Good Morning!

Drug & Alcohol Tests. I’m sure that everyone knows that this issue was bound to be brought up. We’ve had a rash of accidents in the Plant and at the same time, we’ve had people automatically be sent to the Clinic for an alcohol and drug test. The Contract language clearly states the process that has to be followed:

Article 3, Section G(2)

The Company may require an Employee to submit to a medical evaluation performed by qualified personnel, which may include a drug or alcohol test, only where there is reasonable cause, based on objective evidence, to believe that the Employee is legally intoxicated or impaired by drugs on the job. Employees involved in an accident will be tested only when an error in their coordination or judgment could likely have contributed to the accident.

It is not SOP that someone who has an on the job accident automatically goes to the Clinic for a drug and alcohol test. There is an observation form or check list for the Supervisor that should be filled out in an interview process that helps the Supervisor determine whether or not there is an issue of impairment. Here, I prefer that a Union Rep. is present.

The reason that I’m raising such a fuss about this is because we are seeing a growing number of people being subjected to these tests who have to go home and tell their families that they can’t work until the drug tests come back. Being clean and getting paid for the time missed does nothing for the nerves or humiliation a person goes through because they have been sent home. It’s bad enough that they have to deal with the accident. At the same time, even if a person is clean, he has to submit to a test because the alternative is suspension with intent to discharge. The way this is going, our members are beginning to perceive this situation as a form of random/mandatory drug testing.

All of this may sound contrary to what I’ve been saying about substance abuse in the past but it is not. My concern is that our members are saying that this process is getting out of control (abused?) and they want it fixed. I am duty bound to respond to their concerns and that I will.

I’m trying to get to our folks who truly need help and this sort of thing only drives them further out of reach.

Heat Exposure. Yesterday I sent out a page on heat exposure that I copied from the NIOSH website. Hopefully this will contribute to an increased awareness in the Plant during this heat wave.

Primary End Incentive. Due to a petition circulated through the Primary End as a result of an agreement between Local Union President and the Plant Manager, a series of meetings were held at the Union Hall Wednesday. There, Local Union President Paul Gipson explained the agreement in three different meetings. A copy of this agreement was sent out on my last UPDATE. Anyone who wishes a copy of this agreement please let me know and I’ll resend it.

Contact numbers. When you get a chance, would you please give your Department your current phone numbers, emergency contact numbers and address if they have changed? I’ve had to contact a number of folks who left a message but no number. Plus I’ve had some crisis cases where I was at a loss at trying to respond. Thought that I’d include a reminder here about the addresses too, just in case.

Inter-Department bids. As a reminder, with all of the Plant-wide bids that have been posted, you still have internal bidding rights in your Unit until you leave. You won’t have any internal bidding rights at the Unit that you have bid for until you are physically there. Once you arrive at your new Unit, you will then have bidding rights even if you elect to go back within the 30 return period.

I say this because we’ve had this come up before and I’ve had to explain that we did this even under Bethlehem so it’s nothing new. I had some folks who were pretty mad because their Unit held them and they missed out on bids that were posted in the Unit that they were transferring to while being held. At the same time, I had someone who was denied a bid while being held just because he had bid to another Department. That was wrong. The basic thought to remember here is that you can’t have seniority rights in two seniority units at the same time.

ACCIDENTS

MEU (Power Station) Service Technician

Employee was pushing a six foot rolling ladder to the #8 boiler feed pump when the ladder hit a valve stem causing the ladder to bump his nose. He received an abrasion on his nose. All Injury. Returned to regular work.

Plate (Utility) Utility Person

Employee was hooking up a lift when one of the hooks slipped and caught his finger between the two hooks. He received a contusion right middle finger. All Injury. Returned to regular work.

Coke Plant (Battery) Service Technician

Employee was standing next to some hot coke and her pant leg caught fire burning her foot. She received a 1st degree burn left foot / left index finger. All Injury. Returned to regular work.

Steel Producing (Ladle Liner) Service Technician

Employee was lining a ladle when he twisted to his right with a brick and felt pain in his back. He received a lumbar spine strain. OSHA Recordable. Returned to regular work.

Finishing (Mech) MTM

Employee was grinding a pipe in a bent over position and when he stood up he felt pain in his back. He received a lumbar spine strain. OSHA Recordable. Returned to regular work.

Iron Producing (Mech) MTM

Employee was putting a pipe saver on a pipe when he struck something with his finger. He received a laceration right index finger. OSHA Recordable. Returned to regular work.

Steel Producing (Ladle Liner) Service Technician

Employee was spraying a ladle when a piece of slag broke off and struck his leg. He received an abrasion left lower leg. All Injury. Returned to regular work.

Finishing (HDCL) Operating Technician

Employee was moving a bulkhead on a rail car when he cut his finger on a burr on the handle. He received a laceration right middle finger. OSHA Recordable. Returned to regular work.

Iron Producing (Utility) Utility Person

Employee and a co-worker were walking south down track 241 from "D" Furnace east side. They were heading to the welfare at the end of their shift when they attempted to cross track 243 and were struck by Blast Furnace engine slug car. He received an abrasion right knee, right forearm and lumbar spine. OSHA Recordable. Returned to regular work.

Iron Producing (Utility) Utility Person

Employee and a co-worker were walking south down track 240 from "D" Furnace east side. They were heading to the welfare at the end of their shift, when they attempted to cross track 243 and were struck by Blast Furnace engine slug car. He received a contusion right elbow, lower leg and lumbar spine. OSHA Recordable. Returned to regular work.