Search News
For the Media
For media inquiries, call CWA Communications at 202-434-1168 or email comms@cwa-union.org. To read about CWA Members, Leadership or Industries, visit our About page.
Workplace Health and Safety Draws Diverse Group
Concern about health and safety on the job, from ergonomics to air quality to asbestos, drew 165 CWA members and staff from across the country to Philadelphia this fall for a four-day conference.
As the CWA News went to press, the Department of Labor — through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration — was preparing to issue an ergonomics standard to help protect workers from musculoskeletal and repetitive injuries. The administration's action came despite ongoing budget battles with the Republican congressional leadership and strong opposition from business groups. The standard will take effect in January, with an October 2001 deadline for compliance; legal challenges by business groups are widely expected.
Dave LeGrande, CWA's director of occupational health and safety programs, said the standard is critical to address the workplace injuries that affect some 2 million workers each year.
The September conference, “Using Occupational Safety and Health as a Tool to Build and Strengthen CWA” was the union’s 10th annual health and safety event.
“The diversity of participants, as well as their knowledge and enthusiasm was impressive,” LeGrande said. “We had representation from all of CWA's divisions — newspapers, NABET, the printing sector, US Airways, the public sector, health care, telecommunications — all of them.”
Participants heard from a variety of speakers, including labor leaders and safety specialists, and met with each other in strategy sessions. LeGrande said attendees want to create an electronic network with CWA’s health and safety officers, and want to make it easier and faster for members to get workplace safety materials and training.
Ergonomics was a hot topic at the conference. Some of the conference speakers and participants had testified earlier this year at hearings about the need for a federal ergonomics standard.
Vice President Al Gore has pledged to fight for the standard if elected president. Texas Gov. George W. Bush is expected to issue an order dismantling the rule if he is elected.
As the CWA News went to press, the Department of Labor — through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration — was preparing to issue an ergonomics standard to help protect workers from musculoskeletal and repetitive injuries. The administration's action came despite ongoing budget battles with the Republican congressional leadership and strong opposition from business groups. The standard will take effect in January, with an October 2001 deadline for compliance; legal challenges by business groups are widely expected.
Dave LeGrande, CWA's director of occupational health and safety programs, said the standard is critical to address the workplace injuries that affect some 2 million workers each year.
The September conference, “Using Occupational Safety and Health as a Tool to Build and Strengthen CWA” was the union’s 10th annual health and safety event.
“The diversity of participants, as well as their knowledge and enthusiasm was impressive,” LeGrande said. “We had representation from all of CWA's divisions — newspapers, NABET, the printing sector, US Airways, the public sector, health care, telecommunications — all of them.”
Participants heard from a variety of speakers, including labor leaders and safety specialists, and met with each other in strategy sessions. LeGrande said attendees want to create an electronic network with CWA’s health and safety officers, and want to make it easier and faster for members to get workplace safety materials and training.
Ergonomics was a hot topic at the conference. Some of the conference speakers and participants had testified earlier this year at hearings about the need for a federal ergonomics standard.
Vice President Al Gore has pledged to fight for the standard if elected president. Texas Gov. George W. Bush is expected to issue an order dismantling the rule if he is elected.