We are the United Steelworkers, North America’s largest industrial union. We’re 1.2 million members and retirees strong in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. We proudly represent men and women who work in nearly every industry there is.
With COVID restrictions being rolled back, we're restarting our monthly membership meetings. Our first one will be on June 15. We'll be meeting in Hall A in the basement of the Duluth Labor Temple (2002 London Road, Duluth). There is free parking on every side of the building, but to get into the basement, use the door facing Lake Superior. All Local 9460 members in good standings are welcome!
The patient intended to commit suicide and knew the worker making his bed at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth, Minn., stood in the way.
So he crept up behind the caregiver, grabbed the cord to the call bell and began choking her with it.
Only chance saved her, recalled Tuan Vu, a longtime hospital worker who was on duty in another part of the facility that day, noting the woman’s colleagues rushed to the rescue after the struggle inadvertently activated the call bell.
The legislation, now before the Senate, requires hospitals, clinics, medical office buildings and other facilities to develop violence-prevention plans that cover the unique needs of each workplace.
For example, Vu said, a plan requiring that only specially trained behavioral health workers care for suicidal patients would have been one possible way to avert the near-strangulation of his co-worker a few years ago. She was assigned to the patient’s room that day even though she wasn’t a mental health specialist.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) would enforce the violence-prevention act and intervene if workers experience retaliation for reporting safety lapses.
“Having this type of legislation would put our safety at the forefront,” explained Vu, a behavioral health technician at Essentia and unit president of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 9460, which represents thousands of workers at more than a dozen northern Minnesota medical facilities. “It’s not something people should be desensitized to.”
“I’m a big guy. I’m not so worried about myself,” said Vu, who’s had racial epithets hurled at him and endured bites, kicks, punches and inappropriate touches over the years. “But I worry about some of my co-workers.”
Health care professionals are five times more likely to encounter violence on the job than other Americans. The crisis has festered for years. Workers face assaults from patients with substance abuse, dementia or cognitive issues, and they’re attacked by patients’ stressed-out family members.
Local 6500 members: It is very important that you fill out the electronic direct deposit information form below so that you get paid in the event of a strike. Please fill the form out AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Important note: The 1 penny "trial" deposit has NOToccurred yet. When it does, we will send out a mass text. At that time, if this deposit is not showing in your bank account, please notify the office.
