Shows
Health Is the KeyGive Yourself the Gift of Gratitude, with Dr. Tiffany Cudjoe-JohnGathering with loved ones during the holidays can lift spirits, strengthen relationships and even boost immunity. Yet, we know this time of year may not be so joyful for everyone, and the hustle and bustle may make some of us lose sight of the true gifts of the season. That’s when the practice of gratitude can help put things in perspective – as well as improve our mental and physical health. To learn more about the science – and art – behind this simple exercise, we are joined this month by Dr. Tiffany Cudjoe-John, a psychiatrist in private practice. Dr. John explains...
2025-12-0317 min
Health Is the KeyKey Note: Chef Cheatham Serves Up a New Holiday FavoriteIn our November episode, Chef Adrienne Cheatham joined us to share healthy ways to tweak our holiday menus without sacrificing flavor. In this month’s Key Note, Chef Cheatham opens her cookbook, Sunday Best, to offer a delicious, nutritious, affordable, make-ahead alternative to traditional main dishes – Mississippi Pot Roast. Enjoy!
The Takeaway
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Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provi...
2025-11-1904 min
Health Is the KeyHealthy Holiday Tables, with Chef Adrienne CheathamThe holidays are a joyful time to gather with family and friends, but for many of us they’re also a time to worry about staying on track with our health journey. To help us navigate the season’s seemingly endless offerings of rich foods, we are joined by Adrienne Cheatham, professional chef, runner-up on Bravo TV’s Top Chef, and author of Sunday Best, nominated for a James Beard Award for best cookbook. Chef Cheatham shares what she loves most about the holidays, simple tips to make seasonal favorites healthier and quick affordable ways to eat healthfully throughout the ye...
2025-11-0519 min
Health Is the KeyKey Note: Healthy Living Rx to Manage MenopauseIn our October episode, we spoke with Dr. Samantha Dunham, co-director of the Center for Midlife Health and Menopause at NYU Langone Health, who shared important information about this unique stage in women’s health journeys. In this month’s Key Note, Dr. Dunham explains how women are taking control of their health and details simple lifestyle changes that can offer relief from menopause symptoms and boost overall wellness.
The Takeaway
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Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube...
2025-10-1503 min
Health Is the KeyNavigating the Menopause Journey, with Dr. Samantha DunhamEach year, more than 1 million women in the U.S. will experience menopause. And four out of five of those women will complain of symptoms that range from hot flashes and night sweats to sexual problems and sleep disturbances. In the not-so-distant past, menopause wasn’t taken seriously, and women were hard-pressed to find answers to their questions. Thankfully, that’s changing. To learn more about this unique aspect of women’s health, we’re joined by Dr. Samantha Dunham, a certified menopause practitioner and co-director of the Center for Midlife Health and Menopause at NYU Langone Health. Dr. Dunham ex...
2025-10-0123 min
The CodcastWhat health care workers are feeling on the groundThis week on The Codcast, CommonWealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith continues health care month coverage in a conversation with 1199SEIU executive vice president Cari Medina and Anestine Bentick, lead medical assistant at South Boston Community Health. They discuss existing pressures on stretched workforces, the impacts of recent closures, and how immigration policy bleeds into the health care space.
2025-09-2227 min
Health Is the KeyKey Note: Supporting Teens’ Emotional HealthIn our September episode, Mount Sinai’s Dr. Michael Kisicki explored with us the mental health crisis affecting so many teens in the U.S. In this month’s Key Note, Dr. Kisicki looks at just one of the many factors impacting teens’ mental health – social media – and shares strategies families can use to help them navigate the online world safely.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook // Instagram // YouTube.
Visit the Healthy Minds section of our Healthy Living Resource Center fo...
2025-09-1704 min
Health Is the KeySupporting Teens’ Emotional Health, with Dr. Michael KisickiWith the start of the school year, we are dedicating this month’s episode to the teen mental health crisis in the U.S. According to a recent survey, nearly one in five teenagers has a diagnosed mental or behavioral health condition – leaving parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends – searching for ways to support the mental health of the teens in their lives. Fortunately, we are joined by Dr. Michael Kisicki, an Associate Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Pediatrics and Psychiatry and is the Chief Psychiatrist of the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center. Dr. Kisick...
2025-09-0326 min
Health Is the KeyKey Note: Vitamin Confusion? Get AnswersIn our August episode, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Danielle Sobieski answered some common questions about vitamins and supplements. In this month’s Key Note, Danielle explains what you can expect on your first visit to a nutritionist and how they will work with you to support you on your healthy eating journey.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: 1199seiubenefits.org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook // Instagram // YouTube.
Get started on your healthy living journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician.
Look f...
