We’re back with Season Four of Working People! In this urgent episode, we talk with Dr. Amir Atabeygi, a physician at MultiCare Indigo Urgent Care in Thurston County, Washington. On November 23, amid a terrifying surge in COVID-19 cases around the country, Dr. Atabeygi joins his fellow physicians, physician assistants, and advanced registered nurse practitioners on the picket line as they strike for the basic safety measures their employer refuses to provide. We talk to Dr. Atabeygi about what he and his coworkers face on the job, the rise of ?“retail health” companies like MultiCare Health Systems, and the growing labor consciousness of traditionally non-unionized healthcare workers.
This blog was originally published at In These Times on November 23, 2020. Reprinted with permission.
About the Author: Maximillian Alvarez is a writer and editor based in Baltimore and the host of Working People, “a podcast by, for, and about the working class today.” His work has been featured in venues like In These Times, The Nation, The Baffler, Current Affairs, and The New Republic.