STATE’S LARGEST HEALTH UNION APPLAUDS EXPANSION OF INDUSTRY VIOLENCE BILL TO INCLUDE ALL HEALTHCARE WORKERS

BOSTON, MA – The state’s largest healthcare union – 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East – has successfully advocated for the expansion of pending legislation regarding assault and battery against healthcare workers to include protections for all healthcare workers, not just select job titles. The original “Act relevant to assault and battery on healthcare providers” applied only to select job titles such as registered nurse, registered nurse psychologist, physical therapist, and occupational therapist.

In a letter to legislators delivered this morning, 1199SEIU explained that the union “is supportive of increased penalties for assaults of these workers but also continues to believe that H.1696 should be amended to include all healthcare workers. All nurses, doctors and all other employees of hospitals, nursing homes and community health clinics deserve to be included under this assault and battery statute.”

This afternoon, an amendment offered by State Rep. Michael Rodrigues was accepted to ensure the increased penalties called for in the bill would affect offenders who assaulted any healthcare worker in the workplace, not just select job classifications. Shortly after, the bill passed the House including the expanded provisions advocated for by 1199SEIU members, and will next be voted on by the Senate.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in the healthcare industry suffer violent attacks and other incidents of workplace violence at almost twice the rate of all other private sector workers.

“1199SEIU members are glad to have ensured a broad group of healthcare voices is reflected in the new legislation, so that all healthcare workers can receive due protection under this important proposal,” said Mike Fadel, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU. “Together with the legislature, our members hope the passage of this bill will help to reign in the crisis of abuse and assault healthcare workers are confronting on the job.”

###

With 350,000 members in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland and Washington D.C., 1199 SEIU is the largest and fastest growing healthcare union in the country. Our mission is to achieve affordable, high quality healthcare for all.