Public Employee Press

Clericals counter violence on the job

Social service providers are foot soldiers in the war on poverty, but they often take abuse from the population they aim to serve. Clerical-administrative workers in Local 1549 are frequently the front-line targets of clients’ displaced anger. Now the local is building a citywide committee on workplace violence and training committee members in problem-solving techniques.

Clerical Council Rep Kenneth Mulligan spoke Oct. 28 at the group’s orientation session. Since 1998, Mr. Mulligan has coordinated the union’s workplace violence committee in the Human Resources Administration.

He spoke about the three types of workplace violence: domestic violence that spills over into the workplace, such as the recent shooting/kidnapping at Elmhurst Hospital, worker against worker and the public against the worker. “We need to act on all three types,” said Mr. Mulligan. “We are asking all members to give the union the information to work with.”

Clerical Associate Patricia Roberts volunteered for the committee. At the orientation, she explained her motivation. “I’ve had personal experience of sexual harassment in the workplace, and nobody came to my defense,” she said. “I was harassed for a year. When it got physical, management blamed me,” she observed.

Now she wants to use her experience to help others. “In light of Elmhurst, it’s scary. Management shouldn’t be allowed to ignore the issue. That’s the reason I got involved,” she said.

In the wake of the violence, Elmhurst management met with the union and implemented both structural changes and new procedures. “They’ve taken progressive steps towards protecting our members,” said Assistant Clerical Division Director Renee Gainer.

The local is working to spread this type of cooperation to more agencies.

“It will take members, shop stewards, activists and officers working together to deal with this issue,” said Division Director Ronnie Harris.

“This is a serious issue,” said Safety Director Lee Clarke. “Members need to become more informed and active and devote some time and effort to this. Otherwise, there will be no change.”