Kaiser Permanente and the Alliance of Health Care Unions

Humans of Partnership: Phyllis Nagle

woman wearing white protective gear

Four of us grievance representatives are working at the curbside pharmacy and COVID-19 testing pilot site outside the Corona Medical Offices in Riverside. This service is by appointment only, for high-risk patients who need to pick up a prescription or be tested for COVID-19, or both. Many of them are visibly sick — and they don’t have masks or gloves or anything — and they start coughing. Some are angry. But they’re all anxious, and they’re scared. If you can stay calm and controlled, they respond to that. It’s a good feeling when you see them ease up. At that point you just get them the help they need.

Phyllis Nagle, grievance representative, Steelworkers Local 7600 (Southern California)