CWA District 2 Occupational Safety and Health Conference Call

Participants-

Robin Young, Secretary, CWA Local 2001
Eric Gant, Vice President, CWA Local 2003
Chuck Dobry, Secretary Treasurer, CWA Local 2100
Gary Waters, CWA Local 2107
Mark Wood, CWA Local 2201
Chris Collier and Alex Long, Vice President, CWA Local 2202
Alan Johnson, Vice President, CWA Local 2204
Denny Balderson, Executive Vice President, CWA Local 2205
Travis Carpenter, Vice President, and Jesse Davis, CWA Local 2222
Claudia Cole, Vice President, CWA Local 2336
Bill Evitt, CWA Representative, and
David LeGrande, CWA Occupational Safety and Health Director

Agenda-

New Issues/Participant Reports-

Alan Johnson, CWA Local 2204, reported numerous sanitation problems in Verizon-represented facilities and inquired about methods to convince the Company to provide sanitary/safe and healthful working conditions (i.e., offices and bathrooms). Several other participants noted the same experience with Verizon's failure to provide sanitary working conditions noting ever since this concern was de-prioritized and the jobs were contracted out, they had witnessed the same behavior from Verizon.

For example, through the use the OSHA Sanitation Standard, 29 CFR 1910.141, Jesse Davis, CWA Local 2222, recalled his successful   experiences in helping to convince the Company of the need to provide sanitary working conditions. Often, a friendly call to the local public health authority will be enough to have the Company provide sanitary working conditions. However, if necessary, after informing the appropriate Verizon supervisor of the Union's concern, an OSHA complaint may need to be filed. It was suggested Alan and other participants use the OSHA standard and input from the local public health authority to move Verizon to provide safe and healthful working conditions. In turn, David LeGrande asked participants to keep him informed re. their work to bring the Company around.

Alan Johnson raised concerns with Verizon's practices over not providing necessary electrical grounding protections for outside plant technicians. David LeGrande noted similar concerns between District 1 and Verizon indicating the Company had agreed to provide the necessary protections by following/adhering to its existing practices. David suggested safety and health activists follow the same direction in convincing the Company to provide safe and healthful working conditions re. electrical hazards.    

Jesse Davis, reported potentially hazardous safety and health issues involving the potential for explosions while technicians are performing maintenance in underground controlled environment vaults (CEVs). Jesse indicated he would pursue this issue and report back regarding his success.   

The Employee Free Choice Act and Occupational Safety and Health-

David LeGrande discussed the importance of OSH activists' participation in working for the passage of the Employee Free Choice Act. In discussing the need for such passage, he emphasized the Act would allow unorganized workers the opportunity to organize/form a union and successfully negotiate protective workplace safety and health collective bargaining provisions. In turn, as CWA and the labor movement are successful in organizing more workers into unions, the increased numbers of union-represented workers would increase labor's overall ability to negotiate comprehensive workplace safety and health contract language with represented employers.

Occupational Safety and Health During the Obama Administration-

David LeGrande reported on examples of the Obama Administration's support for improved workplace safety and health policies and practices. The nomination of Ms. Hilda Solis (D-CA) as Secretary of Labor was the first indication of a marked improvement. While a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Ms. Solis was well known for her support of workplace safety and health issues and concerns. Indeed, we can be assured Secretary Solis will continue to be a strong advocate of improved occupational safety and health and workers' rights.     

More recently, the appointment of Mr. Jordan Barab as OSHA's Acting Assistant Secretary (once a permanent Assistant Secretary is nominated and confirmed, he will become the Deputy Assistant Secretary) is another indication of President Obama's commitment to improved workplace safety and health.

Previously, Jordan served in a number of positions including the chief staff representing labor policy safety and health issues for the U.S. House of Representative's Labor and Education Committee, OSHA Labor Liaison during the Clinton Administration, and Director of Occupational Safety and Health for the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Workers (AFSCME). CWA and the rest of the labor movement look forward to continuing to work with Jordan in his new position.

CWA Occupational Safety and Health Conference-                                              

David LeGrande indicated the Union's 2009 Occupational Safety and Health Conference will be held October 3-5, 2009 at the San Diego Holiday Inn On-the-Bay, San Diego, California. Several timely safety and health topics such as workplace ergonomics, occupational stress, workplace violence, indoor air quality, H1N1 Influenza A/Swine Flu, effective safety and health committees, and using safety and health to help build and strengthen the Union will be featured during plenary, panel, and strategy and discussion sessions/workshops. Several participants indicated they planned to participate in the conference.

Electrical Hazards: Grounding Issues-      

Please see above discussion initiated by Alan Johnson, CWA Local 2204, under New Issues/Participant reports.

CWA-USW Joint Occupational Safety and Health Activities- 

David LeGrande mentioned the recent working agreement reached between the CWA and United Steelworkers (USW) safety and health departments to share resources and work more closely with one another. This agreement will provide CWA members with increased opportunities to participate in mutual occupational safety and health concerns and activities. For example, the agreement will result in increased training sessions and targeted regulatory/legislative activities. Although not as far along, similar discussions are taking place between CWA and UAW safety and health personnel.

Date of the Next CWA District 2 Occupational Safety and Health Conference Call-    

The next CWA District 2 Occupational Safety and Health Conference Call is scheduled for Monday, September 14, 2009 from 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.