1 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:07,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to it could happen here a podcast about things 2 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: falling apart and how to put them back together again. Now, 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: a thing that has fallen apart that we have talked 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,400 Speaker 1: about at length before is the protection of the right 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 1: to abortions, previously enshrined in Roe v. Wade and no 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: longer enshrined in that. And we've come at this from 7 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 1: a number of angles, but one angle that we've neglected 8 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: so far is is the labor angle. Um. And Okay, 9 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 1: So for reproductive autonomy to exist, right, you need healthcare, 10 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: and healthcare, especiallyunder capitalism, requires labor. And and that labor 11 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: isn't done by you know, abstract organizations. It's done by 12 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 1: workers who are facing not only sort of the mall 13 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: of the death of row, but the in transient and 14 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: often the belligerency of the room bosses. And here to 15 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: talk with us about that is Crystal Grabowski and Elizabeth 16 00:00:54,520 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: Vella Nuevo from the wonderfully named UEI Local six nine six, um, 17 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: And I'm gonna I'm going to read a pseudo legal 18 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:06,840 Speaker 1: disclaimer here, which is that they are not representing Planned 19 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:08,840 Speaker 1: parent who they do work at Planned Parenthood. They are 20 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:13,280 Speaker 1: not representing Planned parenthood. They're they're representing themselves as individuals 21 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:19,400 Speaker 1: and our local union, yes, proud members of Local six 22 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 1: nine six, impeccably named union, purposefully named right. Well, they 23 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: were like, you have to choose a a number that 24 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: starts with six, and then we just looked at each 25 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,199 Speaker 1: other and we had that moment where it's like yes, 26 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: and then we can add another one and it'll be 27 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: a good time, fun little threesome. He'll be safe. That's good. 28 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: So sorry, round one of pro union propaganda joining you 29 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: did and YouTube can be in in union Local sixty 30 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 1: nine or what if they told you the number can 31 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: start with four, like you know, yeah, boom. There's just 32 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 1: so many options. I'm sure there's other fun numbers that 33 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: besides those, but you have the entire world in front 34 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,399 Speaker 1: of you. Yeah, we could have done six, you could 35 00:02:08,440 --> 00:02:11,240 Speaker 1: do like boom. Can you imagine if we did six six? 36 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: We could not. We had that choice and we went 37 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: with six nine six. Sexual Health Organization is to prove 38 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 1: that workers will always make the right decision. This is 39 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:33,320 Speaker 1: the power of the union. We can evaluate these decisions 40 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: when when it's important and do the right there. So yeah, 41 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: thank thank you, thank you, to you so much for 42 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 1: for coming on the show. Thank you for having us. 43 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:48,679 Speaker 1: We're both super excited. Yeah, thanks for tighting us a 44 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 1: slowly abortion workers So I'm gonna I'm gonna dispute heavily 45 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: with the term slowly, like y'all are the people who 46 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: make all of this possible. So yeah, yeah, And and 47 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: now now having said all of this, I'm about I'm 48 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 1: going to ask you a very depression question, which we have. 49 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:14,119 Speaker 1: We've asked a lot of the people who've talked about 50 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:18,760 Speaker 1: abortion access, uh like who work in abortion access stuff, 51 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 1: this question, But I think you two had a very 52 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 1: different experience of it. Um. What was it like on 53 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: the day when Roe died? Do you want to go first, Crystal? Um? Yeah. 54 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: I've talked about this a lot because I'm getting asked 55 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 1: a lot, and it's I'm happy to talk about it, um, 56 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 1: which is I'm actually like, it's been hard to listen 57 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: to other people talk about it because then I start 58 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: getting in my fields. But like when I'm talking about 59 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 1: and I'm kind of like just processing it, it's probably 60 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: healthy for me, somebody would say. But it was incredibly traumatic, 61 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: and it's been incredibly traumatic. Um, since the fall of 62 00:03:54,960 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: Ruby Wade and the Dobs decision. And I'm saying this, well, like, well, 63 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: knowing that we all knew it was coming, it was 64 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: it was a given, and it wasn't surprising. And there's 65 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 1: just something about knowing that it's been coming for months 66 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: and years that like just it just did nothing to 67 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 1: actually inform you, like what would it be like? Um, 68 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 1: But it was like a It was like a tidal 69 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 1: wave crashing and just like sweeping you away. And we're 70 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: still swept away. Um. The only language that I can 71 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: find that's appropriate is like natural disaster language, and I 72 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: just I keep repeating it and saying, like it's like 73 00:04:32,760 --> 00:04:36,120 Speaker 1: a hurricane, It's like a tidal way. But that is 74 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: the those are the words that are most fitting to me, 75 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,640 Speaker 1: like emotionally and just in terms of like the violence 76 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:47,640 Speaker 1: and the that is that you that people are experiencing. Um, 77 00:04:47,680 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: and just the emotional and mental and bodily harm is 78 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: equitable to a natural disaster. Yeah. And I think during 79 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,840 Speaker 1: one of our debriefs, during a particular really difficult day, 80 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 1: this was pretty um Row. We were talking about how 81 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: sometimes it's really