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Health and Safety Activists: Making a Difference Unionwide
The union's Occupational Safety and Health Conference, June 1-3 in Baltimore, drew unprecedented participation from every CWA district as well as TNG-CWA, IUE-CWA, AFA-CWA, NABET-CWA and the Public, Health Care and Education Workers Sectors.
More than 200 safety and health activists participated in panel discussions, shared success stories and planned strategies for the improvement of safety and health in their workplaces.
"It was just great to see IUE-CWA member experts present alongside flight attendants, telecom leaders, public and health care leaders and others," said CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen. "Our health and safety work clearly distinguishes what it means to work union, whether pushing for safety and health improvements in a lead acid battery plant, a hospital, or on the police force, or as an outside technician or service rep."
CWA Vice Presidents Pete Catucci of District 2, Jeff Rechenbach of District 4 and Brooks Sunkett of the Public, Health Care and Education Workers, also participated and listened to workers' experiences.
Success stories included collective bargaining achievements in safety and health, workers' compensation, behavior based safety programs, coalition building and more.
Success Stories
Workers' Comp for Cops
"The California Organization of Police and Sheriffs, Local 9111, lobbied for years and finally succeeded in getting cancer, blood-borne diseases and heart disease to be presumed job-related for police officers in California. These diseases are now considered a job-incurred injury for police officers for the purpose of workers' compensation."
- Bill Hemby, Local 9111 Representative
National Coalition of Public Safety Officers-CWA Legislative Committee
Creating Friendly Skies
"AFA has been instrumental in achieving improvements in aircraft that benefit both passengers and crew members alike, for example, the elimination of smoking on flights, increasing the survivability of airplane accidents and even fighting to keep cell phone conversations out of cramped airplane cabins in flight."
- Valerie Walker, Chair
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
United Airlines Master Executive Council Health and Security Committee
Breathing Easier
"Through CWA I was appointed by the governor of New Jersey to the Public Employee Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board. It's very important for CWA to have a voice in decisions that affect our members' workplace. The PEOSH board has allowed a subcommittee on indoor air quality to study the standard and submit recommendations for a better and more complete inspection."
- Larry Endicott
Health and Safety Coordinator
CWA Local 1040
Road Hazard Roundup
"Every year Local 7800 in cooperation with management holds a Safety Rodeo where all the installer trucks and bucket trucks are inspected. Every year we have trucks that get 'red tagged' as unsafe for the road. We see failing brakes, bald tires and even cracks in lifting devices."
- Shannon Ridge, Vice President
And Than Gumm, Safety and Health Chair CWA Local 7800
Measure of Well Being
"The local health and safety committee raised enough money to purchase two blood pressure machines for the workplace, and the company bought two more. Our members who are on medication or who are not feeling well can now test their blood pressure at work."
- Robin Young, Vice President And Health and Safety Committee Chair
CWA Local 2001
Besting Bacteria
"Our main work location is housed in an old building that had mold growing on the carpet and ceiling tiles. Members were complaining of headaches, respiratory and eye problems. We brought the issue to the health and safety committee and had the air quality tested. The test showed twice the normal level of humidity. We reworked the air conditioning vents, found out that the dampers were being left open too long, got the ducts cleaned and had the carpet cleaned with an anti-bacterial solvent. Several weeks later we did followup and the members reported dramatically fewer symptoms."
- Joanne Wells, Chair
Health and Safety Committee
CWA Local 6201
Getting the Lead Out
"We work in a battery plant in New Jersey where lead is a big issue. We had seen the number of employees put on the watch list (employees with a high count of lead in their blood) increase to 40. The local worked with management and changed the engineering controls, instituted an awareness program and the washing of hands with special lead-removal soap. Through our initiatives we were able to dramatically improve our practices and today we have only five members on the watch list."
- Craig Daniel
Health and Safety Representative
IUE-CWA Local 81416
Par for the Course
"After Rich Umansky's fatal accident, our local assisted ABC Sports in making significant changes in the camera platform design used to televise golf tournaments. Now, almost all high camera locations on a golf course incorporate railings for fall prevention. Moving forward, we will continue to offer conceptual designs and recommend that similar railing systems be used on ABC's College Football Tour. It is our ultimate goal to get an industry standard for camera platforms, which would greatly reduce injuries or possible fatalities from falls."
- Steve Barreres
Director of Health and Safety
NABET-CWA Local 51016
Ergonomically Correct
"Our CWA-bargained contract language is reducing ergonomic injuries in our health care work setting. We had a large number of soft tissue strains and sprains because of lifting. Our local was able to get a 'no lift' workplace policy and implement ergonomic lifts and ergonomic patient transfer techniques."
- Dana McCarthy, Director
Health and Safety
CWA Local 1168
Asbestos Abatement
"After the quick illness and eventual death of an SBC mechanic due to mesothelioma, our local's safety and health committee conducted asbestos awareness training, consulted with an occupational injury lawyer and had CAL-OSHA conduct an investigation at the mechanics' workplace that ensured compliance."
- Louie Rocha, President
CWA Local 9423
Driving Advocacy
"Thirty years of hard work and collective bargaining has gotten us full-time health and safety representatives in all of our automotive conference board facilities. There is no question that the union health and safety representatives have created a healthier and stronger workforce."
