June 2013 District 3 OSH Conference Call

CWA District 3 Occupational Safety and Health Conference Call Thursday, June 6, 2013 from 1:00- 3:00 p.m. (EST)

• Participants-

Eric Gosnell, President, CWA Local 3101
Rick Meyer, CWA Local 3108
Tony Steelmack, Vice President, CWA Local 3111
Billy O’Dell, President, CWA Local 3215
Sheila Beller, Vice President, and Nick Dequsyter, CWA Local 3406
Brandon Hatcher, CWA Local 3410
Dugg Harrison, President, CWA local 3411
Herman Junkin, President, CWA Local 3504
Scott Bumgarner, President, CWA Local 3608
Debra Brown, President, CWA Local 3706
James Winston, CWA Local 3808
J.C. Smith, CWA Representative
Isa Shabazz, CWA Representative
Booker Lester, Administrative Director to the Vice President
David LeGrande, CWA Occupational Safety and Health Director

• CWA District 3/AT&T Occupational Safety and Health Committee-
  

Isa Shabazz, CWA Representative, reported he/District 3 representatives are still trying to move the company in a position where the joint committee operates like a joint committee- where the union has the same rights as the company to bring up issues for resolution and see such resolution carried out. It appears as if the company has become more accepting of the union’s concerns, but this is still a work in progress.

• AT&T and Verizon Occupational Injury/Illness Discipline Policies-
  

David LeGrande opened a discussion re. the Union’s national campaign to prevent represented employers from violating Section 11(c), the non-discrimination clause, of the OSHAct. After investigating practices of different employers, it was decided to focus upon the telecommunications industry. Following employers’ initiation of policies which appeared to be in violation of Section 11(c), local union officers and activists were encouraged to file contractual grievances as well as OSHA complaints. Several locals across the U.S. filed grievances and OSHA complaints. The first cases resulted in OSHA citations against represented employers- most notably AT&T. Each of the citations was contested by the company. The legal processes finally began to show results during the first months of 2013 when four administrative law judge decisions found AT&T in violation of Section 11(c). To date, more than 40 cases have been filed by District 4 locals.However, since then, i.e., earlier this year, some 30 cases have been filed within Districts 1, 2-13, 3, 6, and 9. For example, within District 3, a handful of cases have been filed- all against AT&T.

As this activity has developed, the Occupational Safety and Health Department has joined   with the Union’s Legal Department to develop a legal strategy including meeting and       talking with representatives of the U.S. Department of Labor and state equivalents to coordinate and move these cases along. It is anticipated this work will result in resolution of the company’s behavior.      

Verizon has a similar policy as AT&T. However, since late 2012, the Company has backed off its implementation. This is due largely to the successful efforts of CWA District 9 Locals against the Company as well as the federal OSHA directive notifying employers that action would be taken against them for implementing safety discipline policies in violation of Section 11(c) of the OSHAct. To date, only one case is current against Verizon.

• CWA/USW Occupational Safety and Health Training-
  

Billy O’Dell, CWA Local 3215, noted the first training sessions within District 3 have been scheduled. The first will be conducted July 25 at CWA Local 3108 and the second August 5 at CWA Local 3122. Recruiting will stretch to other locals near Orlando and Miami. Billy and Booker Lester asked call participants to contact either of them if they were interested in hosting a training session. On a nationwide basis, David LeGrande reported since July, 2012, 24 workplace safety and health training sessions have been conducted by CWA’s 16 safety and health trainers. 632 local union leaders and safety and health activists have participated in these sessions.

• CWA Heat Stress Campaign-
  

David LeGrande mentioned the continued activities associated with the Union’s Heat Stress campaign. Funded by CWA’s Strategic Industry Fund, materials continue to be developed, provided to local activists, and included as part of the Union’s occupational safety and health training activities. To date, several thousand CWA leaders and members have participated in these training sessions.

• Workers’ Memorial Day and CWA Workplace Fatalities-
  

David LeGrande congratulated local activists for their participation in Workers’ Memorial Day (April 28) activities noting many other CWA leaders and activists participated in memorial activities throughout the country. Conference call participants pledged to work to ensure members are provided safe and healthful working conditions during the remainder of 2013 and beyond.

David mentioned the availability of the AFL-CIO’s “2013 Death on the Job Report.” This excellent document highlights the key safety and health activities and identifies injuries/illnesses/fatalities which have occurred over the last year. The report is available by going to the AFL-CIO webpage.

• National Labor Relations Board-

David LeGrande led a discussion regarding the CWA-led campaign to make the NLRB function as designed by the 1935 legislation. Unfortunately, over the last several years, corporate interests and the Republican Party have worked to make the Board ineffective and now inoperable. In response to this assault on workers’ rights, CWA, the AFL-CIO, and several allied organizations (such as the NAACP, the Sierra Club, and the National Resources Defense Council) have joined together in a campaign to have President Obama nominate and the U.S. Senate approve five members on the NLRB. Such action would make the Board fully functional. Participants agreed to contact their Senators urging them to support the approval of the five nominees to the NLRB and to their local members and ask them to follow suit.

• CWA/USW Health, Safety, and Environment Conference-
  

David LeGrande indicated the union’s annual health and safety conference is scheduled September 23-27, 2013 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He encouraged participants to make arrangements to attend the always lively and informative conference. Conference and hotel registration information is on the unions’ safety and health webpage, www.cwasafetyandhealthorg. In the near future, additional conference details will be provided.

• Date of the next CWA District 3 Occupational Safety and Health Conference Call-
  

The next CWA District 3 Occupational Safety and Health Conference call is scheduled for Thursday, September 5, 2013 from 1:00- 3:00 p.m. (EST).