Republicans May Attempt to Block OSHA's Ergonomics Rule through Senate Appropriations Bill

Now that Congress is back from its August recess, we expect that opponents of OSHA's ergonomics standard will try to push legislation in the Senate to block the standard. At this point, it looks like Republicans may attempt to block the ergonomics standard through a rider to the Senate FY 2000 Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill.

In the last Congress, the Senate Appropriations Committee defeated an amendment mandating a second National Academy of Sciences' study on ergonomics on a tie vote with two Republicans—Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.)—voting against the study. When Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) offered the amendment on the NAS study last year, he stated that the amendment would not prevent OSHA from moving forward with the proposed rule. Now, however, it looks like he or another member of the committee will offer an amendment to do just that.

We defeated an ergonomics rider in the Senate Appropriations Committee last year and we need to stop it again. It is important to contact members of the committee and urge them to vote against any rider that would block or delay OSHA's ergonomic standard.

It is also possible that opponents of the OSHA ergonomics rule may try to pass S.1070, the anti-ergonomics bill, as a free-standing bill, or add S.1070 as an amendment to another Senate bill. Forty-six of the 54 Senate Republicans are co-sponsoring S.1070. If the bill is brought up on the Senate floor, we will need to stop it through a filibuster, which requires 41 votes to sustain.

The AFL-CIO, national and local unions, state federations and others have been contacting members of the Senate urging them to oppose S.1070 and to support a filibuster of the bill. We need to step up that activity to make sure our message is heard.

Please ask your local unions and members to write, fax or call their senators with the following message:

• S.1070 is an anti-worker bill that will prevent OSHA from protecting workers from crippling ergonomic injuries and illnesses.
• Please oppose S.1070 and support a filibuster to prevent action on this anti-worker bill.

• Also, please oppose any efforts to block the OSHA ergonomics rule through a rider to OSHA's appropriation bill.
  

Please contact Peg Seminario (202) 637-5366 or Deborah Weinstock (202) 637-5318 at the AFL CIO Safety and Health Department for additional information.