WHEREAS:

Sewage treatment plant workers are in one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States today, facing more dangers than mining, logging or blast furnace workers; and

WHEREAS:

Sewage treatment plant workers are exposed to a wide variety of hazardous chemicals, deadly confined spaces, explosions, infectious diseases, extremes of heat and cold, along with sprains, cuts and bruises; and

WHEREAS:

AFSCME members who work in these occupations have a higher incidence of infectious disease, and at least one AFSCME member has died of a parasitic infection contracted at a sewage treatment plant in New York City; and

WHEREAS:

Safety equipment is readily available and safe procedures have been outlined by professional organizations, yet several AFSCME members are killed each year in avoidable sewage treatment plant accidents; and

WHEREAS:

Poor machinery, lack of training, and lack of government regulations and enforcement contribute to these accidents and illnesses; and

WHEREAS:

There exists no OSHA standard for Confined Space Entry; and

WHEREAS:

Governmental restrictions against dumping hazardous chemicals down the sewer are inadequate and poorly enforced.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That this 27th International Convention support training and education to protect workers from health and safety hazards and urge management to develop better accident and illness prevention programs to make sewage treatment jobs safer; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME strongly urge OSHA to issue an effective and comprehensive Confined Space Entry standard; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME strongly urge EPA to enforce more effectively anti-dumping regulations and the Clean Water Act; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME urge all localities, states and the federal government to include infectious diseases in their Right-to-Know or Hazard Communication Standards; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME urge that studies be done on the general health of sewage treatment plant workers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME locals work to incorporate strong health and safety language into all contracts covering sewage treatment plant workers and that such language contain provisions for workers to refuse to work in situations which are unsafe or for which they have not received adequate training and equipment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That due to the extreme hazards being faced by sewage treatment workers at the job site, AFSCME will continue to closely monitor safety and health problems these workers are experiencing, and recommend appropriate actions that should be taken to resolve these problems; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME will continue to publicize through the Public Employee, the AFSCME Leader, and other union material, relevant information pertaining to sewage treatment plant workers and current trends in safety and health issues. Further, the International will act as a clearinghouse to disseminate appropriate information regarding sewage treatment plant workers to AFSCME affiliates.

SUBMITTED BY:

Jim Tucciarelli, President
Ed Donnelly, Secretary
Local 1320, Council 37
New York, New York