| Members mobilize to restore hazardous-duty pay PEF launches statewide campaign to prevent workplace violence By DEBORAH A. MILES To help prevent members from getting hurt on the job, PEF leaders have launched a “Stop Workplace Violence” campaign to spotlight and correct the dangerous conditions that put workers at risk. “Getting punched, kicked or otherwise abused is not part of the job,” said PEF President Roger Benson. “Thousands of our members work with society’s most dangerous populations in hazardous conditions in the state institutions and social service agencies. Chronic short staffing, mandatory overtime and stress put our members and their clients at risk. It is time to educate, agitate and mobilize to improve safety,” Benson said.  Campaign goals The campaign has three goals, according to PEF Vice President Pat Baker, co-chair of the campaigns’ sub-committee. “Our first goal is to build a hazardous-duty pay pushback,” Baker said. “Hazardous-duty pay was designed to compensate members who work with dangerous populations and provide an incentive for management to work to reduce the hazards. Many members who face being assaulted on the job have had this benefit taken away.” The state Office of Mental Health and the state changed the criteria for hazardous-duty pay, which is 60 cents more per hour. Baker said because of the change, nine out of the 28 state psychiatric centers lost eligibility, although more patients are violent and the rate of assaults is rising. “Too many PEF members are experiencing life altering, career ending injuries, for just doing their jobs,” said Rocco Brindisi, PEF statewide health and safety chair and sub-committee co-chair. To address these issues, Brindisi said the second goal of the campaign is to mobilize and educate members to establish comprehensive violence prevention programs at their worksites. They will be asked to organize a team, compile injury data, survey staff and evaluate their work environment. The one-day mobilization training will begin in November and will be held in every PEF region. Legislative action The third goal is to establish a legislative agenda that would require state agencies to take all reasonable steps to reduce workplace violence and restore hazardous duty pay. One bill (S.5773/A.8940) would require employers who have 20 or more employees to assess their worksites for potential areas of violence and develop corrective action. It was passed by the state Legislature and vetoed by the governor. A second bill, (S.207/A.2570) known as the Judi Scanlon bill, would establish requirements to protect mental health workers doing home visits and fieldwork. Bill S.1387/A.3290 would amend the penal law to increase the penalty for an assault against public employees in the performance of their duties to a class D felony. “Other legislative approaches are also being considered,” said Jonathan Rosen, PEF director of health and safety. “We are raising the bar for safer worksites. This campaign is very significant. To my knowledge, no other union in the country has addressed workplace violence at this level.” Rosen said.” |
DOH tests ability to respond to health emergencies This year, members who work at the Empire State Plaza in Albany can take part in a mass vaccination program for a free flu shot, which is part of a training exercise called “ProtEX NY” conducted by the state Department of Health on Wednesday, November 9. The exercise will provide DOH with experience in vaccinating a large number of people in a short time to prepare for a naturally occurring or terrorist-related infectious disease outbreak. “With increased concern about the likelihood of a mass influenza pandemic, this program is very timely and members are encouraged to take advantage of it,” said PEF Director of Health and Safety Jonathan Rosen. “Employee participation in the exercise will not only help them stay healthy during the upcoming flu season, but will contribute to a vital health preparedness effort,” Rosen said. — Deborah A. Miles |
NOT FORGOTTEN — PEF Secretary-Treasurer Jane Hallum places a wreath on September 9 in Albany in front of PEF’s monument to its members whose lives were lost on the job. — Photo by Sherry Halbrook
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