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Bills
in Waiting
Although the Secretary
of Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis declared OSHA would
begin the rulemaking on combustible dust a long over due
bill that passed the House; we will keep it up as a reminder
until it is released. There will be comment periods
that we can take advantage of.
Much of H.R.2067 Protecting
America's Workers Act was once part of a Family
Bill of Rights and has some new and exciting
elements that have been fought for since USMWF's Beginning.
Many family members got together in 2006 to put together a
number of basic rights we felt was necessary for healing,
functionality and a truly transparent investigative system
that have been included in H.R. 2067. This bill will
change the penalties and prosecution process and
evaluate the penalties every four years, the employer must
notify OSHA is there is an incident that causes a serious
injury or death and preserve the evidence, OSHA may not
classify any violation as unclassified, along with informing
the families of their rights in the process, giving the
injured and killed worker a voice by giving the family the
right to a representative that will have the opportunity to
meet with the secretary and right to participate in
proceedings, be notified of all correspondences between the
employer and OSHA, and the families will gain the citation
report without cost. Families being included in H.R.
2067 is historic and all the families that have been
involved whether they have worked on this particular goal or
other rights for the families you should raise your head
with pride that your voice and the voice of your loved one
has been heard loud and clear.
Please take a
moment to look over these bills at the left they are all
important pieces of legislation and deserve our attention.
More Good Works from the Public Welfare Foundation
The Public
Welfare Foundation has granted the Brave
New Foundation
funds to help produce an education and awareness video
in support of the Protecting America’s Worker’s Act.
You
will aslo find that we have been featured on the Public
Welfare Foundations Annual Report along with Oak Hill
Youth Facility. We have also learned that the National
Council for Occupational Saftey & Health (National
COSH) and WorkSafe
have also received Grants from the PWF.
We have also recently added a
model letter
in support of the PAWA for the families. We encourage
you to send these out to your reps and if you need help as
always contact someone at USMWF if you need help.
I also have included a cleaned
up version of H.R.2067 Protecting America's Workers Act
so it is a little easier for you all to read.
The
Sobering Facts: Workplace injury, Illness & Death
Each
day millions of fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons, and
daughters leave their homes for another day of work. They
work in retail stores, restaurants, mines, hospitals, and
countless other industries. They work to provide for their
families, save for the future, and be part of a better
Society. Tragically, many of these workers and their loved
ones have no idea that simply going to work may jeopardize
their limbs and life.
According
to the US Department of Labor, in 2005, 4.2 million
non-fatal injuries and illnesses were reported in private
industry workplaces. In 2006, 5,703 US workers were fatally
injured on the job
Behind
each one of these injured, sickened or killed workers is a
family in mourning – a family in need of answers,
resources, and support.
Together
we have an amazingly unique opportunity of empowering the
surviving family members of our Nation’s workplace, thus
strengthening the rights of workers and their families.
Our future plans are to:
-
Provide
information and education to family members by turning
the Resource Guide into a step by step training manual
on what the families need to know and do after a loss.
-
Provide
scholarships for families desiring to attend hearings
and events that will protect and improve workers
and their family’s rights.
-
Strengthen
our presence by further our family outreach with initial
contact and guidance.
-
Enhance
the USMWF's web site so that others may add their own
tribute and contact other families with the same
interest.
Occupational
Tragedies & their Impact on Families
Not
surprisingly, families too often find little support from
government officials when they inquire into how the
workplace incident occurred. In spite of their loss and
overwhelming frustration with the investigative system,
family members are banding together to advocate for safer
and healthier work environments. These family members are
committed to calling attention to occupational dangers not
only to honor their loved ones, but also to prevent other
families from experiencing the pain and confusion associated
with workplace injury, illness, and death.
We
have done a lot through our efforts with very little
resources. Just imagine what we could do if we had more
funding and resources! We need to do much more and we need
your help! One of our big successes this year has been
gaining our Non-Profit status as an organization so that any
contributions you make are tax deductible. We are in the
process of applying for grants and we will continue with all
avenues to build the organization.
We
do need your support to continue our work so please consider
giving a donation of money or time. USMWF
families will not let you down.
Charles
Edward Marsh & The Public Welfare Foundation
2008
According
to Anonymous Giver, a biography of Marsh by Philip
Kopper, Marsh wrote that "public welfare" was
"a pretty wide pair of words," by which he intended the
Foundation to involve itself in "any activity which would
promote the well-being and happiness of human
beings." A document drafted at the time,
according to Kopper, declared that the Foundation would make
"gifts for education, charitable or benevolent uses in
accordance with a plan which shall meet the changing need for such
gifts with flexibility...." We
can not thank the Public Welfare Foundation enough for having
faith in our efforts and the first to grant USMWF
a way to get the job done!
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