Workplace or Organizational Responses:
Communications Workers of America - District 1 and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers - Local 2213, together with a major communications company created a unique labor/management program. The Domestic Violence Education and Awareness Program is a collaborative training program sponsored by their joint Work and Family Committee. The company's internal Employee Assistance Program provides the ongoing support needed for facilitator training. The following steps were taken to implement this program:
- Participation in a pilot training program to develop, revise and implement a training curriculum and video with a focus on a cooperative, preventive approach that emphasized awareness, workplace strategies, safety and resources
- Identified key union and management trainers to deliver the curriculum after participating in a facilitator training
- Provided targeted training to security personnel on domestic violence
- Trained union stewards and company management in joint sessions
- Trained 4000 employees who are CWA District 1 members along with their management
- Distributed community domestic violence resource information and thousands of posters with emergency contact numbers in company facilities
Motivation for Implementation:
All three partners in this unique labor/management initiative were clearly convinced that domestic violence affects employees at work, often leading to performance and safety concerns. Both labor and management were aware of female employees who had been killed by abusive partners. Managers and union officials were eager to know how to respond proactively. Resources made available through a grant to Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations from the New York State Department of Labor further aided their efforts.
Collaboration:
Cornell University School of Industrial Labor Relation - Metro District Office and the New York Labor Coalition Against Domestic Violence provided technical assistance through the development of an educational module, resource manual, posters and brochures. In addition, this labor/management model was featured in a workplace training film, produced by the national office of the Coalition of Labor Union Women and the Family Violence Prevention Fund. The project's coordinators sought out community-based domestic violence organizations to discuss local resources, including agencies that serve ethnic groups, such as Chinese Americans and Arab Americans. In some worksites, representatives from the local police precincts were invited to participate in the trainings.
Outcomes:
The success of this program was built upon strong support from company management and union officials. A significant number of employees responded by requesting information and referrals. The company's internal Employee Assistance Program estimated that at least 10% of the participating employees requested some form of assistance. This regionally based project had an even broader impact as other union districts and company work facilities heard about the project and were motivated to implement similar domestic violence education efforts. This project also serves as a model for employers and unions nationwide. A two-hour educational program was developed along with an annotated facilitator's guide and a facilitator's training module.
Lessons Learned:
Need organizational commitment and auspice. The success of the program was due to its natural link to a joint labor/management Work/Family Initiative.
Need institutional commitment for training time. Since the training was done on company time it had to fit within an existing framework and it was a natural link to already existing safety and health training time
Link to a university provided technical assistance resources in the development of the training curriculum and facilitator's module to address two important components: (1) content and (2) teaching techniques. The first component involved having the facilitators experience the training as participants to understand the content and the approach of the training. The second component included a segment on theories of adult learning, orientation to the facilitator's guide, and a practice session to feel comfortable using the materials.
