pool member not sticking after switch statement

BigIP Ha pair version 12.1.2 HF2 I need the iRule to select the pool member based on the uri, and keep that pool member throughout the session, and swap out the uri with "/em". iRule is going in and properly selecting the switch statement that matches, and setting the pool/member and changing the uri to "/em".

Then it starts loading the page, the iRule runs again, and the pool member changes base on which on was next in the round robin selection of the pool. How can I get the member to stay as originally selected? I tried adding

persist sticky

after the pool statement. but that did not work.

Thanks for any help.

when HTTP_REQUEST
{
set myuri [string tolower [HTTP::uri]]
 
if {not ([HTTP::uri] starts_with "/em")}
{ 
switch [HTTP::uri] {
    "/01" 
    {pool Ora_Admin_Pool member 192.168.100.101 7001
    HTTP::uri "/em"
    log local0. "EM 01"  
    }
    "/02"
     {pool Ora_Admin_Pool member 192.168.100.102 7001
    HTTP::uri "/em"
    log local0. "EM 02"  
    }
     "/03"
     {pool Ora_Admin_Pool member 192.168.100.103 7001
     persist sticky
    HTTP::uri "/em"
    log local0. "EM 03"  
    }
   default {
    HTTP::respond 200 content "Restricted
        
        
        
        Website Error:  Restricted
        NOTICE: Website is restricted.
        "
 }

}
}
log local0. "[LB::server]"
}