OSH Bulletin-April 2008 Workers' Memorial Day

To:  All Local Presidents

Subject:  Workers' Memorial Day -- April 28, 2008

Dear Colleagues:

On April 28, 2008, CWA and the U.S. labor movement will once again celebrate and observe Workers' Memorial Day to remember those who have become ill, injured, or killed on the job, as well as to renew our fight for strong safety and health protections. Participation in Workers' Memorial Day -- 2008 is of particular significance to CWA. During the last year, we lost four of our members to workplace fatalities. In addition, many of our members have suffered work-related injuries, illnesses, and "near misses"; in some cases, suffering severe medical disorders because of these incidents. 

This year, the theme for Workers' Memorial Day is "Good Jobs-Safe Jobs For All." For decades, CWA, other unions, and the AFL-CIO have fought for and led the struggle for improved working conditions, dignity, and respect on the job. By winning legislative and regulatory protections, unions have made workplaces safer for millions of U.S. workers. By negotiating protective contractual provisions, CWA and other unions have improved working conditions and provided dignity and respect for our members. However, particularly as a result of the Bush Administration's assault against workers, many workplace protections have been taken way. Therefore, we must continue to fight even harder for safe and healthful working conditions. 

I urge you to get involved on April 28 and organize actions, activities, and observances in represented workplaces and communities to highlight the toll of work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities -- making it clear CWA and the entire labor movement will continue the fight for safe and healthy workplaces as well as the right of workers to organize for dignity, respect, and a better future. As you plan your Workers' Memorial Day activities, I encourage you to work with other CWA Locals, as well as your District/Sector Vice Presidents and AFL-CIO state and local central labor councils.

Workers' Memorial Day materials are available from the AFL-CIO.  Materials can be ordered on-line or by contacting the AFL-CIO Safety and Health Department at 202-637-5367.

Attached is the Report on Workers' Memorial Day Events -- 2008. 

In Unity,

Larry Cohen
President

  Local Union Emergency Response/Emergency Action Training Conducted

Twenty-four (24) IUE-CWA and CWA local union leaders and occupational safety and health activists participated in an emergency response/emergency action train-the-trainer training program March 14-15, 2008 (See below for a list of participants). Conducted at IUE-CWA Local 82162, Roanoke, Virginia by the Union's Occupational Safety and Health Department and the Center for Labor Education and Research- University of Alabama at Birmingham (CLEAR-UAB), Birmingham, Alabama, the training covered a variety of important and timely safety and health and labor issues. For example, addressing the importance of conducting and expanding our occupational safety and health rights and activities, David LeGrande, CWA's Occupational Safety and Health Director, integrated a discussion of the Union's occupational safety and health activities, workers rights under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the need for the passage by U.S. Congress of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA).

Following this, participants joined in a discussion of the provisions of and signed pledges to work for the passage of EFCA. Along with personalized photographs taken during the session, these pledges will be provided to their Congressional representatives as part of CWA's efforts to have EFCA enacted.

Specific workplace safety and health emergency response and action topics included on the training agenda were:

• Coverage of applicable occupational, environmental, and transportation laws and regulations
• The identification and resolution of workplace safety and health hazards related to work with and exposure to hazardous chemicals/materials
• Assessing worker health effects and problems from such exposure,
• Actions of Emergency Responders
• Emergency Planning
• Methamphetamine Labs
• Training Adults and
• The CLEAR-UAB network support resources.

In addition, the agenda focused upon the need to establish effective ongoing workplace safety and health committees both within the local union as well as with represented employers. Regarding negotiated, effective workplace safety and health committees, Mike Kessler and Jerome Brown, leaders and activists representing IUE-CWA 82160 and workers employed by General Electric presented specific examples of their successful efforts to improve member worker conditions.

Additional emergency response/emergency action training sessions scheduled to occur April 18-19 in Dayton, Ohio, May 15-16 in Jacksonville, Florida, and July (dates and location to be determined). If you are interested in participating, please contact the Union's Occupational Safety and Health Department at:

Attached is a list of training participants.

IUE-CWA Local 82075- Anthony Carr and John McQueen

IUE-CWA Local 82160- Nina Miller and Marry Reed

IUE-CWA Local 82161- Mike Kessler and Jerome Brown

IUE-CWA Local 82162- Red Adams, Cheryl Bush, Gary Howe, Clinton Hurt, Dean Lugar, Dennis Morgan, Dave Petrie, Steve Young, and Jake West

CWA Local 2007- Nick Nipper and Steve Broughman

CWA Local 2101- Damon Dallas

CWA Local 2107- Gary Waters

CWA Local 2201- Wendy Smith and Mark Wood

CWA Local 2204- Alan Johnson

CWA Local 2222- Alfredo Bowen and Korey Hines

Roy Stover, Instructor, CLEAR-UAB and

David LeGrande, CWA Occupational Safety and Health Director.

  Employers Must Post OSHA Logs Through April 30

Beginning February 1 through April 30, 2008, employers must post a summary of the total number of work-related injuries and illnesses that occurred during 2007. This information, contained on the OSHA 300A Log or an equivalent form, will provide an indication of the employer's provision of safe and healthful working conditions.

CWA leaders and workplace safety and health activists should review the posted information to ensure it includes all of the OSHA recordable cases of workplace injuries and illnesses. Also, local occupational safety and health activists should go one step further by requesting a copy of the OSHA 300 Log. This Log contains more detailed information about the summarized data contained on the OSHA 300A Log.

If local union leaders and activists identify cases that should have been included on the Logs, please bring this issue to the attention of the employer for correction. Also, if necessary, contact the nearest office of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration or, in states with state-administered plans, the appropriate state office and bring these concerns to the agency's attention.

If you need assistance in completing this process or have questions regarding the injury and illness logs or a related issue, please contact the CWA Occupational Safety and Health Department.

         Electrical Hazards

Since 1999, CWA has lost six telecommunications members/technicians employed by AT&T and Verizon to workplace electrocutions. Most recently, in 2006, Brent Cheney, a member of CWA Local 4773, and Marvin Benson, a member of Local 2100, were electrocuted as they performed their jobs. Subsequent to these fatalities, in coordinated efforts involving CWA District 2 and 4 Officers and Staff, Local leaders, as well as the Union's Occupational Safety and Health Department, OSHA complaints were filed with the Indiana and Maryland State Occupational Safety and Health Administrations. In both instances, the employer, Verizon, was found in violation of several provisions of the OSHA Telecommunications Standard, 29 CFR 1910.268. (These cases followed similar action taken by federal OSHA with Verizon in New York State following the 2002 electrocution of CWA Local 1111 member/Verizon technician Jarrod Lyon).

With the interest of resolving the identified working conditions, the Maryland and Indiana Departments of Labor/OSHA, CWA, and Verizon negotiated settlement agreements calling for the development and conducting of electrical awareness/hazards training. Subsequently, the Company and the Union agreed to broaden the coverage of such training to all Verizon technicians within Districts 2 and 4, and later to all Verizon technicians represented by CWA and IBEW employed within the U.S.

To date, with input and review from the CWA Occupational Safety and Health Department, District and Local union leaders and activists, training materials have been formulated by Verizon. Also, the electrical awareness/hazards training has been initiated within District 2 (i.e., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.),

District 4 (i.e., Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin), and District 9 (California only). In the near future, the electrical awareness/hazards training will be initiated within other CWA Districts.

In addition, efforts are underway to develop and conduct electrical awareness/hazards training among workers employed by other represented telecommunications companies.

As these activities progress, the Safety and Health Department will continue to provide periodic updates.