Four members joined President Bill Garrity at the 2021 Professional Issues Conference in New York City. Here’s what they took back from it:
Ana Sifuentes, APA2, Imaging Services Administration:
It was uplifting and an eye opener on how valuable a union is, and how union members working together can make a difference. There were incredible stories of heroism through the pandemic and how changes were made only through a unified voice for fair working conditions and safety through the pandemic, many of which were common fears we all had with COVID. The message I took away is “a union is only as strong as its members,” and if we want change we need to engage, listen, and speak up together.
Summer Lambert, ophthalmology technician, UMG Surgery-Ophthalmology:
It motivated and excited me to do better and realize the possibilities to change our current work environment. It was very noticeable how passionate people are about their jobs, and that was one of the things that is getting me more involved.
Kimberly Marie (Bryant) Ericson, MA, Internal Medicine, Simsbury:
I feel so honored to have been one of the ones chosen to attend. I learned a tremendous amount on what we can do as a whole to improve our union at UConn Health. One of the biggest things I have learned is that we are not alone fighting for a fair contract. Many other unions are going through the same things that we are struggling with. The big picture that I have taken away from this is that we cannot fight this battle alone, we must rise together and attempt to get our members more involved. I look forward to taking what I learned and implementing it into the way our union operates.
Robert Gottlieb, chemical safety officer, Environmental Health and Safety:
My takeaway was simple. We are not alone. I was moved emotionally by stories from people just like us, so familiar to those we are surrounded by at UConn, our communities and most importantly our families. I, like the other attendees, feel a sense of urgency through these struggles to make it right, to make it better for the collective us. We all need to pitch in and contribute even when it is uncomfortable, exposing or detracts from personal time, if we are to see real changes made.