Violence is NOT part of the job. Tell your Senator to pass legislation to protect healthcare and social service workers.
Healthcare and social service workers are five times more likely to be assaulted at work than the rest of our workforce. Thankfully, Senator Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin has sponsored The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Services Act, S. 851. This new bill will require OSHA to develop an enforceable standard to protect these workers.
The House of Representatives passed their version of the bill with bi-partisan support. We need your help to ask senators to sponsor so that it has a chance to become law.
Even if both of your state’s senators have signed on, affiliates can help build support through social media and lifting up members’ voices. This toolkit provides resources for outreach to the Senate, the media and social media.
- Contact your senators to ask for support and co-sponsorship of S. 851, the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (or thank them if they have already co-sponsored).
- Get local press attention on the bill and its potential impact on our members.
- Educate and mobilize members in support of the bill
Whether you are a nurse, healthcare worker, parent, an educator, a community member or a public employee, this is everyone's fight. What we’ve seen around the country is that when we stand together, we can achieve what we couldn’t on our own. Right now, let’s stand up for healthcare workers to make sure they’re safe on the job.
Toolkit
Member education and engagement resources
- Use this factsheet to educate members about workplace violence and the bill to address it.
- Direct members to fill out this call to action.
- Use “What the Bill Does” to educate members on S. 851, The Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act.
Mobilization and Action Resources
- See if your Senators have already co-sponsored S. 851.
- Send this letter of support on your affiliate’s letterhead.
- Request a meeting with your Senator.
- Give this factsheet to congressional staff when you meet.
- Take a look at which Representatives voted for recently-passed H.R. 1309.
Communications and Social Media
- Write a letter to the editor using this sample.
- Use this frame to write an op-ed.
- Download and share these infographics on Facebook and Twitter.
- Write a press release from your affiliate using this sample.
- Share the call to action with your network.
- Share Randi Weingarten’s op-ed from Insider NJ.
- Share 5 Things to Know About Workplace Violence in Healthcare from on social media.
- Share the AFT news article 'House passes legislation to give protections to health workers.'
- Share Black eyes, bruised limbs and concussions: Why nurses say going into work is like ‘walking into a war zone’