SNTSS cover. Jorge Herrera Nava. The nurse who came to lead a transformation at the IMSS in Chihuahua. If the worker does well, the institute does well. And if the institute does well, society does better. Interview by Ana Paula Kiyama. For years, behind the walls of the hospitals of the Mexican Social Security Institute, there have been stories that rarely come to light. Stories of endless shifts, of decisions made under pressure, of workers who hold one of the country's most important healthcare systems together. Among those workers is Jorge Arturo Herrera Nava, a nurse by profession, and currently the general secretary of Section 8 Chihuahua of the National Union of Social Security Workers, SNTSS. A position that has the responsibility of representing more than 20,000 workers in the state. But before the position, there was the uniform. Before the meetings, the agreements, and the union decisions, there was the hospital floor, the patients, the on-call shifts, and the daily reality of those who are part of the healthcare team. Today, from a new union perspective, he speaks of infrastructure, training, workplace well-being, mental health, and the challenge of regaining workers' trust. I never stopped being a nurse, I am still an IMSS employee. Jorge Herrera's story begins in Chihuahua. In 1998, he joined the Mexican Social Security Institute, IMSS, as a nurse at the Morelos Hospital. For eight years, he worked as a substitute nurse, rotating through various medical units in the capital. Hospitals, clinics, and other areas where he gained first-hand knowledge of the needs of those who keep the institute running every day. In 2006, he arrived in Ciudad Juarez, a city that would mark a new personal and professional stage. A year later, he began his union career as a delegate at Regional General Hospital No. 66. I've always liked politics, he says with a laugh, recalling his beginnings, but behind that phrase there is a deeper conviction. The need to get involved when he believes something can be improved. It wasn't that it was bad, but I knew we could have much better things for our workers. A union that wants to reconnect with its workers. When he took over as Secretary General in 2024, after a contest involving 11 candidates, he found major challenges. Abandoned sports facilities, union spaces in need of maintenance, and areas that required a new vision. But he also found an opportunity. His strategy has been to reclaim spaces for workers and their families. In Ciudad Juarez, he promoted the rehabilitation of sports facilities with soccer and softball fields, with an investment of nearly 13 million pesos. The goal, he says, is for those who dedicate their lives to caring for others to also have places where they can rest, socialize, and take care of themselves. It can't be possible that we are healthcare workers and don't have a recreational area where we can disconnect a little from the hospital. Beyond job openings, dignifying the worker. One of the main objectives of his administration is to improve working conditions. During his tenure, he notes the workforce grew from around 16,700 employees to over 20,000 through the recovery and creation of new positions. But his vision goes beyond the number of employees. He talks about better rest areas, decent dining facilities, training, and opportunities for growth. The union's job is to prepare the worker. The better prepared they are, the better service they can provide and the better pay they can expect. The big challenge to ensure Chihuahua has the infrastructure it needs. As a union representative, he identifies two major needs. One of them is in Ciudad Juarez, having their own warehouse to avoid being completely dependent on Chihuahua for the supply of materials. The other is a historical debt, a new hospital for the state capital. Chihuahu needs a hospital. It is a priority issue for whoever comes to govern. Healthcare also needs to take care of the caregivers. One of the most prominent topics in the conversation is the mental health of the workers. Herrera Nava acknowledges that doctors, nurses, and operational staff face enormous emotional burdens. The COVID-19 pandemic left a deep mark on healthcare workers and also opened up a necessary conversation. The mental health of workers can no longer be a secondary issue. From this reality arises one of the main commitments of Jorge Arturo Herrera Nava as head of the General Secretariat of Section 8 Chihuahua of the National Union of Social Security Workers, to transform the way in which the IMSS worker is supported and protected. Therefore, one of the priority projects of his administration is to strengthen the worker service centers, known as union service centers, to transform them into comprehensive spaces. This will allow workers to access medical care, nursing services, psychological support, emotional guidance, nutrition, and specialized support. One of the achievements that Herrera Nava highlights is that Chihuahua became a pioneer within the union by working on training for emotional emergencies. The Ciudad Juarez Training Center of the National Union of Social Security Workers achieved certification that made it a national benchmark. Workers from other states have received training there. Chihuahua was the first state to be certified in training for emotional emergencies, and we have already trained other states. For him, this represents a change in mindset. Occupational health doesn't just mean having adequate equipment, medications, or facilities. It also means recognizing when a worker needs help. A union seeking to regain trust. Since taking the helm in 2024, Herrera Nava asserts that his administration has focused on reclaiming spaces and improving conditions. This includes enhancing infrastructure for workers through the rehabilitation of sports facilities, recreational areas, and the improvement of union spaces, strengthening the workforce by recovering positions, increasing staffing levels and securing new benefits for employees, and providing training through scholarships and specialized courses for workers. The union's main objective is to generate a cultural transformation. We want workers to return to the union to feel like they belong again. Among its next objectives is to consolidate a structure where the worker has tools to grow professionally and also to take care of his well-being. One of its major challenges is to promote specialized care in critical areas, such as emergencies with highly trained staff. Sisi's a new peace of mind for working families. Another project that he considers transformative is the arrival of Five Child Education and Care Centers, CC, in Ciudad Juarez. For Herrera Nava, this has a special meaning because it responds to a daily concern of many working mothers. The peace of mind of knowing that their children are safe while they fulfill their work. It's not easy for a mother to leave her child with someone she doesn't know. We want her to be able to go to work with peace of mind. The legacy he wants to leave. When asked how he wants his administration to be remembered, he responds without mentioning personal accolades. He speaks of continuity. I would like whoever comes after me to say, they left a work section here. Their goal is clear: a closer, more active, and more connected organization with its workers. We are making history in Ciudad Juarez, and we are making history as Section 8. For Jorge Herrera Nava, the union doesn't exist solely to defend labor rights. It exists to improve the lives of those who work every day for the health of others. If the worker does well, the institute does well. And if the institute does well, the population does better. Because behind every doctor, nurse, orderly, or IMSS worker, there's a story. And behind this union leader, there's a story that began with a nurse's uniform. Featured phrases for cover design. I never stop being a nurse, I am still an IMSS employee. It cannot be possible that we take care of the health of others and do not have spaces to take care of our own. If the worker does well, the institute does well, and if the institute does well, society does better. The union must once again become a place where workers want to be.