Are
you safe at Work?
By
Bob
DelPrete
, Former Southern
Region Safety/Health Rep
The letter that appears below was distributed by the
National Safety Council to the members in their labor division via email.
I thought it interesting because of the facts brought forth about the current
administration, and because the National Safety Council is rather conservative
in nature. It is also food for thought this election year.
"Dear Working Families e-Activist:
Decades of struggles by workers and their unions have made workplaces safer. But
the fight to protect workers is getting more difficult. The Bush administration
has joined with business groups to roll back and block key worker
protections--taking America in the wrong direction. In fact, the Bush
administration has the worst record on safety rules in the entire history of
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal workplace
safety agency.
Please take one minute right now to take action by clicking on the link below or
keep reading for more information.
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/april282004/
Here are the facts about Bush's record on workplace safety.
Bush killed workplace ergonomic protections. On March 20, 2001, President Bush
signed legislation repealing the ergonomics standards designed to protect
workers from repetitive motion and back injuries.
He rolled back or blocked dozens of workplace safety and health rules. In
December 2001, the Bush administration announced the withdrawal of 29 rules that
would have protected workers from serious hazards at work.
Bush administration favors employers over workers. The administration's fiscal
year 2005 OSHA budget proposed cutting safety training programs for workers by
65 percent, while increasing funding for employer programs.
This week, on April 28, we observe Workers Memorial Day-a day to remember the
millions of America's workers who are killed, maimed or injured on the job every
year. Each year more than 60,000 workers die from job injuries and illnesses and
another 6 million are injured. But President Bush is taking America down a path
that would lead to more injuries and more deaths on the job.
You can make a difference on this issue by taking action. Please click on the
link below to send a message to President Bush letting him know how you feel
about his actions that put us all at risk.
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/april282004/
After you act, please forward this message to your friends, family and
co-workers or click on the link below to send them a note.
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/april282004/forward/
Thanks for all you do to make America work for working families.
In Solidarity,
Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO
April 27, 2004