hard for us when we can see 82 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: these things coming and yet there's nothing we can really 83 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: do about it. And I know that we talked about 84 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: how it felt like we were just tied to a 85 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 1: train track, watching and waiting for that train to just 86 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 1: come and hit us, and then when it did, it 87 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: was just it just knocked I think the wind out 88 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 1: of all of us. Um, I think we all cried 89 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:32,720 Speaker 1: for sure, that we all cried, and um, and I'm 90 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: not even like I don't know, like I feel like 91 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 1: I am. I'm emotional and I am a crier, but 92 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:42,480 Speaker 1: a whole I didn't think that I would sob immediately 93 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: the second I saw the news. And then I always 94 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:47,240 Speaker 1: knew we were going to get a lot more calls 95 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: because um, Elizabeth and I also answered phones in the 96 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: abortion clinic, and I was like, Okay, we're gonna get 97 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,800 Speaker 1: way more calls. But like, you don't know what that 98 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 1: feels like or looks like or sounds like, like, what 99 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: is it I feel like to have a hundred people 100 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 1: calling you pretty much at the same time? What does 101 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 1: that look like? Now? I know, and it's traumatic and 102 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,360 Speaker 1: it's awful, and um, it's a natural disaster, but it's 103 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:15,159 Speaker 1: a man made disaster. Actually it's not a natural disaster. 104 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: We've there are people who have inflicted this upon us. Um, 105 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,520 Speaker 1: and now we know what it feels like, and it's 106 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 1: sucking awful. I should have asked if I was allowed 107 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: to swear. Oh yeah, I swear all the time, okay, 108 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 1: because like I've been on podcast before where they were like, oh, 109 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: we gotta edit that out, which, well, it's a fucking nightmare. Yeah, 110 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 1: we work in healthcare. I think we swear more than 111 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: the average lay man because they keep saying something out. Yeah, 112 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 1: there's so much more to say, like yeah, please, I 113 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,920 Speaker 1: don't even know where to go from there. It's just yeah, 114 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 1: it's like a never ending nightmare because like the calls 115 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: started and then it's just like just just person after 116 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:59,280 Speaker 1: person after person. They driving driving two hours, three hours, 117 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 1: four hours, five hours, coming from states that are like 118 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: three states away, coming from like states in the South, 119 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 1: people taking planes and um, people staying in hotels and 120 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 1: we've had people pay like hundreds of dollars for an 121 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: uber MHM and UM. And then just like bringing in 122 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: the labor angle to as like unionized abortion workers, who 123 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: you know, we have been vocal and we've been rallying 124 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: and making our demands like publicly known, but we are 125 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: doing this while under staffed, like skeletal crew staffing. We 126 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: didn't have enough staff before row Fell and the Doobs decision, 127 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: and now we just it's bare bones and it's like 128 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 1: we are so we're taking on this title wave, this 129 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: like man made title wave while just giving every last 130 00:07:55,640 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: ounce of our energy. Yeah um, and doing multiple roles 131 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: at once. Yeah. I don't know if you are able 132 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: to tell from the fact that Crystal and I both 133 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: work directly in the clinic, but we also answer calls. Um. 134 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: When we signed up for our job, Um, we knew 135 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 1: that we would be doing multiple things around the clinic, 136 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: and it's just it's funny, um to not really know 137 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: what that means until you start doing it. So one 138 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: day you'll be holding a patient's hand while they're having 139 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,040 Speaker 1: this procedure done, like giving them a little baggy in 140 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: case they feel sick. Um, you'll be talking to them 141 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: on the phone. So some there are days where I 142 00:08:38,640 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: will meet people who I've spoken to on the phone 143 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: when they called to book their appointment, and it just 144 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: hits me like a tidal wave because I'm like, that's 145 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 1: the person, Like, that's this person specifically, I remember because 146 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,840 Speaker 1: I remember hearing the sound of their voice, and every 147 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 1: single time they call in they are sobbing. This is 148 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:04,320 Speaker 1: a horrifying moment for them. This is a moment where 149 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:06,960 Speaker 1: they feel like trapped, They feel like they can't share 150 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:10,160 Speaker 1: with their family, with their friends. Um. Depending on what 151 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: state they're from and the legalities of that state, they 152 00:09:13,440 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: are even afraid to make these phone calls. Like some 153 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: of the first things that patients say to us when 154 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: they call it is in my is this okay? Like? 155 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: Am I allowed to call you? Um? Emanuela to talk 156 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: to you? Of my allowed to book an appointment? Um? 157 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: What's going to happen next for me? Yeah? Because we're 158 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: not lawyers, because we everything is so fluid right now, 159 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:38,719 Speaker 1: we don't have answers to give them. Um we can 160 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 1: just say, well, you're coming to Pennsylvania and it's stillegal 161 00:09:41,679 --> 00:09:47,559 Speaker 1: in Pennsylvania. So um. And then just to like paint 162 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:51,440 Speaker 1: the picture a little more too about like both the 163 00:09:51,480 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 