Member Story: From Skeptic to Steward

Fresenius health care worker Jovona trevino (middle row, left) and her family.

JoVona Trevino grew up in Texas, where she heard the same anti-union talking points her entire life. People told her unions did nothing for workers. She heard that talking about organizing could get you fired, and so people did not openly talk about it. 

But her mom gave her different advice: "If you ever work for a union company, stick with it as long as you can. The union will take care of you in the long run."

After 20 years working in the medical field, including holding positions at the kidney dialysis firm DaVita, where she heard "pros and cons" about unions, Trevino joined another kidney dialysis firm, Fresenius, in 2017 and became a UFCW 3000 member. At first, she didn't fully understand what being a union member meant. When contract ratification time rolled around, she wasn't quite sure what she was agreeing to.

That changed in late October of 2023, when Trevino noticed something wrong with her paycheck.

As a preceptor training new staff, she should have been receiving a $2 per hour premium for all hours spent mentoring her coworkers, as the contract guaranteed. But that premium amount wasn't showing up on her pay stub.

She decided to contact her Union Rep, who sent her a screenshot of the contract language on preceptor pay. She then forwarded the language to her manager, and they corrected the issue. She's been receiving the full premium ever since.

"I started recommending to my coworkers that they reach out to our Rep whenever anyone raised a workplace concern," Trevino said.

When contract bargaining approached, a coworker suggested Trevino join the Bargaining Team. Her Rep agreed. She attended a Steward training to prepare herself to advocate for better wages and benefits for herself and all her coworkers.

Trevino didn't stop taking on leadership roles after she and her coworkers ratified their contract. In addition to serving as a Steward, she plans to join the Labor Management Committee to continue fighting for better wages, benefits, and safety policies.

"I've learned so much in what it takes to organize and prepare for meetings with our employers," Trevino said. "I've also heard so many success stories from other union members and what they had to go through to get a great contract."

From growing up hearing that unions "did nothing" to becoming a Steward fighting for her coworkers, Trevino’s journey shows what happens when workers experience union power firsthand.

"I am proud to be a part of a union," she said.

Fresenius workers can see in Trevino’s story what solidarity looks like in action: Checking your check, speaking up when something's wrong, and stepping up to lead when your coworkers need you.