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.
