Remembering the 524

Western State Hospital Local 793 members marked Workers Memorial Day 2008 with a solemn commemoration Monday on the grounds of the mental health facility in Lakewood. They placed 524 targets on the lawn in front of the Administration Building to signify the 524 co-workers assaulted on the job at WSH in the past year.

“This is a tribute to the 524 whose quality of life has forever been changed,” WFSE/AFSCME President Carol Dotlich told the crowd of about 150.

Rep. Steve Conway, chair of the state House Commerce and Labor Committee, called Western State Hospital “the most dangerous worksite in the state.” He said lawmakers would continue to attack the “unacceptable” situation that leads to employee assaults, including mandating safe employee-to-staff ratios.

Rep. Troy Kelley said the 524 targets that stretched across the lawn reminded him of the old Army saying about never leaving a soldier behind. “I have a feeling we’ve left some workers behind and that’s unacceptable,” Kelley said.

The members concluded the ceremony by walking up and down the rows of 524 targets. “It’s a longer walk than you thought,” Dotlich said.