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Whittling Away at Labor Law
Law scholar and University of Richmond professor Ann Hodges alerted us to a blog series she and Penn State Prof. Ellen Dannin are writing on the NLRA. The pair are taking a look at how worker protections have been whittled away through the courts.
The Truth-out series explores the role of court decisions on workers’ rights, retiree protections, and the right to strike and use of replacement workers.
Posts in the series:
Why the NLRA Is a Weak Law Today- And How We Can Restore its Power
Judicial Amendments and the Attack on Worker Rights
Solidarity Not Forever
Strike and You’re Out
A Strike is a Strike and Only a Strike
Hey, Nats Fans!
Check out this great video of Bryce Harper talking about where he got his strong work ethic (Hint: his dad- a union Ironworker).
Speaking of the Nationals, have you gotten your tickets for this year’s 7th Annual Labor Night?
Friday, July 19 –Labor Night with the Nationals. First pitch is 7 pm at Nats Park in DC against the Dodgers. Tickets are still $10 each with $1 helping the Community Services Agency. Contact Sister Kathleen McKirchy at 202-974-8221 for tickets or more information.
Thanks, NALC
Stamp Out Hunger Brings in More than 192,000 lbs of food to Blue Ridge Area Food Bank (Augusta Free Press)
With the statewide and national totals still being tallied, we’d like to thank the NALC for their hard work with this year’s Stamp Out Hunger food drive.
127 Workers Died on the Job in Virginia in 2011
For Immediate Release
“Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect”
New AFL-CIO report details 2011 workplace fatality figures www.aflcio.org/death-on-the-job
(Richmond, VA) – According to a new AFL-CIO report, Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, 127 workers were killed in Virginia in 2011 with a rate of 3.4 deaths per 100,000 workers. Nationally, Virginia ranks 21st with 1 being the best and 50 being the worst. Due to lack of staffing it would take the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 65 years to inspect each workplace in Virginia once.
The report notes that in 2011, there were 4,693 workplace deaths due to traumatic injuries and more than 3.8 million workers across all industries, including state and local government, who experienced work-related illnesses and injuries. As a comparison point, in 2010, 4,690 people died on the job. For the past three years, after years of steady decline the job fatality rate has essentially been unchanged, with a rate of 3.5/100,000 workers in 2011. Similarly, for the past two years there has been no change in the reported workplace injury and illness rate (3.5 per 100 workers), indicating that greater efforts are needed to reduce job injuries and deaths.
The AFL-CIO report features profiles of workers’ safety and health in each state and includes national information on workplace illnesses, injuries and fatalities as well as the number and frequency of workplace inspections, penalties, funding, staffing and public employee coverage under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). The report also addresses delays in the rule-making process and emerging hazards such as pandemic flu and other infectious diseases. The report finds that in the face of an ongoing assault on regulations by business groups and Republicans in Congress, progress on many new important safety and health rules has stalled. The White House Office of Management and Budget has delayed needed protections including OSHA’s draft proposed silica rule which has been held up for more than 2 years.
“Too many people are dying on the job right here in Virginia and a lot of work still needs to be done to ensure that no worker fears for his or her health and wellbeing on the job,” said Doris Crouse-Mays, Virginia AFL-CIO President. “Many workers are still unable to have a voice on the job and to advocate for better working conditions. A good job is not defined only by the absence of physical danger. Working people deserve respect, dignity, good wages, healthcare, and opportunities to grow and to give back to one’s community.”
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