Workplace Violence

Whereas:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration defines workplace violence as violent acts, including physical assaults and threats of assault, directed toward persons at work or on duty;

Homicide is a leading cause of death to workers accounting for 11% of the 5,900 fatal work injuries (excluding those killed by the September 11 terrorist attacks) in 2001, and homicides are showing a strong increase among service workers including food preparation workers (Bureau of Labor Statistics. Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2001);

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) reports that assaults and threats of violence against Americans at work number almost 2 million a year;

Assaults and violent acts are the leading cause of workplace fatalities among female workers, accounting for 31% of such deaths (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2001);

While fatal injuries to Caucasians have declined for six straight years, minorities, especially African Americans and Latinos, saw a rise in fatal injuries from 2000 to 2001 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2001);

Workplace violence was ranked the most significant security concern for U.S. businesses for the third year in a row, according to the ninth annual survey of security professionals for Fortune 1000 companies conducted by Pinkertons Consulting and Investigations (BNA Human Resources Report, June 2002);

Nonfatal workplace assaults result in more than 876,000 lost workdays and $16,000,000 in lost wages annually (USA Today, April 2000);

According to the Workplace Violence Research Institute, the total cost of workplace violence to employers is more than $4.2 billion per year. Jury awards for workplace violence average $5 million (Best's Review, July 2000);

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration encourages companies to establish violence prevention programs and to track their progress in reducing work-related assaults. Although not every incident can be prevented, many can; and the severity of injuries sustained by workers reduced.

Therefore, be it resolved:
That the shareholders request the Board of Directors to:

- Establish a formal written workplace violence policy indicating zero tolerance for workplace violence.
- Develop programs aimed at addressing potential violent acts and assaults in the workplace.
- Develop programs aimed at dealing with the consequences of workplace violence such as stress management.
- Develop a system of documenting violent incidents, including responsibilities to be taken in the event of a violent incident in the workplace.
- Implement an internal and external reporting system.

Supporting Statement:
CEC Entertainment is a restaurant management Company that primarily operates Chuck-E-Cheese pizza restaurants. Violent incidents threaten the safety of the 900,000 children that CEC reports visit Chuck-e-Cheese restaurants each week as well as the employees who work at these restaurants.

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