New Hotel Workers need Panic Buttons: New York Lawmaker

NEW YORK (Reuters)—New York lodge workers would maintaintain electronic "panic buttons" under a anotherther bill plannedsimilar toar to then-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was charged with sexually assaulting a lodge maid.

"To my awareness this would be the basic in the residents," Democratic Assemblyman Rory Lancman, who represents the New York City area of Queens, thought by call up on Tuesday.

Assemblyman Lancman, who chairs the Assembly’s subcommittee on administrative center safety, thought attacks on lodge maids and housekeepers were relatively general although he had rebuff data to support with the aim of.

"Unfortunately, a fate of men think with the aim of whilst they are away from mother country the regular rules of social conduct don't apply, and a adolescent woman entering a lodge space, particularly if she looks like an undocumented immigrant who doesn't maintain the channel to tell (an assault)—they think she's average game," he thought.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn faces charges of sexual assault and attempting to rape a housekeeper by the side of the Sofitel lodge in New York on May 14. He is being held in an residence in Manhattan under armed guard similar to being freed on bail on Friday.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn has denied the charges but has resigned as running director of the International Monetary Fund.

Hotel workers needing urgent help may well wear out the panic buttons to write to the hotel's front desk or its security, after that police force may well be called if basic, Assemblyman Lancman thought.

Other industries, together with utilities and engineering firms, already wear out such policy to guard workers who may well be in remote locations.

"This reasonable proposal would ensure with the aim of thousands of lodge workers are not locate by the side of needless venture," thought Peter Ward, president of the New York Hotel & Motel Trades Council.

Clothed in 2009, 100 lodge maids were assaulted—70 by citizens, 30 by animals—according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But assaults may well be undercounted, experts say, since workers may well alarm being sacked and employers, mindful of insurance, might not hunger to tell assaults with the aim of are not unembellished.

Hotel companies are examining security protocols following the unpleasant incident, industry executives thought on Tuesday.

"It's a wake-up call, some schedule you contract some unpleasant incident like this," thought Strategic Hotels and Resorts Inc. Chief Executive Laurence Geller by the side of the Reuters Global Luxury and Fashion Summit in New York.

Marriott International Inc. Is besides revisiting its protocols to kind really they are "reasonably high-quality," thought Arne Sorenson, the lodge operator's chief operating representative.

"This is still a somewhat rare and exceptional event, thankfully," thought Mr. Sorenson, whose company besides owns the expensive Ritz Carlton lodge brand.

Mr. Sorenson ruled barred putting capture on tape cameras in guest accommodation.

Mr. Geller, who has worked in the lodge organization in place of more than 40 years, thought, "Physical abuse has every time been a snag in hotels" and with the aim of everybody intent on an attack may well succeed.

"Am I going away to say whether or not there'll be panic buttons with maids to maintain or whether there'll be things like with the aim of? It's not illogical," he thought.

To happen to law, the bill would maintain to be enacted by the Assembly and the state legislature and after that signed by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Spokesmen in place of the ruler and the leaders of the two legislative chambers had rebuff immediate comment.