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About Northwest labor press. (Portland , Ore.) 1987-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2007)
Local Motion March 2007 Union election activity in Oregon and SW Washington, according to the National Labor Relations Board and the Oregon Employment Relations Board Elections held Results: Company Date Union Union Location Homeshield 3/21 Teamsters Local 670 No Union The Dalles 11 11 Eugene 3 1 Portland 97 141 Coast Rehabilitation Services (decertification) 3/29 AFSCME Council 75 Warrenton 72 43 Northern Management Services 3/22 UFCW Local 555 Frito-Lay (decertification) 3/26 Teamsters 58, 206, 305, 324 Elections requested Company Union Location # of employees Beaverton 6 Haggen Bakers Local 114 Kaiser Permanente (accounts payable) Service Employees International Union Local 49 Portland 10 Kaiser Permanente (purchasing, supply center) Service Employees International Union Local 49 Portland 9 First Student Oregon School Employees Association Molalla 40 Oregon Housing & Associated Services Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757 Salem 22 Providence Home Services Division Oregon Nurses Association Portland 168 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest Service Employees International Union Local 49 Portland 26 Clatsop Care Center Service Employees International Union Local 503 Astoria 55 In response to labor lawsuit, Labor Dept. agrees to employer payment for safety gear WASHINGTON, D.C. — In re- sponse to a lawsuit filed by the na- tional AFL-CIO and the Change to Win labor federation’s United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the Bush Administration has agreed to issue a final rule on employer pay- ment for personal protective equip- ment for employees. In 1999, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) first proposed a personal protective equipment rule that would require employers to pay the costs of protec- tive clothing, lifelines, face shields, gloves and other equipment used by an estimated 20 million workers to protect them from job hazards. “This rulemaking has taken far too long,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “We will be monitoring the Department of Labor’s actions to make sure they honor this commit- ment and issue a strong protective rule.” On Jan. 3, 2007, the AFL-CIO and UFCW filed a lawsuit against the Bush Administration over its failure to finalize the payment for personal protective equipment rule. The court ordered the Bush Administration to respond to the lawsuit by March 19. On March 14, the secretary of labor filed papers with the court commit- ting to issue a final rule in November 2007. “This is a victory for workers who have suffered needlessly while await- ing action by the Bush Administra- tion,” said Joe Hansen, international president of UFCW. “According to OSHA’s own estimates, 400,000 workers have been injured and 50 have died while the rule has been in limbo. We expect a strong final rule this November.” Workers in the meatpacking, poul- try and construction industries, and low-wage and immigrant workers are most vulnerable to injury. The rule was first announced in 1997 and proposed in 1999 by OSHA Construction workers gain protection against cancer-causing compound in Portland cement WASHINGTON, D.C. (PAI) — The Laborers, the Teamsters and the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department won federal agree- ment to inspect and protect construction workers against a cancer-causing com- pound — hexavalent chromium — found in one of the most-common types of cement, Portland cement. The pact, announced April 10, will order Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors to make sure employers follow proper safety procedures — such as having proper washing facilities and protective equipment for workers — against “hex chrome,” as it is called. Building Trades Department Presi- dent Edward Sullivan said OSHA also APRIL 20. 2007 must show which construction sites use Portland cement, so that the agency and BCTD can monitor exposure. Hexavalent chromium is not only cancer-causing, but it’s a toxin haz- ardous to workers’skin, eyes and lungs, BCTD said. Construction workers who handle cement laced with the com- pound can also contract a career-ending disease, allergic contact dermatitis. OSHA previously settled a long “hex chrome” lawsuit with the Steel- workers Union and environmental groups. They sued because OSHA de- liberately did not want to write a rule against the compound. The agency that is charged with protecting workers from dangerous jobs finally moved after the Third U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia ordered them to do so, un- der threat of contempt of court. But that order excluded construction work, even though the unions argued for it. A lawsuit was filed in 2006 to bring construction workers under the “hex chrome” protection standard. When wet, Portland cement is highly caustic and can cause cracking and thickening of skin when exposed, said BCTD safety and health director Pete Stafford. Long-term exposure “can cause severe caustic burns and can dam- age the skin so much that the worker re- quires skin grafts or even limb amputa- tion,” he added. Inhaling dry Portland cement with hex chrome in it can cause lung dam- age. NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS In 1999, OSHA promised to issue the final personal protective equipment rule in July 2000. But it missed that deadline and has missed every self- imposed deadline since. after a ruling by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commis- sion that OSHA’s existing personal protective equipment standard could not be interpreted to require employ- ers to pay for protective equipment. The rule proposed in 1999 did not im- pose any new obligations on employ- ers to provide safety equipment; it simply codified OSHA’s policy that employers, not employees, have the responsibility to pay for it. In 1999, OSHA promised to issue the final personal protective equip- ment rule in July 2000. But it missed that deadline and has missed every self-imposed deadline since. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Colum- bia Circuit, asked the court to issue an order directing the secretary of labor to complete the personal protective equipment rule within 60 days of the court’s order. Tel: 503-645-5400 www.wademccarthy.com Zachary Zabinsky • Social Security • SSI - Disability Claims Personal Attention To Every Case Working For Disability Rights Since 1983 NO FEE WITHOUT RECOVERY 621 SW Morrison, Portland 223-8517 Reminder: OEFCU Loans and CD Rates Are the Best You’ll Find Anywhere. 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