2025-08-2004 min
Health Is the KeyVitamin confusion? Get answers with Dietitian Nutritionist Danielle SobieskiA nutritious, balanced diet is key to maintaining our health, but getting the alphabet list of nutrients we need to fuel our body can be a challenge. If you’re taking vitamins or supplements to fill in the gaps, you probably have questions. So for our August episode, we asked Danielle Sobieski, a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice, to help us find answers. Danielle discusses the benefits and risks of taking vitamins and supplements, and details what to do to help ensure you’re doing so safely and effectively. Hint: Making a call to your primary care physician is s...
2025-08-0621 min
The Workers' MicThe Workers’ Mic (07/27/25): The Workers’ Mic discuss the strike at Fenway Park
This week on The Workers’ Mic, Powered by the NCL, Ken Edwards, Ed Maher and Phil Davidson kick off the show giving listeners a Philadelphia strike update. Then the President of UNITE HERE Local 26, Carlos Aramayo, joins the show to discuss details surrounding the Fenway Park concession and restaurant workers going on strike. Then the guys also discuss union related news pertaining to a strike involving 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, a Federal jury awarding $1M for wrongfully terminating Kentucky firefighters, and more.
https://serve.castfire.com/audio/7545007/7545007_2025-07-27-053207.64kmono.mp3
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2025-07-2700 min
Buffalo All LocalKaleida employees secure a "win" with 3-year contractNearly 8,000 workers at Kaleida Health facilities have approved a 3-year contract extension that includes boosts in pay, staffing and benefits. Cheryl Marino, one of the lead negotiators with union 1199SEIU, tells us about about the agreement and the relief of getting through the process without having to strike.
2025-07-2516 min
Health Is the KeyKeynote: Take a Deep BreathIn our July replay episode, Dr. Karinn Glover, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, explored burnout, the unique stressors that healthcare workers face and resources that can help. In our July Key Note, Dr. Glover discusses the role empathy plays – tuning into others’ feelings as well as our own – in building supportive relationships that are key to battling burnout.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/member-feedback
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook // Instagram // YouTube.
Find a mental health therapist thro...
2025-07-1604 min
Health Is the KeyReplay: Take a Deep Breath, with Dr. Karinn GloverListen as we talk about recognizing burnout with Dr. Karinn Glover, a board-certified physician and psychiatrist and clinician with Montefiore Health System. Dr. Glover helps us examine the unique stressors that healthcare workers face, the symptoms of burnout and when to ask for help. She offers insights and strategies for getting the support you need, from DIY remedies like self-care to professional care and how to find it. Dr. Glover also runs down some outside influences that can contribute to burnout and what you can do to overcome them.
The Takeaway
Find a mental health therapist through...
2025-07-0221 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: The Impact of Prostate Cancer on Black MenIn our June episode, Dr. Martin Karpeh from Northwell Health helped us kick off Men’s Health Awareness Month, examining the unique challenges men face and sharing simple steps they can take to take charge of their health. In this month’s Key Note, Dr. Karpeh talks about his participation in a panel discussion that explored the impact that prostate cancer has on Black men. To view the video, visit The Unspoken Truth: A Dialogue on Prostate Cancer Among Black Men.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/member-feedback.
Drop u...
2025-06-1804 min
Health Is the KeyHealth Matters to Men (and to Those Who Love Them), with Dr. Martin KarpehJune is Men’s Health Awareness Month, so this month’s episode focuses on the unique health challenges that men face. Men are less likely than women to have regular checkups and have higher rates of chronic conditions. To explore the reasons behind men’s reluctance to seek care—and to offer support—we are pleased to be joined by Dr. Martin Karpeh, director of surgical oncology for Northwell Health Eastern Region and chairman of surgery at Huntington Hospital. Dr. Karpeh discusses why it’s important for men to make their health a priority, offers insights to why they don’t and ou...
2025-06-0421 min
Health Is the KeyKey Note: The Highs and Lows of Blood PressureIn our May episode, we marked Hypertension Awareness Month with Dr. Robert Ostfeld, a cardiologist at Montefiore Medical Center. Dr. Ostfeld shared how his patients naturally lowered their blood pressure by adopting a plant-based diet and offered tips for eating more plant-based foods. In this month’s Key Note, he explains how getting proper sleep can reduce stress hormones that contribute to high blood pressure.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
Get started on your health journ...
2025-05-2103 minBuffalo All LocalMore than 1,000 nursing home workers prepare to go on strikeWorkers at local nursing homes will go on strike Tuesday morning if new deals aren't reached. Shameka Burnette-Mathews from 1199SEIU tells us a couple of the largest healthcare firms won't cooperate.
2025-05-1914 min
Health Is the KeyThe Highs and Lows of Blood Pressure, with Dr. Robert OstfeldFor Hypertension Awareness Month, we are fortunate to have Dr. Robert Ostfeld, a cardiologist at Montefiore Medical Center, join us to talk about lifestyle approaches for treating – and preventing – high blood pressure. In this episode, Dr. Ostfeld explains the numbers, the symptoms – or lack of symptoms – and the associated risks. A self-confessed “reformed cardiologist,” he talks about how he saw his patients who adopted a plant-based diet significantly lower their blood pressure. Not ready to go totally plant-based? Dr. Ostfeld says simply adding more fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet can help lower not only your blood pressure but...
