Safety and Health Guidelines in Contracts
The Bush administration may be bent on destroying federal worker protection regulations, but unions can still move forward to help prevent repetitive strain and workplace injuries by negotiating safety and health language right into collective bargaining agreements.
When health and safety clauses are included in union contracts, unions have a tool for addressing workplace hazards immediately. Through a contract, for example, local unions can establish joint labor-management safety committees and require employers to provide worker training, address workplace hazards such as ergonomics, and furnish employer-paid personal protective equipment. If your local union contracts do not already contain specific safety and health clauses or if you want to refine existing clauses, contact the UFCW Safety and Health Office.
UFCW Safety and Health Director Jackie Nowell was a contributor to Collective Bargaining for Health and Safety: A Handbook for Unions, published by the Labor Occupational Health Program at the UC-Berkeley School of Public Health. This valuable resource contains chapters on preparing for bargaining, employers' and unions' roles and responsibilities, worker information and training, and much more. Call 510-642-5507 to order a copy.
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