May 2009 Update

0. There Oughta Be a Law Web Site

0. Bill A2247 passed in the Assembly 142-1

0. Bill A5414/S1823A to be amended

0. Beverly Peterson coming to Buffalo, NY in June

0. United University Professionals – Stony Brook Presentation

0. Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence

0. Union Memorandum of Support

0. Villa Maria College Health Care Fair

0. Workplace Bullying Suicide web site

0. Legislative Gazette (Albany, NY)

1. There Oughta Be A Law Web Site

Beverly Peterson, a renowned filmmaker has been following NYHWA for the past few years and interviewing targets of workplace bullying. She just announced her long awaited web site NoJobIsWorthThis.com to highlight some of the interviews she has filmed and NYHWA's own Tracey Gotham is the first New York resident to have her story told via the forum. Beverly's site has received thousands of hits and other film clips will be added in the coming weeks, including more from New York residents.

2. Bill A2247 Passed in the Assembly 142-1

Study Bill A2247 was brought up for a floor vote in the Assembly on May 6, 2009 and was passed by a vote of 142-1. This is great news for New Yorkers as it shows the support in the Assembly to address workplace bullying. We expect a similar result in the Senate before session ends in June.

3. Bills A5414 and S1823 Amended

The Healthy Workplace Bill A5414/S1823 was amended as A5414A/S1823A to accommodate a change for unions, allowing members to utilize their contract provisions against workplace harassment in those instanceswhere the negotiated collective bargaining language is stronger than the Healthy Workplace Bill. In cases where the negotiated contract language and the Healthy Workplace Bill are equal, the union member would have a choice of which option to use. NYHWA fully supports this change. Please refer to these new bill numberswhen contacting state legislators.

4. Beverly Peterson coming to Buffalo, NY in June

NYHWA has received a number of inquiries from people in the Buffalo and Western New York area (including Rochester) asking to appear on video on Beverly's web site. Interested parties should send email to info@nyhwa.org so we can coordinate times and dates for interested parties to be filmed.

5. United University Professionals (UUP) – Stony Brook Presentation

On April 30, 2009 a joint presentation was made by NYHWA State Coordinator, Tom Witt, and documentary film maker, Beverly Peterson for the members of UUP at the Wang Center at SUNY Stony Brook. The presentation was called, “Workplace Bullying and the New York Healthy Workplace Bill.” Tom had previously spoken with the UUP members in April 2008 and at this year’s presentation he brought the group up to date on the current status of the Healthy Workplace Bill. Beverly spoke about how she hoped that her website and documentary work would contribute to the effort to create legislation against workplace bullying. After she showed the two film clips from her website NoJobIsWorthThis.com, both Beverly and Tom answered questions from participants.

6. Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence (SCCADV)

On May 1, 2009, NYHWA State Coordinator, Tom Witt, spoke at a breakfast program titled “Bullying in the Workplace: From the Classroom to the Board Room” that was held by the Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Their website is sccadv.org. With many members of the business community in attendance, the focus of the talk was not only how workplace bullying affects the health of targets and their families, but also on how workplace bullying is costly to businesses.

7. Union Memorandum of Support

The AFL-CIO will be the first union to issue a “Memorandum of Support” based on the change they initiated to accommodate workplace bullying policies that are a part of a negotiated contract. NYHWA welcomes their tremendous support and assistance to help strengthen the Bill to protect workers from workplace bullying violence.

8. Villa Maria College Health Care Fair

NYHWA was present at the Villa Maria College Health Care Fair on April 30, 2009. Several hundred people stopped by our table to pick up research about workplace bullying and information on “Jodie's Story” (about a young woman who committed suicide just over a year ago as a result of workplace bullying). We presented Tracey Gotham's video account of her personal workplace bullying experience that touched many people, and showed how her life is still affected years later as a result of the violence she experienced. Several individuals also spoke about their own accounts of being bullied and will be joining NYHWA to share their experiences when film maker Beverly Peterson comes to Buffalo in June to film their stories.

9. Workplace Bullying Suicide Web Site

NYHWA has been working with several organizations across the country on the possibility of presenting a web site on the number of suicides that we have learned about due to people taking their life after being bullied in the workplace. We have met with a number of local agencies in the Western New York area and received some valuable advice on the project which will likely lead us not to undertake such an endeavor. The major concern is that young children and adults may look at such a web site as an acceptable way to end their pain if they see adults who have done the same. NYHWA is still continuing to look into ways to let others know of the suicides we know of in New York State and around the country.

10. Legislative Gazette (Albany, NY)

While lobbying in Albany on April 20, 2009, NYHWA and several others met with the Legislative Gazette to discuss the issue of workplace bullying and “Jodie's Story” of a young 31 year old wife and mother of two who committed suicide due to workplace bullying. NYHWA is proud to announce that the Legislative Gazette did run the story and you can access it at legislativegazette.com. To view/download the edition, locate the “download newspaper” link, click on the “archive” option and select the May 4, 2009 edition.