Kelly Kanary has been working for Kaiser Permanente as a Certified Registered Nursing Anesthetist since 2015. Many union activists don’t get involved until workplace issues arise and suddenly they are getting a crash course in shop floor organizing, which is how Kelly got involved.

With Kelly it was the Continuing Education requirements that Kaiser CRNAs has that started things off for her. To maintain certification, CRNAs, like other healthcare workers, must complete a high level of continuing education hours, often called CEs. Without meeting those CE requirements, workers can lose their certification and employment. Kelly worked with her colleagues and management to improve how they get the time needed for the required Continuing Education.

Kelly really enjoyed advocating for her coworkers and has now led her team of CRNAs at Capitol Hill through during a shift rebid period and has started serving on the Staffing Committee. CRNA’s at Kaiser’s Central Hospital on Capitol Hill are lucky to have her in their court!