Quick note at the top of the show, we're recording this remotely, and the sound quality may not be what it is in the studio.

When I asked Sandy Cortez why she wanted to be a union leader, she had a very direct answer.

I've always been somebody who would say something if I see something that needs to be said.

Zenni Cortez is the co-president of National Nurses United.

It's the largest nurses union in the country and represents about 150,000 workers.

Right now, she has something to say.

I want to be the voice for those nurses who do not. about 150,000 workers. Right now, she has something to say.

I want to be the voice for those nurses who do not have the courage

or who are intimidated by management

and the union,

it has allowed me to speak out

without fear of retaliation because I have a union, an organization that will back me up for

telling the truth.

Over her four decades spent as a nurse, Zeni has seen her fair share of outbreaks, but never

anything like this.

It's not the pandemic that shocks her, but the way she and her colleagues have been asked to approach it,

and the way they've been punished for trying to take matters into their own hands.

Some of our supervisors and our managers have threatened suspension or even termination if we brought our own protective equipment.

So we held public information rallies,

and we did a media campaign to say,

you know, if you're not able to provide us with what we need,

then we will buy our own and let us do that.

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