2025-05-0724 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: Food for Thought: Discover Mindful EatingIn our April episode, Integrative Registered Dietitian Janet Lau introduced us to mindful eating, a practice that focuses on the what, when, how and why of eating. Janet shared her own experience of how mindful eating promoted healthier food choices and boosted her overall quality of life. In this month’s Key Note, Janet explains the tools she uses to support someone getting started on a mindful eating journey of their own.
The Takeaway
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Drop us a line at our social media chan...
2025-04-1604 minHealth Is the KeyFood for Thought: Discover Mindful Eating, with Janet Lau, RDFor Integrative Registered Dietitian Janet Lau, mindful eating is a way of life. Focusing on the what, when, how and why of eating helped Janet overcome years of unhealthy food choices and improve her overall quality of life. In this episode, Janet explains the basics of mindful eating, shares her own journey and offers some simple tips on how to enjoy all the health benefits that mindful eating can bring to your healthy living journey.
The Takeaway
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Drop us a line at our social...
2025-04-0225 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: The Screening No One Wants to Talk AboutIn our March episode, we marked Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month with Dr. Renee Williams, a Gastroenterologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone. Dr. Williams talked about the importance of preventive screening for colorectal cancer and walked us through the colonoscopy procedure. In this month’s Key Note, she explains what happens if polyps are found during a colonoscopy, what they are and how they’re treated.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
If you’...
2025-03-1903 minHealth Is the KeyThe Screening No One Wants to Talk About, with Dr. Renee WilliamsLet’s face it, no one says, “I can’t wait to have a colonoscopy!” But with advances in the procedure and easier prep solutions – as well as less-invasive options – there really is no reason to wait to schedule this screening. To mark Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, we are joined by Dr. Renee Williams, a Gastroenterologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at NYU Langone, who wants everyone to know that colon cancer is preventable, treatable and beatable! Dr. Williams explains risk factors, symptoms and the importance of prevention. She also walks us through the procedure and even shares her own, very ca...
2025-03-0521 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: Listen to Your HeartIn our February episode, we marked American Heart Month with Dr. Shivani Verma, an interventional cardiologist at Maimonides Medical Center. In this month’s Key Note, Dr. Verma explains “broken heart syndrome,” a rare condition that can affect the heart muscle after an emotional shock or a sudden stressor. The good news: most people make a complete recovery.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
Find out where you stand heart-wise by making an appointment with your primary c...
2025-02-1902 minHealth Is the KeyListen to Your Heart, with Dr. Shivani VermaIn our February episode, we mark American Heart Month with Dr. Shivani Verma, an interventional cardiologist at Maimonides Medical Center. In our conversation, Dr. Verma shares information on what heart health looks like, symptoms to watch for and how early prevention can help ensure better health outcomes.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Please complete our survey: org/member-feedback.
Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube.
Find out where you stand heart-wise by making an appointment with your primary care physician.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tip...
2025-02-0519 min
The Brian Lehrer ShowA Health Care Union's Succession BattleThe nation’s largest health care union, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers, is in the midst of a succession battle to unseat its long term president. Maya Kaufman, health care reporter for POLITICO New York in New York City, explains what's the driver behind the battle and what New Yorkers stand to gain, and lose, depending on the outcome.
2025-01-2823 min
Brain Injury ConnectorLoraine Arikat, Brige Dumais, and Ruth Carlock - #5Thoughts Flashback: Palace, Pilot, and Program1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest healthcare workers union in the United States, representing 10,000 members across Maryland in hospitals, long term care facilities, and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Brige Dumais (they/them) is the Political Coordinator for the Maryland/DC region of 1199SEIU. They started their career with 1199SEIU in 2017 and have been a leader in several victorious campaigns including the Fight for $15, the Medical Debt Protection Act, and the Trans Health Equity Act. Brige is also a co-leader of 1199's unionwide member political education and leadership development team. Loraine Arikat is the...
2025-01-2748 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: Meet the Benefit Funds’ Newest Family DoctorIn our January episode, we got to know Dr. Lela Mayers, the Benefit Funds’ new Deputy Chief Medical Officer. In this month’s Key Note, Dr. Mayers discusses the wide range of wellness resources members can take advantage of to support them on their health journeys.
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician.
Visit our Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Talk to your doc...
2025-01-1503 minHealth Is the KeyMeet the Benefit Funds’ Newest Family Doctor, with Dr. Lela MayersIn this episode, we sit down with Dr. Lela Mayers, the Benefit Funds’ Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO). Dr. Mayers recently joined us to work alongside Chief Medical Officer Dr. Van Dunn in supporting our members’ health journeys. In our conversation, we get to know more about our new DCMO, who began her career as a family medicine physician. Among other things, we learn what she loved about family medicine, why she made the transition to her current role at the Benefit Funds, why it’s so important for healthcare workers to make their own health a priority, what she’s...
