LTE: After Sacrificing So Much, I Will Not Let Orlando Health Take That Away

http://nhlabornews.com/2014/01/lte-after-sacrificing-so-much-i-will-not-let-orlando-health-take-that-away/

By NH Labor | January 3, 2014

Editor’s Note: One of the stories that I have been following is the organizing efforts of the workers at Orlando Health. If you don’t remember their story click here, and here. Today I am would like to share the life story of one brave woman who is leading the charge to unionize Orlando Health. The sacrifices she made to become a nurse and raise a family is truly inspiring. Now she will not sit idly by while Orlando Health tries to take that all away from her.



From Left to Right
Sarah Lasher, Sarah Collins, and Giovanni Garzon.

Sarah’s Story:

I know many of us have our different reasons for joining a union but here is my story.

I became a mother at 21 years of age and during the course of my twenties had my other two children. I always loved being a mom but with the economy being so tough, I had to work as well. I became a medical assistant and loved the medical field. However, as a medical assistant, I was often overworked and underpaid. My life changed when my aunt was dying from larynx cancer (never smoked) and she made me promise to become a nurse. She told me I would be a great nurse and I deserved better. Needless to say…I made a promise to her I intended to keep. Over the next two years I proceeded to take my pre-requisites for nursing school often working all day, picking kids up from daycare and attending classes at night. I thought that was hard, little did I know this was only the beginning. Then one day that letter came, I had got accepted to nursing school. My friends and family were so proud of me and were excited for me to start my journey. I thought, here I go Aunty Sandra…I am fulfilling my promise to you. I attended the orientation and that’s when the reality of what was to come hit me. The nursing director told the fresh, hopeful faces in the room that we could forget about seeing our families and working at all was not an option. Nursing school was our fulltime job and if we were not able to give it one hundred percent to drop out now. All I could say was “wow, how am I going to do this?” I went home feeling defeated and called my mother. She said “sarah, you can and will do this!” I got off the phone with her and put my babies to sleep. I watched them sleep that night and made a life changing decision. I needed to do this for my children so that they can have a better life. I wanted to make a difference in not only their lives but the lives of others. I made a promise that I intended to keep.

FULL story at link.