WHEREAS:

An estimated 1.7 million workers are injured each year during workplace assaults.  Violent workplace incidents account for 18 percent of all violent crime in the United States. In an average week, one employee is killed and at least 25 are seriously injured in violent assaults by current or former co-workers; and

WHEREAS:
Violence in the workplace affects workers and families, impacts workers’ morale, causes lost time and income, and decreases productivity; and

WHEREAS:
Section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 only “permits and encourages” states to develop and operate their own job safety and health programs and, there are no federal Labor Department Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards to address workplace violence; and

WHEREAS:
There are currently only 22 states and jurisdictions operating complete state plans covering both the private sector and state and local government employees, and five - Connecticut, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and the Virgin Islands - covering public employees only.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will continue to lobby legislators and request President Barack Obama’s administration to develop standards specifically addressing workplace violence covering all public and private industry workers and mandating states and jurisdictions to adopt them.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will invite all the AFL-CIO, civil rights and community groups and other groups of common interest to join in a campaign to establish workplace violence programs in every state and jurisdiction.
 
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That AFSCME recognizes the efforts and victories of AFSCME councils and local unions for the role they played in passing workplace violence legislation in their own states.
 
 
SUBMITTED BY: 
Juan Fernandez, President and Delegate
Egbert Isaacs, Vice President and Delegate
Sheera Glass, Secretary and Delegate
Thomas Orawiec, Treasurer and Delegate
Morris Johnson, Delegate
Alan Mendelson, Executive Board Member
Diana Thillet, Executive Board Member
AFSCME Local 154, District Council 37
New York

Lorraine Guest, President and Delegate
Gina Thomas, Recording Secretary and Delegate
AFSCME Local 215, District Council 1707
New York

Kim Medina, President and Delegate
Justina Hendricks, Secretary
AFSCME Local 253, District Council 1707
New York