An honor to serve

Two years ago I received a phone call from Mary Ann, who used to work in the emergency room and now works in endo.  Little did I know, that call would change my life.
Mary Ann asked me how things were in the ED.  My first thought was that she wanted to pick up time, something that would help us greatly.  When she said she had been talking to a guy from the union, I got honest.
Things were not good and hadn't been good in a long time.
I wanted to be involved, be a part of the process of making our hospital better.

When I started meeting with other nurses, at meetings, in their houses, in the hallways at work and I heard their stories, felt their pain, saw their hope,
I was all in.

I have had the privilege of working with some great nurses and organizers, they have become good friends.  I have come to appreciate them as I never did before.

Yesterday I was elected President.
It's both an honor and a great responsibility.
It will be my honor to serve you.  I promise to do the best I can.  I also promise to ask much of you.  I am not the union. Your executive board, your delegates, your AFT CT staff and officers, are not the union.

You are the union.

Our strength comes from our numbers. 

Your involvement is critical to our success.  I'm not asking that you give up your life, just share it, just do what you can do.

We will have a meeting of those interested in being delegates on August 7, at 5:30, at our office.  We will contact those who have expressed interest.  If you are interested in coming to see if this is something you might want to do to help your fellow nurse, please contact us.

I believe we are all called to use the talents we have been given to do good for others, I will give you that opportunity.