1: skeletal staffing and the emotional turnoil and the emotional weight 164 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:03,000 Speaker 1: of it. Um. So, the jobs decision happened on June, 165 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: which was a Friday, and we're in Pennsylvania, and that 166 00:10:07,120 --> 00:10:10,559 Speaker 1: evening of the evening of June a trigger man went 167 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: into effect in in Ohio. It was a it's a 168 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: fetal heartbeat bill, which is a deceptive language because it's 169 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: not actually a heartbeat but um, but it's a it's 170 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 1: technically a fetal heartbeat bill. And so people after six 171 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 1: weeks um could no longer access abortion services or once 172 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 1: any sort of like electrical impulse was detected, and everyone 173 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: had their appointments canceled. So we were actually at a protest, 174 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:38,959 Speaker 1: like the staff was like at a protest that evening, 175 00:10:39,559 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 1: um with our with our doctors, our abortion providing doctors, 176 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: and the news came out like yeah, shout out to them, 177 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,560 Speaker 1: we love them, um, And we got the news that 178 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:52,440 Speaker 1: Ohio had just did this, and we were just like, 179 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 1: oh my god, tomorrow because we knew the second our 180 00:10:56,559 --> 00:10:59,559 Speaker 1: call center and our phone lines opened, everyone whose appointment 181 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: was canceled gonna be calling us. And then we pull 182 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:03,319 Speaker 1: up the staff schedule and we're like standing in the 183 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: middle of the street at a protest. We pull up 184 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: the staff schedule and we're like, oh my god, there 185 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: is one person schedule to answer phones right now, and 186 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,120 Speaker 1: it is an older woman who's been doing this since 187 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,559 Speaker 1: like the seventies or eighties and it's like we cannot 188 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: like and we were like all as a union, like, um, 189 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:24,319 Speaker 1: we turn to each other and we're like, oh my god, 190 00:11:24,320 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 1: this is the situation. We cannot leave her alone. Um, 191 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 1: we've already worked our five days, we already worked our 192 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,679 Speaker 1: already five hours, but we are going to call ourselves 193 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: into work. And like we just we were like we've 194 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,319 Speaker 1: notified our managers, like we're gonna come into work and 195 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:43,680 Speaker 1: we're gonna help too, answer the phones for these canceled 196 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: Ohio patients. Like that was a decision that we made 197 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: to work those extra that that extra time on our 198 00:11:48,760 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 1: weekend off because it was a Saturday. But this ties 199 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: into what Elizabeth was saying, where, Um, when you hear 200 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:58,319 Speaker 1: the person on the phone and then they come to you, 201 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,200 Speaker 1: and like it's very emotional because like you're doing your 202 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: best as a health care worker to get them the 203 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 1: health service that you have been trained to provide and 204 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: that you know is very important. So knowing that we 205 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: were understaffed, um, knowing that we're not making that much money, 206 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: and then just being like I have to go in 207 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 1: and be there. I can't leave my coworker alone because 208 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: I love my coworker and we can't, and like, somebody 209 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: has to be there for these these patients when they're calling. 210 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,439 Speaker 1: And if it's not going to be the employer and 211 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: the bosses, then it's going to be you. And and 212 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 1: then we we all just we did that, and then 213 00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:39,120 Speaker 1: um there was another clinic day. We a lot of 214 00:12:39,240 --> 00:12:42,240 Speaker 1: us arranged to come in for an extra work day 215 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: because we were like, we have we have to be 216 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: there for these patients. Um, so we're really giving all 217 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:55,600 Speaker 1: of our energy, and it's exhausting and traumatizing. I can't 218 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: I feel like I can't say that enough. But and 219 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: we need more staff, we need better wages, we need 220 00:13:03,920 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: better working conditions because it's so it's like at the 221 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 1: end of some of these days, it's like, how am 222 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:12,160 Speaker 1: I going to keep doing this? My body hurts, my 223 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: brain hurts. I started having like issues with my memory 224 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,599 Speaker 1: where like I couldn't remember anything because my brain just 225 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:22,319 Speaker 1: gave up on retaining information. And I'm like, I think 226 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 1: this is like a trauma response, like yeah, I'm overwhelmed 227 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:39,559 Speaker 1: system shock. I think this is one of the things 228 00:13:39,559 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: you get with working for NGOs, which is that like 229 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:46,000 Speaker 1: we're doing something like this is like there is work 230 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 1: that needs to be done, but you know, the employers 231 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 1: not giving you the resources that is necessary to do 232 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:54,360 Speaker 1: it right. You have one person on a call line 233 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,000 Speaker 1: like the day after a fetal heartbeat bill goes goes 234 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 1: into effect and and it's I don't know. It seems 235 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: like one of the one of the things that's that 236 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 1: that these NGOs do is they were you know, they 237 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: make they make a mistake or they do something deliberately 238 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: because they don't want to pay people and then they 239 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:13,199 Speaker 1: don't want to pay another more people, and they make 240 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 1: you go deal with it because you know it has 241 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,880 Speaker 1: to get done because these people need you and that 242 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: has to do it. Yeah, and that's so cross, it's disgusting. 