Humans of UNAC/UHCP: Walter Fulgham, PA-C

“For almost 15 years, I tried to change things
from the inside. I believed that with persistence,
collaboration, and a loud enough voice, we could fix the
system. And in some ways, we did. But what I kept
running into were massive discrepancies: Between
departments, between sites, and even between people
doing the same job.

“It hit me hardest when I’d run into colleagues across
the hospital. I’d worked hard to build a fair environment
in cardiology. But others, especially those in smaller
departments, didn’t have that. If they weren’t vocal,
they got less. If management turned over (and it did, a
lot), policies changed on a whim. There was no
consistency. No fairness.

“That’s when I realized: We needed a union.

“I didn’t come to that lightly. Honestly, it was my last
resort. But as I helped organize, I saw how deep the
inequities ran. I’d hear things like, ‘Well, NPs (nurse
practitioners) can do that because they have a contract.
You don’t.’ That stuck with me. And that’s when I
understood: It wasn’t just about advocating for me. It
was about everyone who didn’t have the tools or voice
to speak up.

“Joining the bargaining team has been eye-opening.
I’ve learned that what I thought mattered most isn’t
always what others need. Our job is to craft a contract
that lifts the floor, even if it doesn’t meet every special
case. Some people may lose the exceptions they
earned over the years, but the ones who’ve had the
least will finally get a shot at better working conditions.

“This contract won’t fix everything. But it’s a start. And
more than anything, it gives us a seat at the
table—now, and again in the future. That’s change.
That’s progress.”

—Walter Fulgham, PA-C, is a member of the 2025
Bargaining Team for the United PAs of California.