Historically, labor and trade unions were formed to protect workers in a variety of ways. In the days of shoddy factories, they rallied for better and safer working conditions for employees. They've helped secure fairer hourly wages and have stepped in when a member of their union was wrongly dismissed from a job.
Union officials and members have also played a large role in helping to protect workers from the dangers of asbestos and, when it's too late for that, many unions have stepped in to help affected workers receive fair compensation for their asbestos-related injuries.
Many unions have long recognized the dangers of asbestos in their professions and indeed in their workplaces. Though their pleas have sometimes gone unrecognized, many fought for the rights of the unprotected worker long before asbestos became an issue in today's courts.
Forty to fifty years ago, most unions were not successful in their fight against asbestos exposure issues. Today, however, some of the country's largest and most powerful trade and labor unions are making strides in the fight for fair compensation for those sickened by asbestos cancers like asbestosis and mesothelioma. Even international unions have jumped on the bandwagon, issuing statements about unfair compensation and taking up the cause for workers worldwide whose lives have been affected or cut short by unnecessary asbestos exposure.
How can a union help one of its members who has developed an asbestos-related disease? These days, many unions have specifically taken up the fight against unsatisfactory asbestos compensation and unfair asbestos legislation. Most unions, including the powerful AFL-CIO, are rallying against the formation of so-called "asbestos trust funds." These funds, proposed by the government and backed by large businesses with a vested interest in paying as little as possible to asbestos victims, are seldom adequately funded and union leaders recognize this fact.
The passing of such legislation, including the bill known as S. 852, is not in the best interest of the asbestos victim, union officials believe. AFL-CIO President John Sweeney proclaimed that the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act would "deny fair and timely compensation to tens of thousands of asbestos victims."
Other powerful unions, such as the United Steelworkers and the International Brotherhood of Electricians, have also voiced their loud opposition to such plans, which would also deprive asbestos victims of access to the courts.
Besides fighting against major asbestos legislation, local union representatives can also help asbestos-disease victims with smaller issues, such as deciphering difficulties with medical insurance coverage or helping victims find good legal representation. Asbestos disease victims who belong to a trade union should contact their union representative immediately when they learn of their diagnosis.
No comments:
Post a Comment