243 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 1: So for me, I like to equate it as kind 244 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:31,400 Speaker 1: of like being emotionally gasolt because the whole point of healthcare, 245 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 1: and I've said this to other people in different healthcare 246 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: roles that I've worked before, because as we know, health 247 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 1: care is chronically understaffed, like there are so many like 248 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: nursing shortages and things. UM is that healthcare is designed 249 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:48,760 Speaker 1: to draw people who want to help. You have these 250 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:53,560 Speaker 1: like very strong moral and emotional beliefs, UM, and we 251 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: are paid to care like it is our job to 252 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: care UM. And that is how they can get all 253 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:03,040 Speaker 1: of these things out of us, is because it's very 254 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:07,440 Speaker 1: easy to feel emotionally manipulated when somebody's like, well somebody 255 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 1: has to be there for this patient, this person, UM, 256 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: this like thing that can't wait UM and so a 257 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 1: lot of us UM. Even like I said before, I 258 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,400 Speaker 1: worked here. At like different positions that I've held, I've 259 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: been like, I will take an extra shift because somebody 260 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: has to do it. And I love my job so much. 261 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: I love working in healthcare. It's something I've been very 262 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: passionate about since I was a small child. UM. So 263 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: I for years would burn myself out and be like, 264 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: I'll take the extra shift at a different position. UM. 265 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: When I used to work at a care UM. I 266 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 1: worked at an intermediate care facility for adults with intellectual 267 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 1: physical disabilities UM for a couple of years, and I 268 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 1: remember routinely working sixteen hour shifts like day in and 269 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 1: day out. I think there was like six seven days 270 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: a week of just doubles where I would work sixteen 271 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: hour shifts. I don't think I like slept or aid 272 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 1: or did anything UM. And then at one point, I 273 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: was so burnt out that I just couldn't do it anymore. 274 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: And I started to get frustrated with the people that 275 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:16,400 Speaker 1: I worked with and like the patients that I cared about. 276 00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: And this one particular day, I like, I noticed myself 277 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: getting incredibly annoyed with everything that was like happening, like sounds, 278 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: patients like just being themselves, Like I didn't, you know, 279 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 1: take it out on anything or anyone. I just noticed 280 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: myself getting like slightly more irritated, and then I was like, 281 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 1: this is not sustainable. I can't keep doing this UM. 282 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 1: And I compared this recent change posted the Doobs Decision 283 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 1: to what it was like when I also used to 284 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:54,720 Speaker 1: work for distributing medical equipment to hospices. UM. It felt 285 00:16:54,760 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: like every single moment was an emergency that I just 286 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: did not have the resources to be able to UM 287 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: help with. Because on one end of the line, you 288 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: have somebody that is having this emergency, and then on 289 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 1: the other end of the line, there's another person pulling 290 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: you because they're also having an emergency, and so you 291 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 1: have to kind of weigh which one of these patients 292 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 1: like needs you the most right now, and which one 293 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: of those can you reasonably help. It's like that psychology 294 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: psychology puzzle where they're like, um, if you move the 295 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:44,199 Speaker 1: thing on the try, Yeah, the trolley problem where like 296 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: one of these people will die or seven people will die, 297 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 1: and you have to decide which one of those you're 298 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:55,680 Speaker 1: gonna pull. Yeah, there's only so much that we can 299 00:17:55,720 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 1: give as healthcare workers, as abortion workers, as reproductive health workers. UM, 300 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:04,520 Speaker 1: there's only so many hours in a day. And as 301 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:09,280 Speaker 1: much as we want to keep giving, for us to 302 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:11,439 Speaker 1: keep pouring out of an empty cup, it's just not 303 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,159 Speaker 1: sustainable for ourselves. Like I know, many of us have 304 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:18,240 Speaker 1: lost sleep, many of us have stopped like being able 305 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 1: to focus on anything outside of work because as soon 306 00:18:21,320 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: as like you turn on the news or you open 307 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,399 Speaker 1: the phone or you like open up Twitter, there's more 308 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 1: and more and more information because everything is consistently changing 309 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 1: all of the time. And like, um, Western Virginia is 310 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:43,479 Speaker 1: currently having like there, um yeah, so that's new. And 311 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 1: we had a couple of calls come in from UM 312 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 1: and we had Kentucky. Yeah, so that was new. UM. 313 00:18:51,680 --> 00:18:55,200 Speaker 1: And we're just starting to like really have a good 314 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:58,680 Speaker 1: pattern of resources for patients coming in from like Ohio, 315 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:03,360 Speaker 1: UM and now we're like, okay, well what about Kentucky. 316 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:07,120 Speaker 1: So we just like we feel like there's just one 317 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 1: like hole in the dam that we put our finger 318 00:19:09,680 --> 00:19:12,639 Speaker 1: on and then another one shows up that at some 319 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:18,280 Speaker 1: point we just have to know that we've done our best, um, 320 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:21,200 Speaker 1: and then it's okay to take a second to rest 321 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:26,199 Speaker 1: um and do you know, go home and maybe like 322 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 1: watch TV or listen to a podcast. Yeah, not about abortion. Yeah, 323 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: forget about abortion for two seconds, and because we will 324 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,119 Speaker 1: inevitably have to do it again tomorrow. This reminds me 325 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 1: a lot of Um, I did an interview like I 326 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:47,680 Speaker 1: don't actually it'll be a couple of weeks, I guess 327 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 1: by when this comes out. With some organizers who were 328 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 1: like trying to do like relief and aid for the migrants. 