- Isa Shabazz, Director
Occupational Health and Safety
IUE-CWA Automotive Conference Board
More than 200 safety and health activists participated in panel discussions, shared success stories and planned strategies for the improvement of safety and health in their workplaces.
"It was just great to see IUE-CWA member experts present alongside flight attendants, telecom leaders, public and health care leaders and others," said CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen. "Our health and safety work clearly distinguishes what it means to work union, whether pushing for safety and health improvements in a lead acid battery plant, a hospital, or on the police force, or as an outside technician or service rep."
CWA Vice Presidents Pete Catucci of District 2, Jeff Rechenbach of District 4 and Brooks Sunkett of the Public, Health Care and Education Workers, also participated and listened to workers' experiences.
Success stories included collective bargaining achievements in safety and health, workers' compensation, behavior based safety programs, coalition building and more.
Success Stories
Workers' Comp for Cops
"The California Organization of Police and Sheriffs, Local 9111, lobbied for years and finally succeeded in getting cancer, blood-borne diseases and heart disease to be presumed job-related for police officers in California. These diseases are now considered a job-incurred injury for police officers for the purpose of workers' compensation."
- Bill Hemby, Local 9111 Representative
National Coalition of Public Safety Officers-CWA Legislative Committee
Creating Friendly Skies
"AFA has been instrumental in achieving improvements in aircraft that benefit both passengers and crew members alike, for example, the elimination of smoking on flights, increasing the survivability of airplane accidents and even fighting to keep cell phone conversations out of cramped airplane cabins in flight."
- Valerie Walker, Chair
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
United Airlines Master Executive Council Health and Security Committee
Breathing Easier
"Through CWA I was appointed by the governor of New Jersey to the Public Employee Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Board. It's very important for CWA to have a voice in decisions that affect our members' workplace. The PEOSH board has allowed a subcommittee on indoor air quality to study the standard and submit recommendations for a better and more complete inspection."
- Larry Endicott
Health and Safety Coordinator
CWA Local 1040
Road Hazard Roundup
"Every year Local 7800 in cooperation with management holds a Safety Rodeo where all the installer trucks and bucket trucks are inspected. Every year we have trucks that get 'red tagged' as unsafe for the road. We see failing brakes, bald tires and even cracks in lifting devices."
- Shannon Ridge, Vice President
And Than Gumm, Safety and Health Chair CWA Local 7800
Measure of Well Being
"The local health and safety committee raised enough money to purchase two blood pressure machines for the workplace, and the company bought two more. Our members who are on medication or who are not feeling well can now test their blood pressure at work."
- Robin Young, Vice President And Health and Safety Committee Chair
CWA Local 2001
Besting Bacteria
"Our main work location is housed in an old building that had mold growing on the carpet and ceiling tiles. Members were complaining of headaches, respiratory and eye problems. We brought the issue to the health and safety committee and had the air quality tested. The test showed twice the normal level of humidity. We reworked the air conditioning vents, found out that the dampers were being left open too long, got the ducts cleaned and had the carpet cleaned with an anti-bacterial solvent. Several weeks later we did followup and the members reported dramatically fewer symptoms."
- Joanne Wells, Chair
Health and Safety Committee
CWA Local 6201
Getting the Lead Out
"We work in a battery plant in New Jersey where lead is a big issue. We had seen the number of employees put on the watch list (employees with a high count of lead in their blood) increase to 40. The local worked with management and changed the engineering controls, instituted an awareness program and the washing of hands with special lead-removal soap. Through our initiatives we were able to dramatically improve our practices and today we have only five members on the watch list."
- Craig Daniel
Health and Safety Representative
IUE-CWA Local 81416
Par for the Course
"After Rich Umansky's fatal accident, our local assisted ABC Sports in making significant changes in the camera platform design used to televise golf tournaments. Now, almost all high camera locations on a golf course incorporate railings for fall prevention. Moving forward, we will continue to offer conceptual designs and recommend that similar railing systems be used on ABC's College Football Tour. It is our ultimate goal to get an industry standard for camera platforms, which would greatly reduce injuries or possible fatalities from falls."
- Steve Barreres
Director of Health and Safety
NABET-CWA Local 51016
Ergonomically Correct
"Our CWA-bargained contract language is reducing ergonomic injuries in our health care work setting. We had a large number of soft tissue strains and sprains because of lifting. Our local was able to get a 'no lift' workplace policy and implement ergonomic lifts and ergonomic patient transfer techniques."
- Dana McCarthy, Director
Health and Safety
CWA Local 1168
Asbestos Abatement
"After the quick illness and eventual death of an SBC mechanic due to mesothelioma, our local's safety and health committee conducted asbestos awareness training, consulted with an occupational injury lawyer and had CAL-OSHA conduct an investigation at the mechanics' workplace that ensured compliance."
- Louie Rocha, President
CWA Local 9423
Driving Advocacy
"Thirty years of hard work and collective bargaining has gotten us full-time health and safety representatives in all of our automotive conference board facilities. There is no question that the union health and safety representatives have created a healthier and stronger workforce."
- Isa Shabazz, Director
Occupational Health and Safety
IUE-CWA Automotive Conference Board