The Legal Beagle
Look here for information about recent legal decisions/actions.
6/22/09 The Occupational Safety and Health Act is about 40 years old now. Over the years it served to reduce accidents, injuries, and deaths dramatically. Still about 6000 americans are killed annually in workplace accidents — more than 15 every day. Millions more are injured. Yet the average fine for deadly violations by business organizations is only $11,3000. Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D., Calif.) says penalties are “shockingly low,” and amount to a slap on the wrist. she has introduced legislation that would greatly increase both civil and criminal penalties for violations of OSHA rules. I’ll let you know how this turns out.
New Boeing workers file to decertify Machinists union
By Molly Parker
mparker@scbiznews.com
An employee at The Boeing Co.’s newly-acquired North Charleston operation has filed a request with the National Labor Relations Board seeking a decertification election that could disband the local Machinists union.
The petition was filed on Thursday, the same day Boeing completed its purchase of the plant from Vought Aircraft Industries for $580 million.
“The premise is that at least 30% of the work force has indicated that they no longer want to be represented by the Machinists union,” said Howard Neidig, assistant to the regional director at the NLRB’s regional office located in Winston-Salem, N.C.
This move could have far-reaching implications as Boeing looks for a second assembly line for its 787 Dreamliner program. North Charleston is on a short-list of possible sites. The primary assembly line is in Everett, Wash., near Seattle.
Workers represented by the Machinists union in Washington walked off the job late last year for two months. Labor strife has cost the Chicago-headquartered company tens of millions and is among chief causes of delays in the testing and delivery schedule of the Dreamliner. The same union has represented workers in North Charleston for the last two years.