Chao Reneges on Promise to Take Comprehensive Look at Ergonomics Issue
UFCW Challenges Chao on Effectiveness "Voluntary" Ergonomics Programs

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), the nation's largest meatpacking workers' union, demanded immediate action for a new ergonomics standard in testimony before U.S. Senate Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education yesterday.

The Bush Administration and Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate killed the long-awaited national ergonomics standard just over one month ago. The standard intended to prevent the more than 600,000 workplace repetitive motion injuries workers suffer every year. The Administration is now publically backtracking on its earlier commitment to initiate new rule making on ergonomics and is instead suggesting voluntary guidelines for industry.

U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Elaine Chao distorted the experience of the meatpacking industry by claiming voluntary programs reduced musculoskeletal injuries in the industry. So called voluntary programs in meatpacking came only after OSHA enforcement action.

"Workers are demanding a new ergonomics standard and a solid timeline to develop one. Secretary Chao met with UFCW members from across the country and heard their personal stories of workplace safety problems just a month ago, and she promised them she would work toward a resolution," said Doug Dority, UFCW International President. "The Bush Administration has turned its back on working America, denying years of ergonomic science and policy making that could prevent hundreds of thousands of needless workplace injuries a year."

Gloria Boyd, UFCW Local 431 Member and injured meatpacking worker spoke out this week at a press conference announcing that a formal petition signed by leaders of unions, occupational safety and public health groups, as well as civil rights, religious, and women's organizations requesting the Department of Labor to issue a new ergonomics standard to protect the America's workers. "Lots of my co-workers are getting carpal tunnel and sore backs because of the jobs they do. When the lines are running short-handed, they don't slow down the line. And they don't train workers enough. They move them around onto jobs they don't know or haven't done for a while, because they are short handed. This is really hurting people," said Boyd, who is from Waterloo, Iowa.

"We need a standard," Boyd said, "so that everyone will be protected. People are working hard and they shouldn't have to go home injured or lose pay because the company doesn't fix the jobs."

Ergonomic injuries and illnesses are the nation's biggest workplace safety and health problem, causing over 600,000 serious workplace injuries and costing $45 - $50 billion each year.

The ergonomics standard would bring basic changes and provide simple solutions to prevent on the job injuries. The UFCW's experience with ergonomics programs in the meatpacking and retail industries prove that the combination of worker advocacy and involvement with the company, supported by OSHA oversight, is the only effective combination to prevent serious workplace injuries.

Scientific research clearly supports the need for an ergonomics standard. A recent National Academies of Science report sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the association between work and musculoskeletal disorders and that ergonomic interventions in the workplace are effective in reducing these injuries.

The report was commissioned two years ago by Congress, in spite of overwhelming scientific evidence and a previous NAS report confirming that job modifications can prevent worker injuries. It was one of many roadblocks that industry and their conservative Republican allies in Congress have attempted to use for nearly a decade to block OSHA from publishing an ergonomic standard.

The UFCW represents 1.4 million members in the retail food, meatpacking, poultry, health care, textile, chemical and other industries.

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