December 2022

Hello UAW!

I am Charlene Watson, Local 4911 newest Financial Secretary. Our previous Financial Secretary has moved onto greener pastures, and I sure do wish her all the happiness in the world!

Happy Holidays and all the best to you in the year to come! 

A bit about me…. I have worked for Sparrow Hospital for over 37 years, every single year in the inpatient pharmacy, providing my customers with the best of service and care. My “customers” were not only the patients, but also much of the healthcare support staff throughout the hospital, in almost every department, including management.

In my healthcare career, I have seen my share of managerial, policy, and financial changes-some good, some not so good. I believe that one of the hardest obstacles/challenges to overcome for the healthcare folks began with the start of the Covid pandemic, and for me, the saying “flying by the seat of our pants” had new meaning!

In the beginning, hospital employees were very worried about the PPE shortages and how we could protect our patients, ourselves, and family especially since the virus was lacking the historical data, and its predictability, was at best (my opinion), an educated guess for the experts who were trying to keep our country safe and guide this country through the un-charted waters known as the Covid Pandemic! 

Now, its Flu and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) season, and Covid is still here! These are all respiratory viruses with similar symptoms. A good avenue to protect yourself and family starts with education!

The UAW knows and understands that people are the most important asset in any situation. In the workplace, human safety should be the top concern and personal safety, at work or home, should be everyone’s concern. Let us all fight a little harder using the knowledge we have, continuing to increase our knowledge and pay it forward by taking opportunities to teach everyone how to stay safe.

1. Wash-wash-wash-your hands. (If soap and water are not available, CDC recommends consumers use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

2. Keep your hands off your face-eyes-mouth.

3. Wear a mask if you feel the need.

These are basic protection steps we all should know by now and still be practicing as needed.                         These basics can help protect everyone against Covid, Flu or RSV.                                                                                                                          

I would like to suggest a visit to www.mayoclinic.com as a source of education.

Just by typing in key word(s) in the search bar, you can find a wealth of information that you can decipher and devour at your leisure, information that I hope will help protect you, your family, and your co-workers!

Enjoy your families this holiday season and stay safe UAW brothers and sisters!

Char