Chicago Ergo Hearings Open With Testimony from UAW Members

April 13, 2000
Several UAW members and health and safety officials who testified Tuesday said the nation's workers have already waited too long for ergonomic protection.

After United Auto Worker Health and Safety Director Frank Mirer testified at the opening hearings in Washington on the proposed ergonomics standard, the Chicago hearing began with testimony from UAW members.

Penny Sieder was one of the witnesses who told OSHA representatives she considers herself lucky following a repetitive motion injury, according to The Chicago Tribune.

Sieder who worked as a riveter at the Master Lock Co. factory in Milwaukee thought she would have to live with numbness in her fingers for the rest of her life. Eventually, surgery was able to solve the problem.

"I just worry about people who work in small companies or places without a union, where they are just numbers and they bleed them," Sieder testified.

UAW has been in favor of the proposed ergonomic rule since the debate began.

"There is no going back to the pre-ergonomic days. After seeing the light, we are not going back into the darkness," said Jim Buskus, a health and safety official with UAW Local 719 at General Motors' Electromotive Division.

Although Buskus and other UAW members praised the Big Three automakers and other large corporations for carrying out their own ergonomics policies, they said workers need a government policy to rely on.

Those who testified for the union said many workers at companies with ergonomics policies still fear that if they come forward they will be penalized for voicing their complaints.

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EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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