329 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:57,520 Speaker 1: You're getting bus to d C from Texas, I think 330 00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,400 Speaker 1: you talk to and it was like they were talking 331 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: about exactly the same thing where it's like we have 332 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 1: to do this, we have to do this because otherwise 333 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:04,679 Speaker 1: no one's gonna help these people. But like at a 334 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,280 Speaker 1: certain point it's like everyone has COVID, like we just 335 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 1: can't and it I don't know, it's I think it's 336 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 1: especially frustrating that this is happening because like those people 337 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:15,879 Speaker 1: were just like they have no resources, right, it's just 338 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:17,439 Speaker 1: a bunch of people who could drink vitual aly thing, 339 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:20,919 Speaker 1: but like this is planned parenthood. Like they have resources 340 00:20:21,000 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: and they're not they're not doing this, and they're they're 341 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 1: doing this. I talked to a nurse who's a friend 342 00:20:26,119 --> 00:20:28,640 Speaker 1: of mine a long time ago on this show, and 343 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: he talked, you know, he was in nurseting COVID. He's 344 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: gotten COVID twice I think, and like, you know, he 345 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 1: was talking about how like, yeah, he he said to 346 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 1: be like thing I've always remember, it was like I've 347 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: seen people die because I've seen people die because of 348 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:45,640 Speaker 1: staffing decisions, and it's like it's this it's this moral 349 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:49,239 Speaker 1: blackmail thing where it's like, in order to expect this 350 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,119 Speaker 1: thing needs to be done, we're not going to actually 351 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 1: supervisee you with enough resources to do it, and we're 352 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 1: going to make you responsible for the consequences of our actions. 353 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 1: And yeah, it's grotesque. Yeah something that um really it's 354 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:06,640 Speaker 1: just kind of like part of the trauma for the workers. 355 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 1: And I'm honestly for the patients and for everyone in 356 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 1: our communities because this impact literally everyone is um just 357 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 1: like turning, Like we do turn people away because pregnancy 358 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:21,399 Speaker 1: is a time sensitive issue and you know, you have 359 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:23,399 Speaker 1: to get in in a certain number of weeks in 360 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: order to get you know, the type of procedure that 361 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:27,360 Speaker 1: you want, in order to get a procedure at all. 362 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 1: And these are people that are often parents, the majority 363 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 1: of people who have abortions or parents, um, and they 364 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,359 Speaker 1: have children, and they have jobs or they don't have 365 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,359 Speaker 1: like PTO, and they live four hours away. So it's like, 366 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 1: how am I going to get to this appointment? So 367 00:21:42,320 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 1: there's so many people that we have to refer, so 368 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 1: it's it's so much on your soul to be on 369 00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 1: the phones and you speak to mother after mother, like 370 00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: a single mother or somebody who lost a partner or 371 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 1: they are you know, um, they got evicted, and you're 372 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: referring them to Detroit, which isn't also four or five 373 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:13,920 Speaker 1: hours away, and just to refer people to say I 374 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 1: can't help you, try calling this place. And to do 375 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: that like multiple times in a row every day, and 376 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:21,879 Speaker 1: then you're like you're working seven hour days. It is 377 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 1: really soul crushing because it feels like and like you 378 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:27,760 Speaker 1: tell yourself like it's my you know, we don't have 379 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,639 Speaker 1: the resources, we don't have the staff, we weren't prepared 380 00:22:30,680 --> 00:22:34,360 Speaker 1: for this crisis. It's not on me. But it's very 381 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: hard not to feel awful when you are turning people 382 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 1: away because you don't I don't know any I've probably 383 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:44,800 Speaker 1: turned like probably over a hundred people away on the 384 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 1: phones and told them who to call. I don't know 385 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 1: if they reach those places. I don't know if they 386 00:22:49,200 --> 00:22:51,520 Speaker 1: called those places. For all I know, they continue to 387 00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:55,200 Speaker 1: hire risk pregnancy, and they might suffer health consequences or 388 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 1: things that debilitate them for the rest of their life, 389 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,639 Speaker 1: things that make the children's lives worse. And I have 390 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: no have knowing. So it's just very traumatic to constantly 391 00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: be hanging up on the phone with people and just 392 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:10,640 Speaker 1: like sending them into like just a desert. I think 393 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:13,119 Speaker 1: the hardest part two is that these phone calls aren't 394 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:15,920 Speaker 1: like two seconds long. They're not two minutes when we 395 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: tell when we answer the phones. Abortion appointments take about 396 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:23,960 Speaker 1: fifteen to twenty minutes to schedule, So this is a 397 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 1: half an hour that you are getting to know an individual. 