2025-01-0121 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: Creating Your Own Joy for the HolidaysIn our December episode, Dr. Karinn Glover joined us to help explore why the holidays can stir up so many conflicting feelings – and share a few simple self-care strategies. In this month’s Key Note, Dr. Glover discusses the post-holiday letdown some of us can feel once the festivities are over – and offers some solutions to get us through what can seem like a long winter ahead.
The Takeaway
Visit the Healthy Minds section of our Healthy Living Resource Center for additional information and resources: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyminds/
Find a mental health therapist through the Benefit Funds’...
2024-12-1803 min
The latest stories fromUnionization effort rankles powerful unionDec. 12, 2024 - 1199SEIU may be a vocal advocate for their union members, but the organization's leadership is not warmly welcoming a unionization effort by their own staff. We discuss this campaign, as well as the future leadership of the union, with Maya Kaufman, a health care reporter for Politico New York.
2024-12-0909 minHealth Is the KeyCreating Your Own Joy for the Holidays, with Dr. Karinn GloverWith the holidays well underway, some of us may be feeling pressure to enjoy “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” when the spirit of the season just isn’t grabbing us. Or maybe it has, but the hustle and bustle is overwhelming and leaves us experiencing some less-than-jolly emotions. To help us navigate the holidays, if not joyfully then at least healthfully, we asked Dr. Karinn Glover, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, to join us for this month’s episode. Dr. Glover helps us explore why the season stirs up so many con...
2024-12-0417 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: Chef Marcus Dishes Healthy Holiday CookingIn our November episode, we were joined by renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson, who offered some simple ideas to give your holiday meals a healthy twist. In this month’s Key Note, Chef Marcus shares a simple recipe for injera, a super-nutritious bread that makes a great go-with for any meal. Bonus: For a chance to win Chef Marcus’s book The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food – complete with injera recipe – just share your favorite tip for making the holidays healthier at instagram.com/1199SEIUBenefitFunds or facebook.com/1199SEIUBenefitFunds. But hurry: Our book giveaway ends Saturday, November...
2024-11-2002 minHealth Is the KeyChef Marcus Dishes Healthy Holiday Cooking, with Marcus SamuelssonReady or not, the holidays are coming – along with the challenge of eating healthfully. To help us navigate the season’s menus, we are joined this month by a special guest – Marcus Samuelsson, award-winning chef, restaurateur, author and activist. Chef Marcus shares cherished holiday memories, simple cooking techniques to make your holiday meals healthier and some not-so-common – and inexpensive – ingredients to boost the nutrition in your favorite recipes. Happy cooking!
The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits...
2024-11-0623 min
Seeking Rents – The PodcastWhy abortion bans, union busting, and tax breaks for billionaires go togetherIn this episode: Roxey Nelson is an executive vice president with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the largest healthcare union in Florida and a board member for Floridians Protection Freedom. That’s the group sponsoring a constitutional amendment to overturn Florida’s near-total abortion ban. She joined the show to talk about Amendment 4, and the ties that bind policies like abortion bans, union busting, and tax breaks for billionaires.Show notesFor more information about Amendment 4, or to find ways to get involved in the final two weeks of the campaign, check out Floridians Protecting Free...
2024-10-2247 min
Max PoliticsGabby Seay on 'Battleground New York' Efforts to Help Democrats Win Swing House SeatsGabby Seay, co-director for Battleground New York, joined the show to discuss how the coalition of labor and activist groups is working toward Democratic wins in New York's swing U.S. House of Representatives districts, key electoral dynamics in those districts, and more. Battleground New York launched in 2023 and includes coalition members such as 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the Communications Workers of America, Indivisible, Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts, the Working Families Party, AFSCME, 32BJ SEIU, the NYS Nurses Association, and the Democracy Alliance. (Ep 466)
Release date:
17 October 2024
2024-10-1756 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: 1199ers Making the Journey TogetherIn our October episode, we talked to 1199ers Sal Oliveri and Joanne Rosso about how they support each other on their health journeys. In this month’s Key Note, Joanne shares how a co-worker’s tough-love advice helped her get through a rough patch. Bonus: You’ll also hear from the Benefit Funds’ own dedicated WeightWatchers coach Angelica McQuade, who shares an inspirational message and explains why that peer-to-peer support is so important.
The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider D...
2024-10-1604 minHealth Is the Key1199ers Making the Journey Together, with Sal Oliveri and Joanne RossoThis month, 1199 members Sal Oliveri and Joanne Rosso from Long Island Community Hospital join us to share their WeightWatchers secret to success. Spoiler alert: It’s each other! For nearly two years, Sal and Joanne have supported one another throughout their weight-loss journeys on WeightWatchers – and they show no signs of stopping. Whether they’re celebrating successes or navigating challenges, these two friends and co-workers truly demonstrate the power of “strength in members.”
