Document NN8VbqaGgO1Yre9VwaonXjxLE

! Jo/m JJrr/ifiij *'. *: ---------------------- # SATURDAY. JULY' SO.. 1974 Protecting Workers*1--'rVv',4. *:%vr.*- T.y..>\<J--. And Their Jobs Like Cod's angry man, Peter1 Bom* marlto. president of Ue Uuhber Work ers Union* stormed at leaden in the chemical and plasUri Industries for re sitting stronger safvguart'x against cancer-producing vinyl chloride, a sub* __ stance used In the manufacture of a rj wide variety of products. "There are millions of workers-- d frightened men and women -- who 'don't want to die for their Job*." said 3omt>*rilo, who Is chairman of the oe* evpailonal safety and hrJth commit tee nf the AFLrCIO Industrial Union Department whlrh repcscnts 8.000.000 3Jr, llrrling trritn /mpnenf/jr on XnffOr /or these pep**. ~i management'* tactics of delay and poor-mouthing of it* financial ability to cover the costs of protection. F>?:? t:-... ,-. -* ,.-v i v '* .'..t1 >V*v {' .** What it amounts to, he said, is that the "nation is being blackmailed" by manacements resisting the application of new effective health standards. They raise the specter of "an end to 14 mil lion jobs and national disaster." Bommarlto's voice grew (harper: >. I*v. : *J-, f* ` * state, can assure them of a Job and , their live*. They certainly want both." . he continued. "But If flits is not pos* isible then they choose life." Bommartlo spoke to an occupational ;safety conference on vinyl chloride. The hushed audience In the Labor Dr* ipanmcnt auditorium included repre* ,*,..,,! tentative* of iranagcmcnt, jovernmt it v -*i-:.*v;/^and unions, lie made U clear he had ~*#v * no Intention of bargaining with the health and safety of union fuen and ' women--although this has sometimes , happened in Uw paL ` . j Often, when stricter standards sre ! advanced for (be protection of the health and safety of workers In plants : and/or mines, two things lake ploee. , First, the prospect of greater protec* -lion for workers scares the Industry because of the rxpensrs of Implement* > Ing safety standards. Second, manage* I ment warns that the cost of such Im prorements will be so probative tint V plants wilt be closed and workers . thrown out of their Jobs. I \Yhil ll contc* down to Is that work* 1 ers arc confronted with a diead I eholce: "Your wages or your life." .---vt.coBnafisdeednot ntheaxtpeprnieinnncse,aenmd ptlhoyeeirrsleaardc V-*; / ers, threatened wtlh uiemployneni, [will m.-'ke some facr-savlng enm.r.- miscs. These arc often flltrrvd ilinu"h 1 a wrern of confusing MMiMIri. in n-.iv sure worker* that at least for Ihr* lime 'brln-itUrj' hare no nu-ilii-al caunc lor ' alarm. ..'rT. \ ' *>#> Dim Itninmnrltn was having nmir nf ,1hat. Like the Oil, Chcmcinl ami Atomir Workers, his union has Imi-o mu* uf the pioneers in InsiMlit;: lh:il m;m-. affluent mu%i nut duck rcM">ns>h.iii> maintaining safe work pl.nr* IU>m. ntarilo says hr has had a bellyful of "He made it clear he had no intention of * bargaining with the health and safety of union men and women* v*7i *>.**WiA .4***Tir r "This country survived for nearly 200 \>4/-; - years without polyvinyl chloride (PYIfC)t . - - * ' * - and wo can survive la the future with- - out It. If PYC cannot be made or used safely, then the proposed standard must be replaced by sn orderly proce dure to phase out vinyl chloride pits ductlon and find substitutes for Its products, or to phase out the products themselves. This Is not an easy posi tion to take. Cut there is no aUcroa- live." The batllc over vinyl chloride Is the latest confrontation between labor and Industry on the subject of protection for workers ncnin.U canccr-produeinc chemicals. Battles over asbestos and c.-ufinnrens continue to be fought in ConzrcM and in the courts. Labor, said Hommarito. ha* listened to esrcris fron- all o%-er the world and "wc have com luded that the proposed govern ment standard of 'no detectable level* fur viiiil chloride,Is both neevssary and fcaMc." Iioinitm i!o rtinr lurii-d:"The Issue be fore u* is n-allv vot the control of vi- nvl chloride. The ]sue is whctlnT life ha* higher value than dollars, whether we will permit mrimrate structures to run the country without rtonrtil. Tlir l.iniptaur and the Intent **f the (h-eupntioml a**l Safety ami .]!.>>lth Art nu.iii tlial workers' llvi*v m !>*'.cr r^n l*e sarnfvud for (itum-ial s:.'ii. T*ir vh;k organ* of our butties ai r not for sal- ", RSV - 0006697