New Affiliate Officers Invade San Dimas

March 2013

New affiliate officers from Kaiser Fontana, SPNN, Pettis Memorial, Kaiser San Diego, Kaiser Orange County, Beverly Hospital, SCNSC, KPASCO, Garden Grove, Kaiser South Bay, Kaiser Baldwin Park, and Kaiser Ontario joined Ken Deitz, UNAC/UHCP President, and others for a day of training for their new roles. Some were familiar faces transitioning to new roles, others were new officers in new affiliates. But everyone was ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work.

Said Dennis Livingston, PA and new officer at Kaiser Fontana, pictured alone to the right, "I'm learning what a big responsibility it is to be an officer. I'm excited to serve my members." Optometrist Wilbur Wu learned, "the Union has national and international resources to make sure all your rights are upheld."

New officers at new affiliates remarked that the new officer training was a good refresher after taking affiliate officer training classes for just their affiliate as recently as last month. Said Erica Mays, of SCNSC, "it's easier to learn and retain here-it's a slower pace." Susan Justin, RN and new officer at Beverly Hospital, remarked, "it is not as overwhelming as the first few trainings." Her colleague Mirka Bojarczak chimed in to say, "things are going great with our officers, but we're still putting a lot of effort into our working relationship with management. It's a bit of a slow beginning."

When asked how they became officers, there were different reasons. Andrelin Zulueta, new Pettis Memorial officer, said that he had been helped by the Union in the past, and this was a way to give back. He also said his Staff Representative, Minerva Aller de la Fuente, was serving as his mentor. "This will mostly be on-the-job training with Minerva."

Charmaine Morales, new officer at Kaiser South Bay summed up the day when she said, "I take my new role very seriously as members have placed their trust and confidence in me. I feel that with this new leadership role, I will play a part in the positive changes yet to come."