Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Walking the walk

Seven years ago, the nurses of Backus Hospital voted to form a union.
This year, we sent five nurses to the Virgin Islands on a humanitarian mission and one nurse to jail.

Seven years ago we were afraid to say the word “union” out load.
Yesterday I stood in the middle of the street in front of the State Capitol in Hartford and sang “we are not afraid.”

We have found our voice.
Today we use that voice to help those in need.
I am proud of my sisters who gave a week of their lives to help children in the Virgin Islands and I am proud to have stood with my sisters and brothers in Hartford for social justice.

Our civil disobedience was the beginning of 40 days of peaceful resistance against social injustice.
https://moralmondayct.org/ct-poor-peoples-campaign-ppc/

We are using our voice.

It was an honor to stand with AFT Connecticut’s Greg, Meagan, Alisha, Stephanie, John, Jan and and sisters and brothers from other unions and movements, and be joined by others in 40 other state Capitals.
When we were organizing to gain our voice at the hospital, managers would pull me into tiny rooms to read me the riot act about attempting to form a union. These meetings are called “captive audience meetings.”
My cell was bigger than these rooms, my cell mates were better company,  and I am not afraid and will never give up my voice.
My strength comes from my sisters and brothers.

Leaders lead, and no one exemplifies that better than my friend and president, Jan.
You know the phrase “I would follow her through the gates of hell”?
Yesterday we followed her through the gates of a cell.

The Hartford Police were for the most part respectful and should be commended for this.
I am sorry we caused them more work but they understood and supported our efforts.
I am not sorry for standing up for justice and I am not afraid.

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