CACOSH Service Requests
Through our links with experts in Occupational Medicine, Health and Safety, and related fields, CACOSH presents training, writes fact sheets, and researches specific issues--giving worker-friendly treatment of complex topics.
An important part of our work is answering service requests from unions and individual workers. We provide critical, even life-saving, information to workers who often have nowhere else to turn.
Recent examples of service requests are:
- A woman who developed an RSI (defn: Repetitive
Strain Injury) on the job said she had only seen the
company doctor who told her it wasn't job-related. We
advised her to get proper care from Cook County
Hospital and provided a list of reputable Workers'
Compensation attorneys.
- An AFSCME local contacted us because their
offices were being transfered to a dilapidated
building owned by a crony of the Governor. They
complained that people were being packed into
extremely close quarters, that the roof leaked, and
that the unsound building structure presented a
danger to the workers. The fire inspector, who was
friendly with the owner, didn't find anything wrong.
They wanted to use contract language that allowed
them to bring in their own inspector, but didn't know
how to find one. CACOSH advised them on more
effective tactics for dealing with the
situation.
- A union steward shut down a degreasing machine to protect workers from airborne chemicals due to improper ventilation. Management charged him with insubordination, and he was in danger of being fired. CACOSH provided documentation on the hazards of the chemicals present to help the Local justify the steward's actions during arbitration. We also researched and found an expert on degreasing machines to provide additional arguments
Plans for the Future
With current staffing, CACOSH can manage only a low volume of calls. With increased volunteers, monetary suppport, and memberships, we can greatly expand our capacity for taking, tracking, and responding to service requests. We need to make efforts to publicize this service more effectively and to reactivate dormant contact networks.