The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Dir...
2024-10-0218 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: The Road to Health Is Paved with Good IntentionsIn our September episode, Dr. Chiti Parikh joined us to explore how setting a health intention and focusing on four basics of well-being – nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management – can support you on your health journey. In this month’s Key Note episode, Dr. Parikh shares a brief overview of her book, Intentional Health, and the inspiration behind it.
The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, in...
2024-09-1807 minHealth Is the KeyThe Road to Health Is Paved with Good Intentions, with Dr. Chiti ParikhWhen Dr. Chiti Parikh meets a new patient, the first question she asks is “What is your health intention?” In the Integrative Health and Wellbeing program at NewYork-Presbyterian, Dr. Parikh treats each patient as a whole person, not just a collection of symptoms – a philosophy the Benefit Funds have long embraced. In this episode, Dr. Parikh explains how setting a health intention and focusing on four basics of well-being – nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management – can support you on your health journey.
The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician...
2024-09-0423 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: Good Night Rx: Get the Sleep You DeserveIn our August episode, Dr. Harly Greenberg explained the mysteries behind sleep – and the secrets to getting a good night’s rest, one of which is meditation. In our Key Note episode, we share a soothing sleep meditation, led by the Benefit Funds’ own Lupe Flores, an LMSW in the Wellness Member Assistance Program, to help you wind down and ease into a gentle sleep. Sweet dreams!
The Takeaway
Practice these good-sleep habits: www.nyc.gov/assets/doh/downloads/pdf/special/get-good-night-sleep.pdf
If you consistently have trouble sleeping, make an appointment with your primary care physic...
2024-08-2105 minHealth Is the KeyGood Night Rx: Get the Sleep You Deserve, with Dr. Harly GreenbergSleep: It’s something we all crave but can’t seem to get enough of. Regular, restful sleep boosts brain health and mood and protects against a wide range of conditions, including heart disease, obesity and dementia. But a recent survey found that most of us don’t get the recommended seven hours a night. In this episode, Dr. Harly Greenberg explains the mysteries behind sleep – and the secret to getting a good night’s rest. Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine in the Department of Medicine at North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jew...
2024-08-0723 minHealth Is the KeyKey Note: Lower Your A1CHealthcare leaders have called type 2 diabetes “a national health crisis,” but our guest this month has good news to share. Jessica Vatel, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist at the Brooklyn Hospital Center, is excited by the latest approaches to treating diabetes, including education, coaching and personal empowerment. Working with people living with the condition to develop healthy habits and problem-solving skills, Jessica discusses how putting the power in patients’ hands—along with medical advances—is helping more people manage their diabetes.
The Takeaway:
Get started on your health journey by making an appointment...
2024-07-1704 minHealth Is the KeyLower Your A1C, with diabetes specialist Jessica VatelHealthcare leaders have called type 2 diabetes “a national health crisis,” but our guest this month has good news to share. Jessica Vatel, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist at the Brooklyn Hospital Center, is excited by the latest approaches to treating diabetes, including education, coaching and personal empowerment. Working with people living with the condition to develop healthy habits and problem-solving skills, Jessica discusses how putting the power in patients’ hands—along with medical advances—is helping more people manage their diabetes.
The Takeaway
Get started on your health journey by making an appointment...
2024-07-0323 min
Work StoppageEp 213 - Moving Forward, Not Standing StillWe've got quick stories from Kentucky, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Greece, Australia, and Japan this week, before we get into a short follow up as the limited energy workers of IBEW Local 46 in Seattle have voted to end their strike. Then we check in with Starbucks Workers United, where despite continued union busting by the company, have continued to rack up tons of new union wins. Also this week, ALU workers in New York voted to officially affiliate with the Teamsters, as the union works to bring its resources to the broader fight to organize Amazon nationwide. The NLRB issued...
2024-06-251h 32Health Is the KeyKey Note: Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy YouIn this month’s episode, Dr. Hugo Ortega joins us as we take a look at lifestyle medicine – a fresh approach to healthcare that more and more physicians are embracing. Dr. Ortega, an associate program director for the Montefiore Einstein Internal Medicine Residency Program in the Bronx, shares his personal story of how he became interested in lifestyle medicine and how it informs the way he treats his patients and teaches his residents. He outlines the six basic pillars of lifestyle medicine and explains how paying attention to each can help get to the root causes of poor health and...
2024-06-1903 minHealth Is the KeyHealthy Lifestyle, Healthy You, with Dr. Hugo OrtegaIn this month’s episode, Dr. Hugo Ortega joins us as we take a look at lifestyle medicine – a fresh approach to healthcare that more and more physicians are embracing. Dr. Ortega, an associate program director for the Montefiore Einstein Internal Medicine Residency Program in the Bronx, shares his personal story of how he became interested in lifestyle medicine and how it informs the way he treats his patients and teaches his residents. He outlines the six basic pillars of lifestyle medicine and explains how paying attention to each can help get to the root causes of poor health and...
