Labor-management cooperation key to addressing issues

A New York State Department of Corrections counselor who was assaulted by an inmate less than six months ago during a quarterly review with the prisoner made a pit stop on her journey toward emotional recovery at the New York State Public Employees Federation’s (PEF) health and safety conference May 12-14 in Albany.

Krista, whose last name is being withheld in consideration of her privacy, stood modestly as the crowd of more than 350 conference participants recognized her with a standing ovation, applauding her survival, her poise, her courage—and her commitment to public service.

“Even before I was able to receive support, my family received support from the union,” says Krista, who noted that PEF’s outreach in the days, weeks and months following the attack is “hugely why I’m here [at the conference]. They’ve been in my corner. It’s been really huge in my recovery. It helped me get through it.”

Workplace violence, both stemming from internal conflicts among workers to assaults and threats made by clients against employees, was one of numerous topics covered during the conference, which was funded by the labor-management statewide health and safety committee and PEF’s membership benefits program. This year’s conference also featured workshops and panel discussions on building coalitions to address workers’ health and safety concerns, emerging infections like influenza, Avian Flu and West Nile Virus, office ergonomics, workers’ compensation and indoor air quality.

“I think everybody would agree that safety comes first,” said PEF president Roger Benson during the opening banquet, noting that the union’s members, from its nurses to its lab workers to its parole officers, work under conditions and with patients where health and safety concerns are a daily part of the job.

“PEF probably has the largest, best-funded health and safety program of any union in the country. That is because of a 28-year commitment … of folks in this room who understand that stuff happens.”

Because stuff does happen, as Benson said, ensuring the health and safety of public employees is an ongoing process. For Wendy Phillips, an administrative law judge (ALJ) with the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) who presides over hearings initiated by residents who have been denied social services, personal security is a top concern for the 120 ALJs and supervisory ALJs her local represents. Through her local’s joint labor-management health and safety committee, the ALJs cannot only request that an extra guard be stationed outside hearing rooms, the agency also agreed to a pilot project under which profiles are kept on appellants who are disruptive.

The success of the pilot project, Phillips says, “really depends on the members reporting the incidents.” Meanwhile, working through both the local’s joint health and safety committee and the labor-management committee, Phillips hopes to further safeguard the personal security of her members by addressing building security. There are two entrances to Phillips’ Brooklyn building. One has a metal detector. The second doesn’t, which means appellants aren’t screened for weapons.