WHEREAS:

            AFSCME members provide well-being and safety to the public through duties as corrections officers, code enforcement officers, health workers of all fields and countless other fields; and

 WHEREAS:

            The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports the following statistics regarding violence in the workplace:

• From 2003 to 2010 over half of the workplace homicides occurred within three occupation classifications: sales and related occupations (28 percent), protective service occupations (17 percent), and transportation and material moving occupations (13 percent); and
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) reported an estimated 130,290 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work during the 2003 to 2010 time period. The Healthcare and Social Assistance Industry accounted for 63 percent of these injuries and illnesses each year; and
• Data collected by the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) that is collected in collaboration with NIOSH (NEISS-Work Supplement) estimated more than 137,000 workers were treated in emergency departments for nonfatal assaults in 2009; and
• The Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) estimated the number of nonfatal violent crimes occurring against persons 16 or older while they were at work in 2009 at 572,000; and

WHEREAS:

            For the majority of AFSCME members, an assault that occurred in the workplace while doing the good works for the public would only potentially levy the same punishment as if the member was home.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

            The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees at the International, Council, Local and Chapter level be encouraged to use our combined political power to lobby for stricter punishment for assaults and homicides that occur in the workplace.