398 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 1: A person. They tell you everything about their lives. They 399 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,399 Speaker 1: tell you exactly what they're feeling, what they're afraid of, 400 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:37,119 Speaker 1: what they're going through with their families, like um, what 401 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,199 Speaker 1: their financial situation is like. And then at the end 402 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: when you tell them or at the beginning, which I 403 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: do often just to let them know what they're getting 404 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: themselves into. When you tell them that you're booking like 405 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: three weeks out, four weeks out, you can just hear 406 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 1: it in their voice that they are so scared and 407 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:05,040 Speaker 1: so desperate and there's nothing you can do about it 408 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:09,360 Speaker 1: because there's just not enough of us. There's not enough 409 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:12,359 Speaker 1: planet days, there's not enough hours in the day to 410 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:15,040 Speaker 1: see all of these patients. There is so much red 411 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:17,720 Speaker 1: tape that these patients have to go through to even 412 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 1: get to this appointment. There's a twenty four our phone 413 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: consent in the state of Pennsylvania. UM. If they miss that, 414 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 1: they can't be seen. And these are often like um. 415 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:33,960 Speaker 1: Depending on the time of the phone call. Some people 416 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: work multiple jobs, they're like sleep, they can't make the 417 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:43,679 Speaker 1: phone call, they're sick, they don't have working cell phones, 418 00:24:45,720 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: or they're in a yeah, there in a situation where 419 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,399 Speaker 1: they're like have intimate partner violence, so they can't be 420 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:56,360 Speaker 1: on the phone for that long without risking their personal safety. 421 00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 1: And it's just really traumatizing. And I know that it 422 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: really common on the left and with like pro abortion 423 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: people to say like you can't stop abortion, you can 424 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:10,080 Speaker 1: only staff save abortion. And I I totally support the 425 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:12,560 Speaker 1: sentiment behind that, because people are going to get abortions 426 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:15,639 Speaker 1: no matter what. But people also need to think about 427 00:25:16,920 --> 00:25:19,639 Speaker 1: the people who give up, because I have when I 428 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: have been on the phone with someone and heard them 429 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 1: give up. Yeah, and it's it's it's it's traumatizing because 430 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 1: like you know that you gave them the information that 431 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,560 Speaker 1: broke them where they were just like when I'm like, okay, 432 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 1: you have to wait four weeks, you have to drive 433 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:35,879 Speaker 1: four hours, you have to do this, you have to 434 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 1: pay this, you have to do that, and then just 435 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 1: for them to say, I'm sorry, I don't want to 436 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: waste your time anymore. I just can't do this much 437 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:47,280 Speaker 1: right now. It's just too much. And just to hear 438 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,960 Speaker 1: they're just resignation because you know, I think I feel like, 439 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: you know, working in jobs, you might have heard people 440 00:25:54,160 --> 00:25:56,680 Speaker 1: just like reach that moment where they hit their point, 441 00:25:57,480 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 1: um whatever they're breaking point might be whatever the con 442 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: text is, whatever the topic is. But like when it's 443 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 1: your life and it's your health and it's your family 444 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:06,920 Speaker 1: and they're just like, this is my breaking point and 445 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 1: witnessing and that that does happen. And it's a tragedy 446 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: every time that somebody abandons what they really want and 447 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 1: their health and their well being and um, and it 448 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:20,359 Speaker 1: does happen. And that's why this is a tragedy that 449 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: needs to stop. And I don't know when it's going 450 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:23,920 Speaker 1: to stop, because it just kind of seems like it's 451 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 1: going to keep happening and keep going and going and going, 452 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,040 Speaker 1: in which case the trauma is going to like move. 453 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 1: Right now, we're like bearing the brunt of it, but 454 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:33,960 Speaker 1: it's gonna like radiate from us in our patients and 455 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:37,639 Speaker 1: we're going to see the ripple effects across the whole country, 456 00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:44,080 Speaker 1: generational trauma that's going to continue for multiple decades. Yeah. Yeah. 457 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: And it's i mean, just on a basic level, it's 458 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: not fair that even you have to deal with this 459 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 1: like this. This shouldn't be happening at all like that. 460 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:59,440 Speaker 1: And it's it's that it's that like all of the 461 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 1: evil of the American settler state falling on like a 462 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:05,280 Speaker 1: bunch of people who have nothing and then a bunch 463 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:08,639 Speaker 1: of workers who are expected to show up and have 464 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: to deal with all of their all of their trauma 465 00:27:11,160 --> 00:27:15,520 Speaker 1: to every day and it's just like a trauma to loser. Yeah, 466 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 1: and it's like flags and um. And then we had 467 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:26,360 Speaker 1: a union rally recently and uh, we were very open 468 00:27:26,440 --> 00:27:28,199 Speaker 1: and talking about how a lot of us work two 469 00:27:28,280 --> 00:27:30,960 Speaker 1: jobs and and we have staff members who donate plasma, 470 00:27:31,160 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 1: so it's like we're doing this on top of a 471 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: second job and donating are like bodily fluids. I spoke 472 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,760 Speaker 1: at this rally and I was like, we're literally giving 473 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:45,680 Speaker 1: our flash blood and tears to this whole thing. Um, 474 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 1: because it's just we love it. We love all of 475 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 1: our patients, We care about the work. We really want 476 00:27:52,119 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 1: to make sure that our patients are going to be okay. 477 00:27:56,160 --> 00:28:01,200 Speaker 1: And I think that's why we do it, and also 478 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:06,359 Speaker 1: how we can justify feeling this way day day in 479 00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 1: and day out. I wanna, I think move from this 480 00:28:20,080 --> 00:28:26,320 Speaker 1: to talking about the contract negotiation process, because like, okay, 481 00:28:26,400 --> 00:28:28,440 Speaker 1: it is not okay for anyone to have like a 482 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 1: fourteen month long contract negotiation process. It is