NORTHERN TEXTILE ASSOCIATION
Personnel Policy Committee
June 11, 1997
Meeting Minutes

The Northern Textile Association Personnel Policy Committee met on June 11, 1997 at the Lord Wakefield Inn, Wakefield, Mass. In attendance were Mike Schwotzer and Tara Schultz, BF Goodrich Company; Mike Butler, Carleton Woolen Mills, Inc.; Brenda Perry, Cascade Woolen Mill, Inc.; Alexis K. Paskevich and Irene Niemi, Dorr Woolen Company; Joanne Meyer and William Noble, Intermark Fabric Corporation; Cindy A. Letourneau, Key Polymer Corporation; Dan Brown, L.W. Packard & Co., Inc.; Sam Alex, Synthon Industries, Inc.; Sharron Monaghan, Troy Mills Inc.; David Trumbull, Northern Textile Association.

Worker education and recruitment

Mr. Trumbull distributed copies of Profiles ‘97, the resumes of the 1997 graduates of the Department of Textile Sciences, UMass Dartmouth. Dan Brown reported that L.W. Packard & Co., Inc. had hired from UMass in the past and were satisfied. Mr. Trumbull also distributed copies of Chronicle Occupation Briefs: Textile Production Workers. These guides are used by guidance counselors and others seeking information about career opportunities. NTA reviewed the guide this year, with the result that information about the textile industry in the Northeast and about the flocking industry was added to the guide.

Occupational safety and health update

Mr. Trumbull distributed copies of the Boston Globe article that reported on OSHA’s statements about the 1995 Malden Mills fire. The American Flock Association is responding to OSHA’s statements regarding flock combustibility. There was general discussion about dealing with OSHA.

Mr. Butler reported on the “Maine 200” OSHA pilot project. According to Mr. Butler, OSHA is moving toward concluding that the pilot did not meet expectations and will begin traditional “wall-to-wall” inspections in a few months, with enforcement activity directed toward companies that were on the top 200 list and which failed to achieve certification to leave the list. OSHA in Maine is hurrying to certify the companies now on the top 200 list so that they can be removed from the list before the program is terminated. Tex-Tech got off the “Maine 200” list on March 1, 1997; Carleton Woolen Mills expects to receive certification in the near future.

The NTA is reorganizing its annual Wool, Wage & Fringe Benefits Survey so that it more accurately reflects the job descriptions in woolen mills today and results in a more useful report to these mills. A number of the attendees of the meeting are planning to meet at a hotel in Portsmouth, NH, on June 24 to work on the survey.

Lt. Oscar Langford, who heads the Violence and Abuse Unit of the Massachusetts State Police addressed the group on the topic of “Violence in the Workplace.” He provided statistics on violence in the workplace and listed a number of characteristics of potentially violent people. He also discussed verbal intervention tips and techniques for those who encounter a violent person in the workplace. There was group discussion with Lt. Langford during the working lunch. Please see attachment for notes on the talk.

Mr. Trumbull distributed copies of a Textile World magazine article, Workplace Violence Rising, by James A. Morrissey

The next meeting of NTA’s Personnel Policy Committee is our annual outing on Wednesday, August 13, 1997. We will meet at the Museum of American Textile History in Lowell, Mass.

Topics of interest for the fall meeting (which usually is held in November) are: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mr. Trumbull will arrange for a speaker from the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

NORTHERN TEXTILE ASSOCIATION
Personnel Policy Committee
June 11, 1997
Meeting Minutes

Notes of Lt. Langford’s Speech
(with thanks to Sam Alex of Synthon Industries)

Statistics given by Lt. Langford:

Since 1980 in the U.S. there have been 750 deaths caused by violence in the workplace.
Causes of workplace deaths:
motor vehicle accidents
machinery accidents
murder
The 3rd leading cause of death for women is violence in the workplace.
Seventy five percent of the murders caused by violence in the workplace are committed by handguns, about half of which are legally owned.
There are 30,000 victims of this kind of violence each year in the U.S.

What is the number one cause of violence in the workplace? The answer is not co-workers or former workers, as most people suppose, but 46% of the workplace violence is caused by customers or clients. These people were dissatisfied with the service and/or treatment by the company (K-Mart, Sears, Bradlees, etc.)

Twenty four percent of the violence is caused by strangers walking into an unsecured workplace. Twenty percent is caused by co-workers, 7% by bosses (in these cases the boss was the aggressor), and 3% is caused by former workers.

Six points to observe when looking at workers:
· job stress
· downsizing
· competition for few jobs
· burnout
· substance abuse
· gun availability

Watch for:
· loners who may appear guarded, defensive and hostile
· people who are withdrawn in their relationships with co-workers
· people who are fond of violent films, books and TV shows
· those who are suspicious and even paranoid
· people with little social support
· people who blame others for their own problems
· those who are quick to perceive unfairness
· those who are fascinated by weapons
· people who are filled with job related resentment
· people who are intimidating enough that they get away with more than they should
· victims of a layoff or a personal loss such as divorce or separation

In talking with a disturbed or problem employee, Lt. Langford suggested several verbal intervention tips and techniques and ways to listen with empathy.
· Remain calm.
· Don’t use “I” statements.
· Give your undivided attention to the employee.
· Remain non-judgmental.
· Use reflective statements.
· Look for mixed messages.
· Validate employee.
· Be silent.

Learn to use para-verbal communication techniques, such as being aware of the tone of your speech, the volume of your speech and its cadence.

Preventing workplace violence begins with good hiring practices. Make background checks on prospective employees. Verify resumes and check with previous employers. Check motor vehicle records and court records. Do psychological screening.

Set crisis management teams in place to deal with possible problems.

Remember that holidays are often tough times for people. Holidays are not good times to fire employees.

Verbal escalation continuum:
1. questioning inform, challenge, redirect
2. refusal set limits, either/or
3. release allow venting of feelings, don’t touch, give space
4. intimidation take seriously, report, document

If violence erupts in the workplace, follow the procedures below:
· Be concerned about personal safety. Try to create space.
· Assess the situation.
· Summon assistance.
· Isolate the situation.