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VSEA warns committee chronic understaffing, safety problems at state agencies amount to a "public safety and public health emergency"
Summary
Steve Howard, executive director of the Vermont State Employees Association, told the Government Operations & Military Affairs Committee that severe and chronic understaffing in corrections and human services is creating dangerous conditions for employees and may threaten public safety.
Steve Howard, executive director of the Vermont State Employees Association, told the Government Operations & Military Affairs Committee that severe and chronic understaffing in several state agencies — most notably the Department of Corrections and parts of the Agency of Human Services — has produced dangerous working conditions for employees and poses risks to public safety.
"We think it's a public safety and public health emergency," Howard said, describing members working repeated 16-hour shifts, falling asleep while commuting and facing physical assaults on the job. "They're working 16 hour shift after 16 hour shift after 16 hour shift."
Howard, who said the union represents more than 6,000 public employees across the executive branch, judiciary and…
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