Mar 30 2009
Relocated: Construction Deaths
Construction Deaths
Alright. I don’t know if the news of this made national news or not, but there has been another construction death on the Las Vegas Strip. And now the construction Unions are on strike.
First of all, I think it’s clear that any corporate responsibility here belong to the contractors, not the corporations building the projects. They have neither the responsibility or the knowledge to ensure worksite safety on construction projects.
Second of all, OSHA is investigating, and perhaps I will be proven wrong here. BUT, I think that, first of all, even fellow workers have come out and said that workers on these sites are held to very strict safety standards, and are extensively trained. They have said that accidents generally happen because workers are doing what they’re not supposed to be.
Now, that aside, here’s my thoughts.
If the death was due to falty equipment or not making equipment available, the contractors should be held responsible.
If the death was due to a person following imporoper procedures, nobody should be held responsible.
If the death was caused by a lack of training, the Union and the contractor should be held responsible. Unions pride themselve in providing the “best trained and most skilled” labor around. Part of that is safety training. Part of why companies agree to pay Union wages, and work with Unions, is because of the added benefit f the training members receive at the Union hall and through apprenticeship type programs. Yes, the company has some responsibility to ensure that its employees are trained. Especially since, in a right to work state, not all of the employees have to be dues-paying Union members. At the same time, however, I will emphasize that part of the analysis a oompany makes before entering a CBA or paying Union wages is that the cost is worth it to receive employees who are highly skilled and trained.
Finally, if the death was caused by the company putting too much pressure on employees, the Union should be held responsible, as should the workers. It is a contractor’s job to get a job done and get it on time. They should be pressuring their workers. Not saying things like, “Just go up there without a harness,” but perhaps saying things like “Let’s pick up the pace, here.” Part of the Union’s job, and a big part at that, is to represent workers. If workers felt that they were being pressured to work at an unreasonable or unattainable pace,the Union should have stood up for them. The workers should have refused to speed up, knowing that the Union would back them should this action result in discipline. Especially in a trade which is dangerous, safety should be a first priority for everyone, but in particular, an organization which people pay to look after their well-being should be focused on safety. The moment a worker came to the Union Hall, an Organizer, or even a shop steward, with a complaint that they were being pressured to speed up, the Union should have raised a red flag.
Finally, the Union is screwing its own people by walking out on the CityCenter job. I can understand strikes, pickets, and walkouts in sitations where general treatment of workers or lack of a CBA are the issue. These are situations in which there is not necessarily a “black and white” division between right and wrong. The Union needs to apply a little pressure in a way that seriously affects business.
On the other hand, OSHA is investigating the construction death. If OSHA comes back and says there are workplace violations, the contractors will have to take care of those. They’ll do so not because of picketers or strikers, but because of OSHA.
On the other hand, if OSHA clears the work site and emloyer, the Union will looklike fools,and most likely go back to work. Or at least some of the workers will.
So, the impact on the company of a two day strike is pretty small. The impact on laborers of two lost days of work is much larger. The Union is costing its member money trying to decide an issue that will be decided neither by it nor by the employer.
Posted by Zach at 9:57 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Labels: construction, death, Nevada, strike, union
