saf4u2
Registered: 06/26/09
Posts: 9
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| | 06/29/09 at 12:57 PM | Reply with quote | #1 |
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I just wanted to start this thread for my Union brothers and sisters to enter safety comments. I will be providing Union safety information for David to post on our website. I will check back from time to time to enter any replies that I can. No matter what you think "THEY" feel about safety we should still make safety number one in everything we do. Not just for ourselves but for our families sake as well. Take care of yourselves and be safe out there....
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wick680
Site Administrator
Registered: 05/25/07
Posts: 131
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| | 06/29/09 at 10:12 PM | Reply with quote | #2 |
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Janet's right, with everything the company has done laying all these people off, they have really increased the safety risks around the mill. We are going to take extra time to watch out for others. We all still believe that company made the wrong move in laying these people off.
Lets just hope that the company realize soon that they screwed up and call them back real soon. But until them we must watch out for each other out there. Lets all go home every day in one piece.
Take care
David
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Bryon
Registered: 01/10/09
Posts: 25
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| | 06/30/09 at 07:58 AM | Reply with quote | #3 |
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I couldn't agree more. Safety cannot be compromised. Historically in Escanaba, every time we went through negotiations, there was a motion made on the floor that everyone get out of safety. I know it sounds stupid but the mentality was that it was the only thing we were in charge of that we could do.
This time, when negotiations started, I asked the committee to back me in the decision that we will not get out of safety and in fact will grow during these times. My committee backed me 100% so my next step was including the 100 people at the union meeting that night and it was unanimous. With that backing our safety program has grown even though we have been negotiating for over a year now.
Don't get me wrong, there is a core group of people that didn't agree with our stand on this but even they are coming around. It's been tough at times but I'd do it all over again. Keep up the great work you are doing toward making your facility a safer place to work, the reward is ours.
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Bryon Branstrom
President Local 2-21
Escanaba, Michigan |
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wick680
Site Administrator
Registered: 05/25/07
Posts: 131
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| | 06/30/09 at 12:56 PM | Reply with quote | #4 |
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Bryons right that is the one thing that we cannot do is get out of the safety programs. We are the ones who are out there doing the work not them. So we must take the time to watch out for one another. It would be stupid to bail out of the safety programs since the programs are there for our benefit.
Need to make a clarification to this post:
As of 2/26/2010 the Union is stepping down from the management driven safety programs, but we need to set it straight, we are still involved in OUR OWN safety programs. The company is the ones who cut the safety meetings, safety action teams, safety incentives and making the statements safety first. When the Union gets the safety back up where it should be, then and only then we will ask management if they would like to participate in the programs. But they will not take control and run it in the ground as they have done in the past.
We will be getting Janet and Zemo involved as they will be taking on a big task in helping us get this going.
We will be going over some of this at the Union meeting on March 2, 2010 starting at 7:15 am and at 4:15 pm. Hope to see you there.
David
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saf4u2
Registered: 06/26/09
Posts: 9
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| | 07/01/09 at 01:33 PM | Reply with quote | #5 |
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Well our quarter ended and we had five people get injured. We have had eight for the year. Here is a rundown of our injuries this year.
1. Knee injury
2. Abdominal contusion
3. Abdominal strain
4. Chemical burn
5. Crushed wrist
6. Head injury
7. Broken finger
8. Broken leg
We had 9 injuries all of last year and 8 so far this year and we have 6 more months.
We must not take our minds off our tasks at hand. I know a lot is going on but we have to keep safety first. INJURIES SUCK. If you are lucky enough you can heal and move on. But a lot of these injuries are life changing. Not only for the individual but for your family as well.
Recordables are not numbers for the company to keep up with. These are real people getting hurt. Please refocus on safety and ask yourself each day what else I can do to make my job safe for myself and my union brothers and sisters.
Take care of yourselves out there!
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saf4u2
Registered: 06/26/09
Posts: 9
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| | 08/30/09 at 04:21 PM | Reply with quote | #6 |
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Since my last post in June we have had 5 more recordable injuries, with 4 in August. We have to stop this trend somehow. Remember to wear green this Wednesday to support the safety process at the mill. Each person has to refocus on their own safety and look out for their co-workers. I will update the injuries on the website this week and I hope I won't have to report anymore. PLEASE do what you can to support all the safety processes in the mill. If you say you are not going to participate in any safety programs then you are asking to get hurt. |
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saf4u2
Registered: 06/26/09
Posts: 9
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| | 01/15/10 at 01:16 PM | Reply with quote | #7 |
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Well its been a long time since anyone has posted on this board including me. I hope everyone had a great holiday season and is looking for a better 2010.
We finished the year with 19 recordable injuries and we already have one for this year. 2009 was one of our worst years since 2003. All I can say is please take care of yourselves at the mill. We will have a lot of issues to resolve this year and I cannot stress enough that we have to put that aside when we are doing our jobs. If we are not focusing on our tasks at hand then we will be setting ourselves up to injuries.
We have had a lot of incidents in the last year and we must start paying attention to what we are doing or it could lead up to a disaster. We have had 5 fatalities at this mill over the years and we just can't let that happen again. If you will pay attention to the little details of your safety than many of the bigger things will take care of itself. Regardless of what you think of NewPage make your safety and the safety of your co-workers number one.
I'm not coming in here to be safe for the guys out front. I want to be safe because I don't like pain. I like to be able to spend quality time with my family and being able to enjoy my hobbies.
Also our contract is coming up this year and I am begging that we don't use safety as a weapon. When you use safety as a weapon it is like playing with a loaded gun. Someone will get hurt.Get involved and stay involved. It is the only way we can keep someone from getting hurt. Sooner or later the contract issues can be resolved. It may not make everybody happy but it can be resolved. But a disabling injury or death is permanent.
I'm not trying to be negative I'm just putting my two cents in. I have cheered for safety and waved the pom poms for a long time. I have seen people complain about safety issues and all the while they are doing it they are not even wearing the proper PPE. And when you you say something to them because you are concerned they get all mad and get their feelings hurt.
Sometimes it is discouraging but I guess its best to hurt their feelings than to see them get hurt.
Anyway I have rambled enough. Please take care or yourselves. Some people do care about their fellow employees. Try to show it everyday....
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hemorrhoid
Registered: 03/01/10
Posts: 13
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| | 03/05/10 at 03:08 PM | Reply with quote | #8 |
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Safety should be everyone's first priority. Think before you act! Take a minute to look at the job before you start. What are the risks. Where are the dangers. What are my responsibilities. If your piece of equipment is to be worked on is it properly locked out. Remember Newpage doesn't give a damn so long as you don't have an OSHA recordable or heaven forbid a workman's comp injury. If you do have a comp injury they will do everything they can to put you on light duty and screw with you. Okay I had to bite my tongue on that one because I have seen too many people forced to work when they should be at home to recover!
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