Patrick Announces May as "Young Worker Safety Month"
Dance, eat, celebrate with the Workers Center
Injuries underreported, workers suffer
Mother's Day is coming up! So, why not buy your mom flowers or any other gift she loves via the stores at GoodShop!?
GoodSearch and GoodShop donate a percent of revenue, about a penny per search and up to 30% of what you buy, to MassCOSH and other nonprofits. To search or shop for MassCOSH, just go to www.goodsearch.com, and enter MassCOSH as the charity you want to support.
This way you'll be celebrating mom and helping the cause you care about at the same time!
Workers Memorial Day...
Despite the rain, over 100 family members, workers, labor leaders and community members came out last Tuesday, April 29 and gathered outside of the State House for the 20th annual observance of Workers Memorial Day. At this powerful memorial, MassCOSH also released the annual report, Dying for Work in Massachusetts, highlighting the fact that workers continue to be killed and injured in record numbers. Read the report and more about the day here.
LEAPS- Leadership Education and Action to Promote Safety...
More
than forty teens from across Eastern Massachusetts came together for a three
day leadership conference spearheaded by youth peer leaders from MassCOSH’s Teens Lead at Work. The youth
participated in workshops focused on young worker safety, rights and workplace
violence, and have returned to their communities, launching educational
programs to promote teen worker safety! Check out other young worker news
below...
Patrick Announces May as "Young Worker Safety Month"
Youth Leadership Conference kicks off month of
teen safety activity
Seventeen-year-old
James Whittemore was helping his father take down scaffolding when a pole he
was holding fell against a high-voltage electrical wire and electrocuted him. Benedelson Ovalle Chavez, also 17, fell to
his death while fixing the roof of a church.
Neither teen had proper safety equipment or training.
With summer just around the corner tens of thousands of young people will be entering the workforce. In response to a push by MassCOSH’s teen peer leaders Governor Patrick has proclaimed May "Safe Jobs for Youth Month". The proclamation was announced at LEAPS, our youth leadership conference, held over April break. There, students from across the Commonwealth came together to plan awareness campaigns for their communities that will work to stem the tide of Child Labor Law violations, work-related injuries, and deaths.
“After everything I learned at LEAPS, I think it’s important for me and other people to stand up [against poor treatment of young workers] and say it’s not right,” said Courtney Everett, a LEAPS participant from Lowell.
Young Worker Safety month increases the awareness of child labor laws as well as health and safety issues young workers face in the workplace. Check out our website to get resources for young workers, parents, employers and educators about keeping youth safe at work. You can also visit the Attorney General’s website, Labor Low Down, (www.laborlowdown.com) to get other tools for young workers!
Dance, eat and celebrate victories with the Worker
Center
MassCOSH volunteers, organizers and workers from all walks of life will come together on May 17 for a night of music, dance and food celebrating worker victories of the past year and gearing up for many new and collaborative campaigns! Join us for the festivities at Most Redeemer Church, 68 London St., East Boston click here for more information!
Injuries underreported, workers suffer
Making every effort to avoid scrutiny and evade penalties, companies have been found to underreport injuries and use company doctors that tend to under diagnose. MassCOSH sees cases like this regularly and by working with occupational health experts, workers and labor leaders we do our best to make sure workers get the treatment they need if they become ill or are injured. Below you will find links to some powerful articles about this rising trend. MassCOSH is also documenting stories about injuries and we even have a task force. Contact Marcy at marcy.gelb@masscosh.org or 617-825-7233 x15 to learn more or get involved in any of these initiatives!
'Shadowy Practice' of Underreporting Injuries Concerns Senators
Doctors feel push to downplay injuries
Kennedy,
Murray Call for GAO investigation into underreporting of workplace injuries and
illnesses
Membership drive heats up – we need your
horsepower!
The MassCOSH Membership Campaign 2008 is in full swing, but we still need 150 more members and $15,000 to achieve our goal. So far we've received over $ in membership contributions and we are on well our way thanks to the support of many of you.
Having a broad-based membership means we can make even more of an impact at the Statehouse, the shop floor and in communities throughout the year and we need your help! If you have not yet, please take the time to join or renew your MassCOSH membership and encourage others to do the same, there are levels for every budget. Also, be on the lookout for a special membership event we'll be holding this summer!
Also be sure to use GoodShop to buy gifts and goods you need online! Up to 30% of what you buy will go directly to MassCOSH! See the left side bar for details or contact Whitney, whitney.soenksen@masscosh.org with any questions.
Stand with us today and add your voice to the thousands across Massachusetts working together for Health and Safety!
Contact us for other ways to get involved
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MassCOSH | 42 Charles St. Suite F | Dorchester, MA 02122
(617) 825.SAFE (7233)