NJ.com interviewed CWA member Leah Coleman about her tragic experience being attacked and stabbed 21 times by a client last November while working at the Department of Human Services office in Camden. You may recall that the incident happened just days after the State removed armed security guards from departments of Human Services and Children across New Jersey. Prior to the incident, Ms. Coleman spoke to management about obtaining a restraining order for another client.

“”The thing is, the workers may take it seriously but management doesn’t,” Leah said.

In December, CWA demanded that the State place armed security guards back in buildings or union members would stage a walk-out.

“The safety of our members is paramount and DHS employees across the state were ready to walk-out to protest the lack of security,” says Ken McNamara, president of CWA Local 1037. “But it’s a tragedy that it took this incident for the State to understand the issue.”

You can read the entire interview with Leah Coleman at bit.ly/CWALeah.