especially not 483 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:35,360 Speaker 1: okay for you to have to do this, so yeah, 484 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: can we can we talk about what plant like what 485 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 1: planned parish has been doing and would be better at 486 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:44,080 Speaker 1: answering this because she's on our bargaining committee. I'm on 487 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 1: the bargaining team, yam. I've been doing this for fourteen 488 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,240 Speaker 1: months and like just oh god, I'm so sick of 489 00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,479 Speaker 1: these meetings. I'm so sick of them, sick of their 490 00:28:56,520 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 1: talking to their lawyer. Um, it's been long been just 491 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 1: um really just dragging themselves. It's like carrying a dead body. 492 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 1: It's like like it's like come on, come on, are 493 00:29:10,160 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 1: you are you okay? We're gonna We're gonna get there, 494 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: you know, Like I'm We're just like dragging them and 495 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:21,160 Speaker 1: they are afraid of everything. Everything is we gotta see, 496 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,480 Speaker 1: we gotta check, we gotta we gotta look into it. 497 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 1: And then you never hear back, or maybe you hear 498 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 1: back like three months four months later. Um, they constantly 499 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: want to bring in a mediator constantly, and it's like 500 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 1: there's nothing to mediate, Like what are we going to immediate? 501 00:29:38,840 --> 00:29:41,200 Speaker 1: You telling us that you gotta back to us, like 502 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:44,360 Speaker 1: what's their tom mediate there? Um? And they're like it 503 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 1: will move it along. And it's like yes, because they're 504 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:49,040 Speaker 1: doing the job for you. We want you to do it. 505 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: We want you to have answers, you to figure it out. 506 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: You're the bosses, you make the money, you're the one 507 00:29:54,600 --> 00:29:59,640 Speaker 1: running the organization. Um. Sorry, I start getting salty the 508 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 1: bark team as has um. Being on the bargaining team 509 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:08,360 Speaker 1: has really nurtured my rage. Um. It's been very exhausting. 510 00:30:08,640 --> 00:30:10,640 Speaker 1: And I know we're going to win a good contract 511 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:14,640 Speaker 1: because we are badasses and I think we're really strong 512 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:21,400 Speaker 1: union and really strong team. Um, and we need we 513 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:26,760 Speaker 1: need a livable wage because we're we're getting pommelled. So UM, 514 00:30:27,240 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 1: it's been really frustrating. I guess it's like in short, 515 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 1: it's really drawn out, frustrating, disrespectful. I feel like my 516 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 1: time has been disrespected. You know, I turn up every day, 517 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:42,400 Speaker 1: um for for my employer in the clinic. I'm an 518 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: excellent worker and uh and they just waste like two 519 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:50,640 Speaker 1: three hours of my evening constantly. I could have been 520 00:30:51,280 --> 00:30:53,640 Speaker 1: on my porch drinking tea or something, I don't know, 521 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:59,480 Speaker 1: something relaxing. Yeah. And I guess, like any other person, 522 00:30:59,560 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 1: like like every every day that they don't like sign 523 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 1: a contract is another day they get to get away 524 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:09,400 Speaker 1: with not paying you, not bringing more staff, and it's 525 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,560 Speaker 1: and they're constantly trying to get delay contract negotiations to 526 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: where they're like, oh, if you do this, we can 527 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:18,920 Speaker 1: We'll give you a couple of pennies and then we 528 00:31:18,960 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 1: won't make any you won't be able to make any 529 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: economic changes until the next fiscal year. And it's like, 530 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: do you think I want to wait till next July? 531 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:31,200 Speaker 1: I have a life plans. Yeah, I mean I think 532 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:33,239 Speaker 1: we've talked about on the show before that like one 533 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:35,800 Speaker 1: of the one of the most common ways that one 534 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 1: of the most common ways that unions fall apart, and 535 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:40,360 Speaker 1: one of the things that corporations do and n g 536 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 1: o s due to crush them is by trying to 537 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:46,920 Speaker 1: make sure that the first contract fails. And yeah, it's 538 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:52,040 Speaker 1: a union busting thing. And it's grotesque, especially that it's 539 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 1: like okay, like with capitalist firms, like yeah, you expect 540 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 1: them to be union busting, right, like that that's their job. 541 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 1: Their job is to ruthlessly specially, but it's like this 542 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:03,560 Speaker 1: is an NGO, Like their job is to provide health 543 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: care for people. They're supposed to be oppressive organization. They're 544 00:32:06,320 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 1: still doing this and it's I don't know, it seems 545 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:18,400 Speaker 1: just really grim. Um it is grim and it doesn't 546 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:23,320 Speaker 1: give a lot of hope too, I think just everyone 547 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:25,920 Speaker 1: living in this in this country because it's like, okay, 548 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 1: so there's been a a uh, I was gonna say attack, 549 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 1: but like attack doesn't feel appropriate. Like they have gutted 550 00:32:34,280 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: abortion access, hurting everybody, UM, causing like violence to people. 