(1) supports the designation of ‘National Safety Month’;
(2) recognizes the contributions of the National Safety Council and its ongoing commitment to raising awareness about the need for the implementation of safe practices in our schools and jobs; and
(3) encourages citizens to observe the ‘National Safety Month’ with appropriate ceremonies and educate themselves about the importance of implementing safe practices in our schools and on our jobs to prevent unintentional injury and death.

The National Safety Council is based in Itasca, in Roskam’s district, explaining his sponsorship. It will, not doubt give him a few photo ops with which he will attempt to burnish his rep among his constituents and cover up his history of bad votes in the realm of safety.  “Appropriate ceremonies” and self-education is about all we are likely to get from Roskam. He is not a believer in government protection of workers from occupational hazards. Roskam’s corporate clients and his masters at the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) don’t approve of OSHA.

Roskam had at least two good opportunities during the 110th Congress to stand up for the safety of workers in the workplace. In both cases he refused.

One was in H.R. 5522, Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosions and Fires Act of 2008. Roskam voted against this measure to require the Secretary of Labor to issue interim and final occupational safety and health standards regarding worker exposure to combustible dust, and for other purposes. You can read my post about Roskam’s vote here.

The other was H.R. 2693: Popcorn Workers Lung Disease Prevention Act to direct the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue a standard regulating worker exposure to diacetyl. You can read my post about Peter Roskam and the Popcorn Worker here.

Please give Peter Roskam a call and let him know that “appropriate ceremonies” don’t cut it when it comes to workplace safety and that the 6th district needs a Congressman who will stand up to protect workers when it really counts. You can reach him at (202) 225-4561 in Washington or at (630) 893-9670 in Bloomingdale.

Related posts:

1. Peter Roskam Again Says No to Workplace Safety

Peter Roskam is not just neglecting the needs of Illinois workers. Rather Roskam is using his office to actively work against their best interests. He consistently backs the interests of capital over labor and indeed Roskam has voted the position of the National Association of Manufacturers 100 percent of the time during his first term.

Here’s the latest example.

Yesterday (4/30/2008), the House voted to pass the Worker Protection Against Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Act, H.R. 5522 by a vote of 247-165. The bill was prompted by the tragic explosion that occurred at the Imperial sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia in February. The blast, which killed 13 workers and severely injured many others, was caused by the ignition of sugar dust which had built up to hazardous levels.

But back in 2006, following a series of other similar explosions, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board had identified 281 previous incidents involving combustible dust that had killed 119 workers and injured over 700 since 19080. The board had urged the Occupational Health and Safety Administration to issue standards to protect workers from these hazards, but OSHA, which under the Bush administration that is so unfriendly to regulation of business, has failed to do so. If OSHA had acted, it is possible that the tragedy at Port Wentworth could have been avoided. This has been a pattern with OSHA under Bush.

The bill that was brought to a vote yesterday was necessary to force  OSHA to issue standards because the Bush administration has not compelled it to do so.  The bill still needs to be approved by the Senate where its future is uncertain.

The video that follows is Rep. George Miller speaking on the House floor in favor of the bill. He goes into quite a bit more detail on the history leading up to the legislation.

So the bill passed, but our own Representative Roskam voted against it. Roskam, as we have seen before with the Popcorn Worker’s standard shares Bush’s animosity toward workplace regulation. Bush and Roskam look with fondness back to the era before effective labor unions and progressive legislation when big business could do what ever it pleased and the workers be damned.

If you are an Illinois worker, don’t look to Roskam to stand up for your right to a safe workplace…or a fair day’s wage…or the right to organize. Roskam is not on your side.

Related posts:

1. Peter Roskam Gives Only Lip Service to Safety
2. Peter and the Popcorn Worker
3. Peter Roskam’s Perfect Report Card…From Big Business
4. Peter Roskam’s For Improved Air Safety…Except When He’s Not
5. Roskam Votes to Obstruct Progress on Energy Efficiency, Global Warming