Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Whatever your life’s work is, do it well.” Everyone I work with is proud that we are the best at what we do in the country. So, despite a respiratory infection, I climbed out of bed, put on three layers, took my meds and cbd oil and soldiered through my commute with my cane on one of the coldest days in a year. I headed to contract negotiations to make sure our jobs and pay were secure.

For weeks, the tussle over what would be gained or lost dragged on. I felt an intense sense of responsibility to preserve as much as I could for my coworkers. As the lone voice for them, I knew my ability to sway other members of our bargaining unit and the company hinged on arguments and suggestions.

On the last day of our old contract at 8 p.m. both sides came back to the table to shake hands. We’d reach a deal and it was one I thought would make me coworkers happy.

On my way in on Friday, I typed a note to my coworkers to share the highlights of the agreement. Afterwards, I went to work on my stories for the noon show. A couple of minutes later, I heard two coworkers call my name. We talked and they thanked me for my efforts. While we were chatting, my coworker Brian called my name. As I turned, I could see the all of the assignment editors on their feet applauding me for a job well done. The high of the moment was replaced with the reality that a show had to be completed.

I went to lunch, came back and went back to work. I was banging away on the keyboard when the assignment editors handed me an enormous bouquet of flowers. I loved this one because it was an unexpected gesture of gratitude that me feel like I made the right choice to fight for them and spend most of my adult life working with them.

Maybe the fact that it’s almost Super Bowl weekend made a quote from Vince Lombardi pop into my head but it was the perfect thought. “Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

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