Title: OHS Section Leadership Call
Author:
Section/SPIG: Occupational Health and Safety
Issue Date:
Leslie Nickels
University of Illinois/Chicago
<lnickels@uic.edu>
Following is a brief summary of the first OHS Section Leadership Call:
Student liaisons: Andrea Kidd Taylor & Karen Mulloy
Sarah Tran has officially agreed to be our student liaison. Sarah will offer a student column for upcoming newsletters with the help of other scholarship recipients and student members. Scholarship announcement sent via the wWb site for the application process is fair, and it was recommended that we keep it the same for this year. There are currently four scholarships. It was recommended that we have four student scholarships and two labor scholarships (sux for next year)—possibly allot one to go to OHIP student. Agreed to increasing scholarships.
Program committee report: Janie Gittleman & Celeste Monforton
We are planning a few new sessions, such as “evidence-based policy and practice.” It is the 35th anniversary of the OSHAct, so we will emphasize policy and economics and implementation strategies, research to practice: communication strategies, ergonomics, integrity in science, OSHA and MSHA, integrating health promotion, qualitative and quantitative methods, etc. There will be some invited sessions. Special sessions need to be organized by Section member planning committee. We hope to offer another session around the integration of occupational and environmental health; this time with a focus on joint policy/resolutions for both the Environment and Occupations Health and Safety Sections, and how we can work together to ensure protections for workers and the environment (together) when promoting policies to APHA. Karla Armenti is working on this with Craig Slatin and Polly Hoppin (Environment Section).
New Orleans host committee update: Rachel Rubin
There will be an Activists’ dinner – date to be determined. Social hour Monday or Sunday; luncheon on Tuesday; party Tuesday night. Planning committee will work with local union groups for locations. Requirements: $10 for lunch charge $20; space for 180 people, drama space, accessible, purchase enough lunches (180). Tickets arranged by planning committee, program done by Megan Roberts or awards person.
Section budget discussion: Michael Silverstein
Operating account from APHA $3.00 per member must be spent by June 30. If not, money is returned to APHA. Funds are used to pay for operating expenses, communications, costs for business meetings, newsletter, some of the costs for the luncheon. Celeste and Darius have about $400 outstanding. Loretta has about $100 from Washington. No other expenses identified. About $2,000 left.
Scholarship account From donors - currently $5,300 in account. Mary has about $1,000 or so to add to the account. Each scholarship costs about $500/person. Six awards will cost about $3000. Who are the donors? How do we ensure an ongoing stream of funds? The Section used to send out letters. We receive donations from individuals, poster sales, and the proceeds from the party and luncheon. We will send out a letter every year for scholarship fund.
Enrichment account $2,800 has historically been used for social hour (UAW donates for social hour). We will also send out letters to targeted groups for donations for social hour and letters to selected organizations for host activity. We can provide an option for donors to give to the scholarship fund or to a community group.
Other Issues
1) Section booth and banner: Mary Miller & Kerry Souza will keep working on this with money from operating budget.
2) NIOSH reorganization update
Senate language passed; no specific updates. We need to keep following this.
Michael will talk to Sharon Morris about putting something together for The Nation’s Health.
3) Update on Gerald Markowitz and David Rosner:
Information on Web at <www.deceitanddenial.org>. Five or eight people who reviewed the book were subpoenaed (including Dave Kotelchuck).
Dave will work on an article for The Nation’s Health.
4) Policy proposal deadline is Feb. 14. Jane Lipscomb & Mary Miller working on resolutions and position papers. Currently working on immigrant health and safety issues. Members should contact Mary or Janie if there is a resolution that should be developed. Mary will keep members informed through the listserv.
5) Other : Couple fired from NIOSH in Morgantown - we need to actively investigate the circumstances. Who at ACLU is working on this? What is NIOSH union doing? John Morewetz will contact Bob Park and report back.
It was decided that the phone meetings were useful and should be set in two month intervals. Next calls set for Feb. 10, April 21,
1 p.m. EST; 12 Noon CST, 10 a.m. WST