2024-06-0525 min
The Policy Lowdown with the Maryland Center on Economic PolicyBuilding Community Wealth in BaltimoreA community-led proposal from Baltimore City residents is aimed at ensuring the large nonprofit institutions that call the city home – primarily universities and hospitals – are paying their fair share for the city services they benefit from. The members of the With Us, For Us coalition are working to pass a proposed ballot measure that would create a community wealth-building fund that they hope could be funded by contributions from these large institutions.
Host Kevin Slayton talks with three coalition members to learn more about community wealth-building and why it's a problem that large universities and...
2024-05-0320 minHealth Is the KeyHow Healthy Is Your Relationship with Your Doctor?In this episode, the Benefit Funds’ Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Van H. Dunn, discusses the importance of building a healthy relationship with a primary care provider. Putting the emphasis on prevention – catching small problems before they become big ones – Dr. Dunn details the ways in which healthcare providers treat the whole person. He also explores the reasons why many people avoid seeing a provider regularly (and how to overcome them) and offers tips on what to look for in a provider – and what to avoid.
The Takeaway
Find a provider by browsing the Benefit Funds’ Provider Directory: w...
2024-05-0115 minHealth Is the KeyThe Heart of the Matter, with Dr. Gbenga OgedegbeIn this month’s episode, we talk heart health with Dr. Gbenga Ogedegbe, renowned cardiologist and founding director of the Institute for Excellence in Health Equity at NYU Langone Health. Dr. Ogedegbe provides an overview of how exactly the heart works and shares the good news and the not-so-good news about heart disease. He reviews the target numbers we should all aim for and offers simple steps we can take to keep our hearts in good working order. And because stress is a major risk factor for heart disease, Dr. Ogedegbe shares some of his own stress-busting strategies he pr...
2024-04-0324 minHealth Is the KeyTake a Deep Breath, with Dr. Karinn GloverPodcast Notes
Today we talk burnout with Dr. Karinn Glover, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Glover helps us examine what has become a burnout crisis among healthcare workers – and shares insights that can help prevent burnout or fight back if it already has a grip on you. She offers tips and strategies for getting the support you need, from DIY remedies like self-care to professional care and how to find it. Dr. Glover also runs down some outside influences that can contribute to burnout and what you can do to...
2024-03-0621 minHealth Is the KeyAn Insider’s Look at WeightWatchers®Podcast Notes
In this episode, Angelica McQuade, a WeightWatchers coach dedicated to 1199SEIU members, talks about what sets WeightWatchers apart from typical diets. From community support through in-person and online workshops to the fact that no foods are forbidden, Angelica discusses how the program is successful at helping those who join achieve significant, lasting results. She also shares how she got started on her personal wellness journey and why she continues to live the WeightWatchers lifestyle every day.
The Takeaway
Go to the WeightWatchers page, where you and your eligible dependents can join...
2024-02-0716 min
Make Your Damn Bed1058 || the labor movementhttps://prismreports.org/2024/01/22/labor-unions-unprecedented-calls-ceasefire-gaza/"Within the labor movement, hundreds of unions and union locals have responded to a call from Palestinian labor unions and signed resolutions calling for a ceasefire, even those whose leadership has historically supported Israel. On Dec. 1, UAW, one of the largest unions in the country, made history when it released a ceasefire statement. Other influential unions, such as the United Electrical Workers, American Postal Workers Union, and 1199SEIU (United Healthcare Workers East), and countless other smaller unions have also released similar statements. On Jan. 22, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the second-largest public ser...
2024-01-2805 minHealth Is the KeyEmbrace Your Healthy Living Journey with Donna Rey, EdDIn today’s episode, the Benefit Funds’ Executive Director and CEO of Funds Administrative Operations, Dr. Donna Rey, explains the inspiration behind our Healthy Living initiative to support 1199SEIU members. Dr. Rey also outlines the many programs and services designed to meet members wherever they are on their personal health journeys. She even shares the “WHY” behind her own health journey – and asks members to connect with her about theirs.
The Takeaway
Visit the Health Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving
Join WeightWatchers at a discounted rate of just $5 a month; $0...
2024-01-0320 minHealth Is the KeyWelcome to Health Is the KeyIn our introductory episode, host Elizabeth Moore offers a preview of how Health Is the Key will help support 1199SEIU members on their health journey. Calling on health experts, Benefit Fund leaders and our own healthcare heroes, Health Is the Key is designed to meet members wherever they are on their own health journey.
2023-11-1003 min
R-Soul: Reclaiming the Soul of Reproductive Health, Rights, and JusticeLabor that Pays: Why Labor Rights are Essential to Reproductive FreedomFaith Organizers Kelley Fox and Rev. Terry Williams keep the Labor Day vibes rolling in this latest episode by discussing wages, benefits, and the connection between strong labor unions and reproductive freedom.