551 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:43,600 Speaker 1: And who do you look to? So you would think 552 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: that you would look to these progressive abortion related organizations 553 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:53,640 Speaker 1: like Planned Parenthood, National Abortion Federation, UM, narrow, but all 554 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:59,960 Speaker 1: of them have nothing to give and nothing there. They're 555 00:33:00,240 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: you You only hear bad news. You hear them shutting down, 556 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 1: you hear them union busting, you hear them UM requiring 557 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:13,120 Speaker 1: ridiculous regulations that aren't even necessary, and it's it's just 558 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 1: there's no they don't do anything to inspire hope. So 559 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:20,400 Speaker 1: it's like, well you need you know, like um prison 560 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 1: culture and uh Mary Mikaba says, like, you know, hope 561 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 1: as a discipline. So I feel like a lot of 562 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:27,200 Speaker 1: us are always looking to like a place to exercise 563 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 1: or hope and you're you're not going to get that 564 00:33:29,280 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 1: here with with some of these organizations, I think you 565 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:34,960 Speaker 1: are going to get it in I think the rebro 566 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:36,680 Speaker 1: unions because I think there's a lot of us, and 567 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 1: I think there were I think that we are working 568 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:42,280 Speaker 1: our little hearts out, and I think you're also going 569 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:44,360 Speaker 1: to get it with some of these other organizations, like um, 570 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:47,240 Speaker 1: the abortion like abortion funds and some of the practical 571 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 1: support organizations that are really like getting on the level 572 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:53,840 Speaker 1: of patients who are patients for former patients and are like, 573 00:33:54,640 --> 00:33:57,600 Speaker 1: we're going to get people abortions. I think that's where 574 00:33:57,640 --> 00:34:03,280 Speaker 1: Hope is right now. Um, but not with our employer. Yeah, 575 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:04,760 Speaker 1: I wanted to I guess there's some of your things 576 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:06,120 Speaker 1: I wanted to ask about was sort of on a 577 00:34:06,280 --> 00:34:10,200 Speaker 1: macro level. I mean, everyone we've talked to has talked 578 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:16,279 Speaker 1: about how like the ability to get an abortion is 579 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 1: based on like a pretty small number of people who 580 00:34:20,719 --> 00:34:23,480 Speaker 1: are like some you know, people who are abortion who 581 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:26,960 Speaker 1: are escorts, who are who are like a lot of 582 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:29,759 Speaker 1: time volunteers, or it's people who are like you two, 583 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:34,040 Speaker 1: who are being like horrifically underpaid to do the actual 584 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 1: work of this. And I was wondering what you two 585 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:42,840 Speaker 1: think that like the like the way this like I 586 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:45,719 Speaker 1: don't know, I guess, like the way everyone has sort 587 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:48,360 Speaker 1: of run ragged even keeping the system. How it was, 588 00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:50,759 Speaker 1: like what role that played on a sort of macro 589 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:53,480 Speaker 1: level in terms of why ROW was like destroyed in 590 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 1: the first place, and what that's done to the sort 591 00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:59,440 Speaker 1: of the broader movement. I mean, no, they didn't do 592 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 1: anything to Bennett, Like like, it's just what have we seen? 593 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:08,280 Speaker 1: What show of force or strength or commitment to abortion 594 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:14,279 Speaker 1: access have we seen in ever? Honestly, like I can't 595 00:35:14,280 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 1: even think other than like some loss or some legal 596 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:22,319 Speaker 1: wins we've celebrated, Like I do remember whole woman's health 597 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:27,279 Speaker 1: be Hellerstead, Um, what was that was like a win 598 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,160 Speaker 1: and we were excited and we were like, this is 599 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:34,479 Speaker 1: good news, and that's honestly the last and that again, 600 00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: that was just a court decision, so it was like 601 00:35:36,760 --> 00:35:40,520 Speaker 1: not in our hands really anyways. So I just either's 602 00:35:40,560 --> 00:35:45,640 Speaker 1: so little, there's so little to work with, and so 603 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 1: a little look at outside of I think just some 604 00:35:49,320 --> 00:35:54,239 Speaker 1: really excellent organizing from workers and practical support groups. And 605 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 1: I really think that our community has been fabulous this 606 00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:02,040 Speaker 1: last whole like month. All of the support that we've 607 00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:06,680 Speaker 1: gotten um for our like personal morale has been through 608 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:10,920 Speaker 1: like friends or local businesses or like people who know 609 00:36:11,160 --> 00:36:16,160 Speaker 1: people who um like are there to offer us like 610 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:20,200 Speaker 1: an ear, a hand, um, a cup of coffee. Um. 611 00:36:20,719 --> 00:36:23,840 Speaker 1: Some of our doctors bring in bagels. Uh, this is 612 00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:27,040 Speaker 1: like from their own pockets. Um, we'll bring in bagels. 613 00:36:27,080 --> 00:36:29,840 Speaker 1: We've had like people donate and organized to bring in 614 00:36:29,960 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 1: like coffee and stuff. UM. I know that Crystal was 615 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:37,440 Speaker 1: receiving a lot of donations herself, UM that we all 616 00:36:37,640 --> 00:36:42,640 Speaker 1: use to buy ourselves, like food, drinks, stuff for people 617 00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:47,279 Speaker 1: are just like sending me money for them. Yeah, and 618 00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:50,080 Speaker 1: I thought that was really great. But I also noticed 619 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:57,319 Speaker 1: that it came from outside sources and not from internal sources. Um. 620 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:00,839 Speaker 1: These are all other people outside in our community who 621 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:04,560 Speaker 1: understand and value the work with that we're doing, and 622 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:08,200 Speaker 1: like actively listen for what we need and what we're 623 00:37:08,239 --> 00:37:11,920 Speaker 1: asking for. Um. And I think that there's a lot 624 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:15,200 Speaker 1: to be said about that. Yeah. Honestly, the most hope 625 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,480 Speaker 1: and the most support has come from just like regular people. 626 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:22,719 Speaker 1: You don't really see it from anyone with anything any 627 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:28,239 Speaker 1: actual money or power. And on that note, this has 628 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:29,920 Speaker 1: been na could happen here You can find us on 629 00:37:30,000 --> 00:37:32,719 Speaker 1: Twitter and Instagram That Happen Here pod, and you can 630 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:36,880 Speaker 1: find Crystal and Elizabeth Union at PPWP Union on Twitter 631 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,000 Speaker 1: for part two of this interview and until then goodbye. 632 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:47,040 Speaker 1: It Could Happen Here is a production of cool Zone Media. 633 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:49,920 Speaker 1: Or more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website 634 00:37:49,960 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 1: cool zone media dot com, or check us out on 635 00:37:52,160 --> 00:37:54,640 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 636 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 1: listen to podcasts. You can find sources for It Could 637 00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:00,480 Speaker 1: Happen Here, updated monthly at cool zone media dot com 638 00:38:00,560 --> 00:38:02,440 Speaker 1: slash sources. Thanks for listening.