New York Healthy Workplace Advocates Press Release: Press Conf. and Town Meeting May 2, 2011

PRESS CONFERENCE

Senator Diane Savino and Assemblyman Steve Englebright

New York State Nurses Association,

NY Healthy Workplace Advocates, Maria Morrissey, and Kathy Hermes,

and others to speak at Workplace Bullying Press Conference

S4289 / A4258 Healthy Workplace Bill

Monday, May 2, 2011

12:00pm at the LCA Room

Legislative Office Building

TOWN HALL MEETING

Interactive Presentation & Discussion

Beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Room 711A , Legislative Office Building

Open to the General Public

Senator Diane Savino and Assemblyman Steve Englebright will discuss New York State's workplace bullying legislation A4258 / S4289.  Maria Morrissey, the sister of workplace bullying target, Kevin Morrissey, will speak about the importance of such legislation.  Kathy Hermes, the friend of bullying target, Marlene Braun, will also speak about the need for the legislation.

Marlene Braun, d. May 2, 2005

In 2010, Maria Morrissey lost her brother Kevin Morrissey, managing editor of the Virginia Quarterly Review, published by the University of Virginia, to suicide, due to workplace bullying. In spite of numerous well documented attempts over several years by Kevin Morrissey to seek help from his employer, little was done to address the situation before he took his life. 

Kathy Hermes lost her friend, Marlene Braun, to suicide in California in 2005 because of workplace bullying, with Marlene having been denied transfer requests that would have allowed her to instead work in a healthier environment.

Maria Morrissey and Kathy Hermes are traveling to New York to express the need for a law that will address workplace bullying and will participate in a grassroots lobbying effort on May 2 & 3, 2011.

The current Assembly Bill has over 60 sponsors while the companion bill passed in the Senate last year with a vote of 45 in favor as S1823.  Several major unions have issued a Memorandum of Support for the bill, including: AFL-CIO, NYSUT, AFT, DC37, PEF, and the New York State Nurses Association.

As a follow up to the midday Press Conference, a Town Hall Meeting that is open to the general public will be held in Room 711A of the Legislative Office Building beginning at 5:30 p.m. to allow for a more in depth presentation by the afternoon press conference participants and an interactive question and answer period.