Discussing recent labor disputes playing out across multiple reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations, Kelley and Terry explore why building a just future for all takes faithful action from everybody.
Links to discussed content:
All* Above All Statement on Restructuring: https://allaboveall.org/updates/a-statement-from-the-all-above-all-executive-team-and-steering-commi...
Anonymous Post on Anti-Blackness at All* Above All: https://medium.com/@allaboveallisantiblack/all-above-all-is-anti-black-part-1-9a6dda785258
Kelley's b...
2023-09-1531 min
Fortune ReinventWhere's My Village?: How Employers Can Support FamiliesFamilies have known for years that reliable childcare is directly tied to parents' ability to work. But the pandemic made this painfully clear to employers, spurring many to rethink the benefits they offer employees.In this episode of Where's My Village?, Fortune senior writer Maria Aspan explores how two companies and one New York City union have decided to support their workers with kids.First up, Bank of America. The company, which employs over 200,000 people, extended a range of childcare offerings during the pandemic and ultimately decided to make several of them permanent....
2022-10-1747 min
2022-09-1317 min
Union StrongOverworked and Underpaid at a Nursing Home in Lewiston, NYNursing home workers at Our Lady of Peace in Lewiston, New York held a one-day strike to draw attention to their contract fight over fair wages. Tomorrow, that fight moves to St. Louis Missouri.
The nursing home workers are represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and have been without a contract since December 31, 2021. Already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, these caregivers are now working critically short-staffed while their employer, Ascension Living shuts down units and threatens layoffs.
On the latest Union Strong Podcast, a worker describes the conditions inside th...
2022-03-1327 min
Your Rights At WorkThe Future We NeedBroadcast on January 27, 2022
Hosted by Chris Garlock and Ed Smith
Erica Smiley (Jobs with Justice) and Sarita Gupta (Ford Foundation's Future of Work) on their new book, “The Future We Need, Organizing for a Better Democracy in the Twenty-First Century,” plus 1199SEIU organizer James Crosby on “Low-wage workers prop up the nursing home industry. They’re quitting in droves.”
Today’s music: Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” which hit #1 on January 28, 1981.
Plus labor news headlines: King Soopers workers ratify 3-year contract after striking across Denver metro; Bus Drivers Go on Strike to Protest Low Pay in Rural Mississip...
2022-01-2755 min
FAQ NYCEpisode 182: A Nonprofit War on Workers?Assemblymember Ron Kim breaks down his new report accusing a prominent social service organization of stealing wages from home-care workers, with the help of 1199SEIU.
2022-01-131h 00
Delivering on the Promise of Opportunity and Equity[LISTEN] Ideas on Leadership Development with Alethia Jones at Open SocietyPress the play button to listen to some of the most poignant recommendations on leadership development for mission-driven organizations from Alethia Jones. Alethia Jones is the director of the Open Society Fellowship Program. The Fellowship Program includes the New Executives Fund, a two-year unrestricted grant given to new directors in their first year. Prior to joining Open Society, Jones directed education and leadership development for 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the largest health care union local in the United States. Alethia is a friend and mentor and one of the most important thinkers and practitioners on leadership...
2022-01-0713 min
NursingHome411 Podcast‘People Got Scared’: Life as a CNA in a COVID-Ravaged Nursing HomeDirect care workers are a critical yet undervalued part of the long-term care system. On this episode, Desma Reaves, a certified nursing assistant and delegate for the healthcare workers union 1199SEIU upstate New York, chats about her experiences as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) in COVID-ravaged nursing home, the difficult tradeoffs faced by nursing [...]
2021-03-2924 min
Your Rights At WorkUI, MEWPA & Re-UnionBroadcast on March 4, 2021
Hosted by Chris Garlock and Ed Smith
This week's show:
Pushing to extend Unemployment Insurance benefits with Judy Conti, Government Affairs Director at the National Employment Law Project…
"Essential Worker Wednesdays" and the Maryland Essential Workers Protection Act (MEWPA), with Chris Stevenson, analyst for 1199SEIU…
Solidarity Forever, with Pete Seeger and special guest Joe Biden…
And Re-Union: How Bold Labor Reforms Can Repair, Revitalize, and Reunite the United States, with David Madland, Senior Fellow and Strategic Director of the American Worker Project at the Center for American Progress.
PL...
2021-03-0555 minYour Rights At WorkWorkers fight for safe DC schools; "Tales of the Resistance" wrapsBroadcast on November 19, 2020
Hosted by Chris Garlock and Ed Smith
This week's show:
Metro Washington Council president Dyana Forester reports on the latest on efforts by DC school unions to keep students safe; plus why postal workers took to the streets across the country this week.
Tales of the Resistance; the final episode! Will the Resistance become a Revolution, or will the fascist corporate overlords maintain their control over the workers? Find out in the last installment of this gripping radio drama from the San Francisco Mime Troupe!
