“For our nation’s health professionals, workplace violence should not be expected, let alone accepted or tolerated, as part of the job,” said AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel. “That is why our members who deliver the care that patients and their families depend on have long fought for the kind of accountability that Rep. Courtney (above) is advocating. We look forward to working with him to secure passage of this commonsense legislation,” added Hochadel, who taught physics and science in the Connecticut Technical High School System.
“As an emergency department nurse, I witnessed far too many incidents of violence against my colleagues,” said AFT Connecticut Executive Vice President John Brady, RN. “What many don’t recognize or understand is the impact to patients and their families when caregivers are bullied, harassed or attacked. Rep. Courtney has again taken the lead to combat this problem on behalf of health professionals and those we serve. I’m proud that he’s my congressman,” added Brady, who worked at the William W. Backus Hospital in Norwich.
“Connecticut has led the nation in making safe and secure health settings a priority,” said AFT Connecticut Vice President for Nurses and Health Professionals Lisa D’Abrosca, RN. “Our local and affiliated unions took an active role in advocating passage eight years ago of state legislation aimed at workplace violence prevention and response. Rep. Courtney’s proposal would expand the kind of vital protections we won across the country,” added D’Abrosca, a medical/surgical hospice unit nurse at L+M Hospital in New London.
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AFT Connecticut represents approximately 30,000 professionals across the state, including 7,500 nurses, technicians and healthcare workers in hospitals and community clinics, as well as school and home-based health settings. For more information, visit www.aftct.org or follow the labor federation on Twitter at @AFTCT and on Facebook at AFT Connecticut.
Click here for the language of the legislation.
Click here for Rep. Courtney’s press release on introducing the legislation.
