Letters to the editor for Dec. 5
Aiding the deliverer in the age of home delivery
Today, more than ever, items of all kinds are being delivered to people’s homes. I am a pizza delivery person, but I believe delivery people of all stripes would agree with me that a visible house number is really important. Especially now that it gets dark so early. In fact, you can get hi-vis house numbers from your local fire department at no cost. Shouldn’t everyone wish to have emergency services be able to find their location as easily as possible?
You may look at your house and say, I can see my numbers. Now go out and look at your house from the street at night. People think, ‘I’m okay, there’s a light above my house numbers.’ I can tell you that about 50% of those numbers are in the deep shadow of those lights and can’t be seen.
And please don’t hang your Christmas decorations over your numbers. I suppose many deliveries are not time sensitive to the receiver, but we, as deliverers, are usually very time sensitive, as per our bosses. And who wants their pizza to be cold?
Dignity for those who care for our community
I’ve been employed at Olympia’s Providence St. Peter’ Hospital for over seven years and my husband, Russell, for over 22. We remember when the culture at Providence was such that we felt cared for and respected by our employer. We don’t feel that today.
We deserve to be cared for the way we care for our patients. But the reality is that Providence executives have become tone deaf to the needs of caregivers. Russ and I are willing to strike. Willing to sacrifice our entire household income so we can care for ourselves and our community.
Providence’s latest attempt to put profits over people is taking the money and sick time we’ve earned and offering us a morally objectionable deal in return.
As nurses we’re called to come to work every single day. We are chronically understaffed and pushed to do more with less. We love being nurses but when we can no longer care for our patients due to things beyond our control, we’re forced to make decisions that cause us moral injury. I frequently go home talked out and touched out. I have a hard time being present for my own family. I need time to take care of myself, and the security that if my loved ones become sick, I can be there for them.
We urge you to tell Providence to be better and negotiate a contract with us that allows us to live with dignity and care for our community.