Produced by Chris Garlock; engineered...
2020-11-1954 min
What A Word!31. Getting it done, Gets it Done! w/Brian Melford, Candidate for New York City Council’s 12th Dist.
Brian Melford was born to two loving parents, Joan and Vincent from Kingston, Jamaica W.I. He attended local schools PS76, MS135, and Harry S Truman in Coop City. Brian was President of the Bronx Youth Empowerment Program founded by NYC Council Member Andy King and his wife Neva Shillingford-King. He is also a member of Bronx Miracle Gospel Tabernacle Word of Faith Ministries under the leadership of Rabbi Keith Elijah Thompson. He attended John Jay College where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice. While he was attending college Brian worked at 32BJ as a youth organizer wher...
2020-10-131h 01
The Geropsychology PodcastInterview with Dr. Eleanor Feldman BarberaEleanor Feldman Barbera, PhD is a licensed psychologist and long-term care industry expert, combining her training with decades of experience to offer innovative solutions to problems affecting cost and quality of care. Dr. Barbera counsels older adults and their families as they navigate aging and the healthcare system, speaks internationally on aging and mental health issues and is the writer of the award-winning McKnight’s LTC News column, The World According to Dr. El, which offers a mental health perspective on a medical environment. Dr. Barbera has authored a large-print guidebook for residents and their families, The Savvy Resident’s Gu...
2020-08-0847 min
RNN ArchivesStir Crazy! Episode #59: Time Has Come To RageOn today’s show: TRNN visual producer Andrew Corkery, political commentator Marcus Ferrell, and political consultant Adriel Hampton, with special guest Ricarra Jones, MD/DC political director for 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers-East. Hosted by Kim Brown.
2020-06-261h 10
Act Out! podcastWhen Motherhood Kills: The Effects of For-Profit Healthcare in Empire’s CapitalA special episode that looks at a grotesque statistic and asks the question – if you can judge a government by how they treat their most vulnerable and marginalized --- how more pointed is that judgement when you look at the hometown of that government? DC and the practice of condemning predominantly black mothers to death. https://www.1199seiu.org/ https://www.dcna.org/
2020-02-1428 min
518Talks518Talks Episode 20: Organizing around Healthcare ReformCrystal Perry is the Political Organizer for the 1199SEIU and Sarah Couch is with the Healthcare Education Act. Tune in as they breakdown their work and why it is important for people to be informed regarding the upcoming Medicaid cuts and how you can get involved.
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/518Talks/support
2019-11-1917 min
Hot & Bothered: A Dissent Climate PodcastHot & Bothered Podcast #11: A Just Transition for New York State? With Franchelle HartWe’re just under one month into the Trump regime and prospects for curbing climate change feel bleak. ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson has been confirmed as Secretary of State, the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines look like unkillable zombies, and the EPA is closer to the chopping block than ever.
Still, the resistance is alive and well. As thousands flood into the streets to stop a draconian Muslim travel ban and attacks on civil liberties, a coalition of grassroots groups in New York is showing what climate policy might look like in the age of Trump. Ne...
2017-02-1549 min
The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — Events and InterviewsReskilling America: Career and Technical Education in the Twenty-First CenturyWe often hear that good jobs require college. For many, however, the road to a college degree presents more challenges than opportunities. The costs of a four-year degree have soared, often leaving students with crippling debt, whether or not they are able to complete their degrees. At the same time, not as many jobs require a four-year degree as we once thought, meaning many students face the same low-wage job opportunities they faced before. We need another approach.
This event highlights a book by Dr. Katherine Newman and Hella Winston, Reskilling America: Learning to Labor in the...
2016-04-191h 26
Talk! with AudreyWide-ranging Coalition of Victims & Advocates to Hold Massive Mobilization Against Gun Violence This week on TALK! with AUDREY: New York Voices Against Gun Violence, a broad, newly-formed coalition of advocates, victims, youth organizations, health care workers, unions, elected officials, faith leaders and artists, announced today that they will hold a massive mobilization to promote the NY SAFE Act as a model for legislation at the federal level and in other states. Joining me on the show, Event Organizer and Community Advocate, APRIL TYLER and MARIE DELUS of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Thousands of people will gather in New York City, and others will speak out across the state...
2013-03-2030 min
Talk! with AudreyWide-ranging Coalition of Victims & Advocates to Hold Massive Mobilization Against Gun ViolenceThis week on TALK! with AUDREY: New York Voices Against Gun Violence, a broad, newly-formed coalition of advocates, victims, youth organizations, health care workers, unions, elected officials, faith leaders and artists, announced today that they will hold a massive mobilization to promote the NY SAFE Act as a model for legislation at the federal level and in other states. Joining me on the show, Event Organizer and Community Advocate, APRIL TYLER and MARIE DELUS of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Thousands of people will gather in New York City, and others will speak out across the state...
2013-03-2030 min