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June 5, 2008
The Shape of Our Future, The Shape of All Our History
We have a contract! At 3 am on Tuesday, Edward, Susie, Asparagus-phobe, and a great bargaining committee settled a contract that continues to set the standard for nurses in Pennsylvania... without a strike. It just goes to show how the threat of a strike can focus the mind of administration on what's really important. Our nurses were really, really happy... they ratified the contract 501 - 63. Lots of smiles, lots of hugs. It's funny to go from negotiations at our newest baby local in Scranton to our oldest and most established (and toughest) local at CZ.
The nurses were super sweet about my hugely swollen lip. One of them said I looked like Angelina Jolie. They all had helpful advice and didn't make fun of me at all. Asparagus-phobe, however, took the cake. He came in early on Saturday morning and decorated our office in signs that said:
"Cardboard kills!"
"This facility has had 12,364 (crossed out and replaced with 4) days without cardboard-related injury."
"Danger! Cardboard Zone! Safety is everyone's responsibility."
etc.
It was hysterically funny. He prefaced the entire episode by saying it was funny only because I always have my stuff together, not a hair out of place, and so it's just hysterical that a cardboard box was my undoing. I could have been annoyed, but I actually found the entire thing rather sweet. Mental note: if you're going to make fun of someone in a very elaborate fashion, be sure to preface with flattery.
So we've settled another great contract, another big win. I'm so proud of Susie, who took the lead on the internal organizing. The nurses were overflowing with compliments for how well informed they were. All those mornings of standing outside the hospital with flyers at 6 am paid off. Susie is really growing up as an organizer... I am freakishly proud of her accomplishments. She is extraordinary. I've never worked so well with anyone, and never seen an organizer learn so fast or develop so quickly.
We had a good weekend off, she and her husband went to the beach with Edward and Asparagus-Phoebe, Little Lisa went to visit friends in Iowa, and Danny C went to hear Leonard Cohen in Toronto. I just talked to Susie and we're excited about a summer to figure out what we did well, what we could do better, and get ready for the next big thing.
And inside every turning leaf
Is the pattern of an older tree
The shape of our future
The shape of all our history
And out of the confusion
Where the river meets the sea
Came things I'd never seen
Things I'd never seen
That's from Sting's "I Was Brought To My Senses." I'm listening to it as I make dinner.
I have been feeling old lately, but as I take yoga and pilates and eat right and feel the beginning of a new campaign growing inside me, the sad old feelings start to melt away. After all, I'm so proud of my little ones. And inside every turning leaf, is the pattern of an older tree... at 33, I am the older tree? Well, so be it. At least I'm still standing.
We have hard times ahead, no doubt, me and my friends at PARSNIP. This is a quick lull in the action, and things will get crazy again before we know it. I feel something new quickening in a way that I can only describe as biological.
And out of the confusion
Where the river meets the sea
Something new would arise
Something better would arise
Posted by april at June 5, 2008 2:18 PM