Just Updates

 

Instead of an article I want to give you all some updates.

 

The nonprofit status:  we still have not received a yeah or nah so we are still in limbo but of course we have a different name as most can tell.  Our official title is USMWF.ORG, INC or you can just use USMWF.ORG.

 

We have changed the site, blog and news letter around a little bit so if you all see a change you hate let us know.  One of the biggest changes we will be making in the near future is a family resource packet and the family bill of rights and hopefully we will have it out for the October newsletter and if not it will be out for the November one.  The family resource packet will all be located in one place for easy access and hopefully in print also.   

 

This Resource packet will include:

Where to go for support and information

Getting legal assistance - what questions to ask, what things to consider

What are sources of information available to families and how to get it.

What should the rights of victims and families be?

How should they be improved?

What new legislation could help?

How can families become more active?

 

The family bill of rights will have several areas covered from basic human rights to system changes.  This way family will have a plan and we can all work together to make a difference.

 

There are also several activities going on in November. 

1. The COSH Summit Washington, DC from October 31^st –November 3^rd and I will give a few more details on this one later. 

2. The APHA annual Meeting in Washington, DC from November 4^th - November 6^th there will be an Awards Luncheon and several people we know will be there.  Check out the event details here and the Pricings here. Below is the list of winners. 

• Alice Hamilton Award Winner  Rosie Sokas Alice Hamilton, considered the founder of occupational health in the United States, was a tireless activist and physician who dedicated her life to improving the health and safety of workers. She was committed to science, service, and compassion. This award recognizes the life-long contributions of individuals who have distinguished themselves through a career of hard work and dedication to improve the lives of workers

• Lorin Kerr Award Winner Celeste Monforton Lorin Kerr was a life-long activist and served for over 40 years as a physician for the United Mine Workers.  He was dedicated to improving access to care for coal miners and other workers and to obtaining compensation for and preventing as black lung disease. This award recognizes a new activist for their sustained and outstanding efforts and dedication to improve the lives of workers. If you get a chance send Celeste a note and let her know how awesomely cool she is!  Celeste works her tail off and doesn’t get paid for our aid and she has been a huge boost to our efforts and moral. 

• Tony Mazzocchi Award Winner(s)  Jonathan Rosen and Tammy Miser Tony was the most influential labor leader in the Occupational Health and Safety field in the U.S. Tony played a key role in the legislative struggles of the 1960s and 1970s,including passage of the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). A founder of the Labor Party, he continued organizing support for the party's national health care program up until his death. This award gives recognition to grassroots H&S activists in Local Unions or other local organizations fighting for the H&S rights of workers.

• International Jagdish Patel India, This award recognizes individuals with outstanding achievement in the field of occupational health and safety outside the United States.

We have added a small product site that allows us to get tee’s and bags with fraises and logos on and get a small commission on.  This will help gain awareness and also help with our efforts.  We are trying to gather funds for trips right now.  We have several families ready to speak at event and need the funding to send them.  We still have lapel pins, bumper stickers and magnets but you have to go to the site donation button and make sure you add what product you wish.

We are in the hopes that soon we will have a video out as a companion piece for the bill so not just the story will go out but a face also.  I’m not sure when but after the bill comes out we will work or that.

 

We have a new Secretary Her name is Jo Ann Durbin.  She lost her husband Steve Durbin in a trench at Kokosing Construction.  The effects of this account are unbelievable and should be reopened. Trench seem to be one of most common incidents we find on the Weekly Toll Blog.  We do have a flyer called Trench Safety for the purpose of spreading the word.  

 

In need of some assistance for the web site.  I need someone who can do a little coding.  I still have an unused program because I am not able to get it up and running.  I tried and seemed to do more harm than good.  So if you know anyone that wants to help out with a good cause this is a good one.

 

Patrice Woeppel, Ed.D. Book will be out soon, maybe January, with several of our news readers in it.  I was able to read the conclusions and Patrice's book covers a wide range of issues and solutions this is going to be an awesome book especially for the ones new to the scene.  most of what is in the book took me years to catch up with and I am sure she passed me up long ago.  If I had three thumbs she would get a three thumbs up.  I guess the poor thing will have to settle for two thumbs and a yippie;p)

 

Katherine has put up her billboard again and I don’t want you all to miss it so if you’re in the area check it out and if not I have posted it to the blog and it is in the blog links.  Katherine and her family are so awesome not just as activist but also on a personal side they are just plain good people and I morn with them every year for their losses and rejoice with them in their accomplishments.

 

We are slowly catching up with everything such as lost loves and the weekly toll so just be patient with us there.  I know it stinks but we got behind and it is tough enough to keep it up let alone catch up.

 

I am sure I have forgotten a few things but the next couple months I want to keep you up to date and remind you all that if you have any comments or suggestions please feel free to share them.  I love constructive criticism and it's all about us so we all need input!