Union Approach to Health and Safety: - United Steelworkers

Some people thought that this proved that workers were “apathetic” when it came
to their health and safety. But not everyone agreed. Another study was done
including a survey of those who were not using the new law, asking them “why
not?”
The most frequent response to that question was: “What good will it do to find out
what we’re exposed to if we can’t do anything about it?” In this case, workers
were not apathetic -- they were feeling powerless to make any changes. They did
not want to know that something they were exposed to could cause cancer, since
they felt they could not change the situation even if they knew.
This second survey led to a decision to begin a second phase of the “Right-to-
Know” campaign, called the “Right-to-Act.” In order to protect their health,
workers needed real rights to act on what they would come to know.
It is important to demonstrate that things can change – they do not always have to be
“business as usual.” Sometimes that means tackling the health or safety problem that is
easiest to fix, to show that improvements can happen. That way confidence and
momentum are built, and more difficult problems can be tackled with the greater
involvement of increasing numbers of active workers.
2. Some workers appear not to care about workplace hazards because they have
never been informed about the true nature (like long term health effects) of the
hazards.
In this case, what is needed is information and education -- through factsheets or
newsletter articles or presentations at union membership meetings. Materials, information
and education should be in the languages and literacy levels of the workforce.
3. If workers believe they can get in trouble for raising health or safety concerns or
for being involved in efforts to improve health and safety conditions, many will
stay silent rather than put their jobs or livelihoods at risk.
Employer policies, programs and practices that blame workers when they report injuries
or illnesses tend to discourage reporting of injuries, illnesses and hazards. Examples of
this are safety incentive programs that deny prizes to workers who report injuries, or
injury discipline policies that provide counseling and “progressive” discipline to workers
who report injuries. Employers who retaliate against workers when they raise health and
safety issues also actively discourage workers from getting involved in improving
conditions at the job.
Unions should identify and work to eliminate any and all employer practices that
discourage injury/illness reporting and worker involvement in health and safety.