What to Do When a Union Member is a Domestic Violence Perpetrator
It is the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe working environment
However, in situations such as discipline or job jeopardy, the legal Duty of Fair Representation may cause the union to offer assistance to perpetrators. In addition, the union can use strategies to help perpetrators stop their abuse. When responding to union members who are perpetrators, keep the following in mind:
- Do not approach perpetrators if your sole source of knowledge of the abuse is from the victim. Doing so could put the victim in even greater danger. If you learned about the abuse from police reports, observing the abuse or the perpetrator’s self-disclosure, responding to the information matter-of-factly is the most effective method, and is safest for the victim.
- There may be situations in which you need to share information with the employer or the police to protect the victim and others. If there is a dangerous situation in your workplace, contact the police or security immediately.
- Encourage the perpetrator to accept responsibility. Perpetrators often justify their conduct by blaming someone or something other than themselves, such as the victim, the job, their drinking or stress. Unions can best help members who are abusers by treating them, and not the victim, as responsible for the abuse, and by providing resources for the abusers to change.
- Use an effective message. Stewards can use the same approaches they use to help members with other self-destructive behaviors that affect employment, such as substance abuse. Clearly communicate that domestic violence is jeopardizing their job, and that they need to stop this behavior and seek help.
- Offer specific union help to perpetrators. Make perpetrators aware that the union is there to help them stop the violence. If appropriate, offer to be an advocate with the employer to gain accommodations to treatment and to stop their abusive behavior.
- Negotiate for specific domestic violence interventions. Be sure that your Member Assistance Program and/or Employee Assistance Program includes specialized services for members who are domestic violence perpetrators.
- Assist the member in finding a treatment program, preferably one that is certified by your state. Contact your local Domestic Violence Victim Services or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE for information on batterers’ intervention programs in your area. (Note: Research shows that couples counseling, anger management and individual psychotherapy are not effective for perpetrators and may even put the victim in more danger. Also, substance abuse programs are not sufficient to stop domestic violence.)
- Work with personnel or human resources departments to ensure that procedures are in place to increase the safety of victims while requiring that perpetrators comply with all workplace policies and legal standards of behavior at the workplace. If both parties work at the same site, ask the victim what transfer and leave procedures would help to ensure her safety.
- Negotiate contract language that encourages domestic violence perpetrators to take responsibility both for the abuse and for making the changes necessary to stop the abuse, including, but not limited to, leaves of absence and transfers to attend specialized batterer’s intervention groups. (See following sample contract language.)