June 2013 District 6 OSH Conference Call

CWA District 6 Occupational Safety and Health Conference Call Thursday, June 6, 2013 from 10:00 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. (CST)

• Participants-

Darlene Kirchgessner, President, CWA Local 6128
Mike Farrell, Vice President, CWA Local 6132
Stacy Gilmore, Vice President, CWA Local 6137
Paul Laughlin, President, CWA Local 6200
Janice Bell, Secretary-Treasurer, CWA Local 6203
Randy Rodriguez, CWA Local 6222
Mike Barban, Vice President, CWA Local 6300
Tanya Holmes, President, CWA Local 6327
Darrick Inscho, Vice President, CWA Local 6360
Jason Burns, President, CWA Local 6401
Carol Russell, President, CWA Local 6402
Mary Ann Hopkins, President, CWA Local 6502
Patrick Welch, President, CWA Local 6505
Tim Andrews, Secretary-Treasurer, CWA Local 6508
Stephanie Collier, CWA Staff Representative and
David LeGrande, CWA Occupational Safety and Health Director

• CWA District 6/AT&T Occupational Safety and Health Committee-
  

Stephanie Collier, CWA Staff Representative, reported the joint committee dealt with a number of important topics at its recent meeting. For example, the agenda included:

The provision of a weather app for use on company I-phones is going through final trial/review stages and should be made available to technicians throughout District 6 soon (However, there were questions regarding such provision and AT&T’s policy that electronic devices cannot be used in the vehicle);

• The issue of awareness zones continues to be worked on- meanwhile, the company is continuing to provide its “Street Smart” program;
• Heat stress issues are being addressed;
• Concerns regarding Ford F-150 trucks and ladder devices on company trucks are receiving attention; and
• The provision of sun protection/block as an item of personal protective equipment is being considered.

Stephanie indicted she would keep participants (and personnel from other locals) informed as to movement on these issues and asked participants to continue to provide her with information on these and other safety and health issues.

• Verizon and AT&T 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 some 30 cases have been filed within Districts 1, 2-13, 6, and 9. For example, within District 6, some 16 cases have been filed- all against AT&T. Of these, 14 come from CWA Local 6360. These efforts will continue to be expanded to include additional locals throughout the U.S.

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.

Darrick Inshco, CWA Local 6360, discussed activities by his local from which 14 of the OSHA Section 11(c) cases have been filed. Other participants said they would investigate and file cases as necessary.

• CWA/USW Occupational Safety and Health Training-
  

Randy Rodriguez, CWA Local 6222, reported on the successful safety and health training activities conducted within District 6. Funded by a joint CWA-USW grant awarded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Randy noted training sessions were recently conducted at CWA Local 6215 and CWA Local 6012. He encouraged participants interested in sponsoring training sessions to contact him and we would make the necessary arrangements to set up a training session. David LeGrande reported since July, 2012, Randy has conducted eight training sessions involving 212 local union leaders and safety and health activists- the most of any of the Union’s 16 occupational safety and health grant trainers.

• 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. Randy Rodriguez mentioned very successful memorial activities hosted by CWA Local 6222. All 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 6 Occupational Safety and Health Conference Call-

The next CWA District 6 Occupational Safety and Health Conference call is scheduled for Thursday, September 5, 2013 from 10:00 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. (CST).