I'm sure some thought it would only happen when pigs flew or when hell froze over. Maybe some even said, "when we have snowstorms in October."