Public Testimony Links on HB 5464 AN ACT CONCERNING STATE EMPLOYEES AND VIOLENCE AND BULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE

Public Testimony for HB 5464 AN ACT CONCERNING STATE EMPLOYEES AND VIOLENCE AND BULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE can be viewed at this link.
http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/CommDocTmyBillAllComm.asp?bill=HB-05464&doc_year=2011

The Petition on Change.Org from CT Healthy Workplace Advocates was submitted: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-Change.org-TMY.PDF

The Connecticut State University-American Association of University Professors was submitted: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-CSU-AAUP-TMY.PDF

Donna Monroe of the University Connecticut Human Resources Office provided testimony and some statistics about UConn: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-Donna%20Monroe%20-%20UCONN-TMY.PDF

Donna Monroe also presented testimony objecting to defining graduate students as employees: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-Donna%20Munroe%200%20UCONN-TMY.PDF

The following link is incorrectly labeled with my name, Katherine Hermes, and is in reality the testimony of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-Katherine%20Hermes-TMY.PDF

Connecticut AFL-CIO submitted testimony: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-Lori%20Pelletier%20-%20CT%20AFL-CIO-TMY.PDF

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women submitted: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-PCSW-TMY.PDF

The University of Connecticut Professional Employees Association submitted: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-UCPEA-TMY.PDF

Katherine Hermes, Volunteer Co-coordinator for Connecticut Healthy Workplace Advocates: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-Katherine%20Hermes%20-CT.%20Healthy%20Workplace%20Advocates-TMY.PDF

Linda Denton, Certified Life Coach and Licensed Occupational Therapist: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-Linda%20Denton-TMY.PDF

Connecticut Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission submitted: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/LABdata/Tmy/2011HB-05464-R000217-St%20of%20Ct.%20Asian%20Pacific%20American%20Affairs%20Commission%20-TMY.PDF

Unions and Workplace Bullying

Unions: people hate them, unless they love them. I belong to the CSU-AAUP (Connecticut State University-American Association of University Professors), a bargaining unit for college professors. There is no benefit I have that I think other workers should be without. To me, the AAUP contract is the kind of document every worker in America should have, tailored to one's particular circumstances. But it does not have a provision on workplace bullying, and frankly, people don't go to the union when they are bullied, because the process is not that helpful. Unions in general need education when it comes to this problem.


I was delighted when President of CSU-AAUP, Dave Walsh, gave me the opportunity to speak to the union council about workplace bullying. Two years ago, when Connecticut's SB 60, a Healthy Workplace Bill, went down without a vote, CSU-AAUP passed a resolution saying they would support any such bill in the future. But this time I spoke more broadly, urging the union to support CT Raised Bill 5285, suggesting the union consider contract language similar to the Massachusetts SEIU/NAGE agreement of 2009, and finally asking them to actively work for a Healthy Workplace Bill. President Walsh sent a letter of support for HB 5285 and the union will discuss these other matters.


I am happy to see my union taking it seriously. All government workers, whether federal or state, are easy targets for bullies. People have a lot invested in jobs like this. I have noticed health care is another professional heavily affected, and one state is proposing a bill related only to health workers. 


The unions who support a Healthy Workplace Bill and workplace bullying legislation include the CT AFL-CIO, the New York State University Teachers, the Professional Staff Congress, and the Civil Service Employees Union (CSEA). CSEA is already educating its union stewards to recognize bullying and is negotiating contracts to include a workplace bullying protections. The Business and Professional Women of New York State also issued a resolution. 


Here is the contract language SEIU/NAGE of Massachusetts passed last year, in part:

The Commonwealth and the Union agree that mutual respect between and among managers, employees, co-workers and supervisors is integral to the efficient conduct of the Commonwealth’s business. Behaviors that contribute to a hostile, humiliating or intimidating work environment, including abusive language or behavior, are unacceptable and will not be tolerated. 

Such statements of mutual respect should not be controversial. Americans who still have jobs are spending more time at those jobs, usually under increasing pressure and stress these days. Recently, the Workplace Bullying Institute awarded one business a Bullyfree Workplace status for their hard work in creating a culture of respect. We need to see more bullyfree workplaces! 

CCSU Professors Speak Out for Solidarity in Confronting State Budget Crisis

CCSUProfs4Progress

Statement on the Connecticut Budget Crisis, March 1, 2010

On February 22, 2010, CSU-AAUP President David Walsh sent a letter alerting CSU-AAUP union members of the gravity of the State of Connecticut’s budget deficit and the likelihood that some CSU departments, programs, and employees will be terminated with the next biennial budget.  According to President Walsh’s letter, Connecticut has already borrowed $1.2 billion to bridge its budget shortfall and estimates predict the deficit will grow another billion dollars by June 2010 and an additional three to four billion dollars during fiscal year 2011-2012. 

  

These budget deficits are not the fault of university employees, nor the fault of students.  Instead, they represent a failure of our nation’s economic and political system fed by an economy of low wages and high debt, foreign wars, a lack of stable, well-paid jobs, and long-term problems in the nation’s health care and retirement systems.   In this is moment of crisis, we cannot be bystanders as administrators and politicians undermine our university’s mission.   Higher education is essential to a vibrant economy and we must ensure that Connecticut residents have access to affordable, quality education.  The state’s economy will not be fixed by adding university employees to the ranks of the unemployed, but eroding our education system puts everyone’s future at risk.  

As faculty we have fought for shared governance, recognizing our unique insight into what it takes to create a quality education.  In keeping with this fundamental principle, we insist that:

• ·       There can be no cuts in education or student services. The excellence of our university must be maintained.
• ·       All university budgetary matters must be made transparent; faculty, staff, and students must participate in all decisions concerning cost saving measures. 
• ·       There can be no faculty or staff layoffs.  Administrators must not be given preferential treatment in terms of pay raises or retention bonuses.  The retention of our fine faculty and staff must be the first priority.
• ·       Affirmative action must be defended.  Reduced budgets cannot be used to undermine the creation of a diversity faculty, staff, and student body. 
• ·       The budget deficit must not be passed on to our students. We stand against increases in tuition and fees, and any measures that compromise the quality and affordability of our students’ education. 

We also recognize the power of democratically-organized unions to enact positive social change.  This will be accomplished through broad discussion and decision-making among the membership.  Even though budget cuts have already increased our workload, we must make room in our professional lives for union participation and we call on our union representatives to facilitate open discussion through regular and meaningful meetings in which members make decisions together.  Finally, we recognize the importance of standing in solidarity with CSU staff, students, and other unions, including, but not limited to those within the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition.  We call upon staff, students, and other unions to enter the discussion that we begin with his statement and make suggestions as to how best to meet this crisis.  Together, we can move beyond legislative politics and build a powerful movement, just as the faculty and students of the University of California have begun to do.  

Signed,

Briann Greenfield, Chair, CCSUProfs4Progress 

Steven Adair

Mike Alewitz

Sheri Fafunwa-Ndibe

Kathy Hermes

Jeffry McGowan

Serafín Méndez-Méndez

Rachael Siporin

Robert Wolff

_______________________________________

Note from CT Bullybusters: HB 5285 AN ACT CONCERNING STATE EMPLOYEES AND VIOLENCE AND BULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE:http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/CommDocTmyBillAllComm.asp?bill=HB-05285&doc_year=2010