Organizing Around Safety and Health

Safety and health activism can be a strong factor in organizing unrepresented workers, as IUE-CWA Local 81201 in Lynn, Mass., can attest.  When the General Electric local widened its organizing efforts in the early 1990s, it helped about 35 workers at the city's wastewater treatment plant win recognition.

"Obviously, health and safety was a key issue for them, with concerns about needle sticks, communicable diseases and chemicals," said Ted Comick, safety and health coordinator for the IUE-CWA local.  "Those workers chose us because of our strong health and safety programs."

Though they provide a service to the city, the workers are employed by a private multinational company.

Since joining IUE-CWA, the workers now have a labor-management safety and health committee in place at their plant.

"We've gone two years without a lost-time accident," said Peter Larsen, who was elected by workers to represent them on the committee. "People are conscientious. We have regular drills for working safely with chlorine and other chemicals. We have a confined-space rescue team. There's a hazardous waste program in place."