#workplace safety and insurance

[buildsafecanada]

Working At Heights Workplace Safety Training Course - BuildSafe

Stay safe while working at heights with our approved Working At Heights Workplace Safety Training Course Get certified today

[autistic-shaiapouf]

Beginning to really wonder how much of my financial concern is manufactured and handed to me as opposed to something I'm genuinely concerned by

[reallyimpossibledetective]

A Text Message and a Safe System of Work

I had a conversation with Copliot assuming the following facts from a situation familiar to me: • An unfaithful wife was a senior manager in a largish corporation; • She had an affair with a man, not her husband; • She sent that man a text message containing a suicide threat, thereby committing an act of abuse and domestic violence; • Upon being apprised of the text message behaviour of the unfaithful wife, the subject corporation chose to cover it up, rather than deal with it.

How can the subject corporation guarantee a safe system of work for the other members of staff, in accordance with their obligations under industrial law, if they refuse to deal properly with the suicidal ideation of the senior manager?

Copilot The outlined scenario raises significant concerns about workplace safety and the obligations of the corporation under industrial law. Here is how the corporation can address these issues to ensure a safe system of work for all staff:

1 Addressing The Suicidal Ideation • Immediate Action: The corporation should take immediate steps to ensure the safety and well-being of the senior manager. This includes providing access to mental health support and conducting a comprehensive mental health assessment.

• Confidentiality and Support: While addressing the issue, the corporation must maintain confidentiality and provide appropriate support to the individual involved.

2 Ensuring Workplace Safety • Risk Assessment: Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify any potential impacts on workplace safety due to the behaviour of the senior manager.

• Clear Policies: Implement and enforce clear policies regarding workplace behaviour, mental health support, and domestic violence. These policies should be communicated to all staff.

• Training and Awareness: Provide training for staff on recognising and responding to signs of mental health issues and domestic violence. This can help create a supportive and informed workplace culture.

3 Legal and Ethical Obligations • Compliance with Industrial Law: The corporation must comply with industrial laws and regulations, which include providing a safe working environment. This means addressing any behaviour that could compromise workplace safety.

• Transparency and Accountability: The corporation should be transparent about its actions and decisions, ensuring accountability at all levels. This includes documenting the steps taken to address the issue and providing regular updates to relevant stakeholders.

4 Monitoring and Review • Regular Reviews: Implement regular reviews of the mental health and behaviour of the senior manager to ensure ongoing safety and support. This can be similar to the 6-monthly reviews conducted for secure mental health patients.

• Feedback Mechanisms: Establish feedback mechanisms for staff to report any concerns or issues related to workplace safety. This can help identify and address problems early.

By taking these steps, the corporation can fulfil its obligations under industrial law and ensure a safe and supportive working environment for all staff. Ignoring or covering up such issues not only compromises workplace safety, but also undermines trust and accountability within the organization.

Insurance Most corporate insurance policies, especially those related to liability and workplace safety, typically require adherence to established protocols and regulations. Covering up such a significant issue would not only breach those protocols, but also potentially invalidate their insurance coverage.

Insurance Policies and Protocol Compliance:

• Liability Coverage: Policies generally mandate that companies follow all legal and safety protocols to minimise risks. Failing to do so, especially by covering up serious issues, could result in denied claims or increased premiums.

• Workplace Safety: Comprehensive policies often include clauses that require adherence to occupational health and safety standards. Ignoring or hiding a potential risk like the suicidal ideation of a senior manager, could be seen as gross negligence.

• Directors and Officers (D&O) Insurance: This type of insurance protects senior executives, but it usually requires transparency and adherence to corporate governance standards. Failure to address such issues properly could lead to personal liability for the executives involved.

By not addressing the suicidal ideation appropriately, the corporation risks not only the well-being of its employees, but also significant financial and legal repercussions. It is crucial for the company to comply with all protocols to maintain their insurance coverage and ensure a safe working environment.

The Text Message Is The Crucial Trigger The text message containing the suicide threat is the crucial trigger here. It raises immediate concerns about the mental health of the individual and necessitates appropriate intervention. Ignoring or covering up such a serious matter compromises the safety and well-being of the individual and others in the workplace.

Addressing it properly involves ensuring the individual gets the necessary support and assessing the impact on workplace safety. This aligns with industrial law obligations and likely insurance policy requirements.

Does It Make Any Difference If The Subject Unfaithful Wife was a Middle Manager, Rather Than a Senior Manager?

The distinction between a middle manager and a senior manager can influence the dynamics and implications of the situation, but the core issues remain similar. Here is how it might differ:

Middle Manager -v- Senior Manager

Middle Manager • Influence: Typically has less influence over company-wide policies and decisions compared to a senior manager.

• Responsibility: Still holds significant responsibility within their department or team.

• Impact: The impact of their behaviour might be more contained within their immediate team or department.

• Visibility: Their actions might attract less attention from upper management and the broader organization.

Senior Manager • Influence: Has greater influence over company-wide policies and decisions.

• Responsibility: Holds a higher level of responsibility and accountability.

• Impact: Their behaviour can have a broader impact on the culture and reputation of the organisation.

• Visibility: Their actions are more likely to attract attention from upper management and the broader organization.

Core Issues Regardless of the managerial level, the key issues remain:

• Workplace Safety: Ensuring a safe working environment for all employees.

• Mental Health Support: Providing appropriate support and intervention for the individual involved.

• Legal and Ethical Obligations: Complying with industrial laws and maintaining ethical standards.

• Transparency and Accountability: Addressing the issue transparently and holding individuals accountable for their actions.

In both cases, the corporation must address the situation appropriately to ensure workplace safety and uphold its legal and ethical obligations. The level of management might influence the approach and visibility, but the fundamental principles of handling the issue remain the same.

Response of The Individual Concerned In cases where the individual is unlikely to seek treatment voluntarily or acknowledge their behaviour, it becomes even more critical for the organization to intervene appropriately. Here are some steps the corporation can take:

1 Mandatory Intervention • Mental Health Assessment: Arrange for a mandatory mental health assessment to evaluate her condition and risks, ensuring this is in line with legal and ethical guidelines.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Leverage the EAP of the company to provide confidential counselling and support services.

2 Clear Communication • Performance Review: Frame the intervention within the context of job performance and workplace safety, highlighting the importance of addressing the behaviour.

• Confidentiality: Ensure that communication about the situation maintains confidentiality and respects the privacy of the individual.

3 Legal and Policy Adherence • Compliance: Follow corporate policies and legal obligations to handle the situation appropriately. This includes documenting actions taken and reasons for them.

• Insurance Considerations: Ensure actions comply with insurance policy requirements to maintain coverage and manage risk.

4 Support and Monitoring • Regular Follow-Ups: Implement a system of regular reviews and follow-ups to monitor her mental health and behaviour, similar to the 6-monthly reviews in secure mental health settings.

• Support Systems: Provide access to ongoing support and resources to encourage cooperation and engagement with treatment.

5 Contingency Planning • Workplace Safety: Develop a plan to address any potential impacts on workplace safety, including contingency measures if the individual does not cooperate.

• Legal Recourse: Be prepared to take further legal action if necessary, such as adjusting her role or responsibilities to ensure workplace safety.

By taking these steps, the corporation can address the situation proactively, ensuring the well-being of the individual and maintaining a safe working environment for all employees. Ignoring the issue would not only compromise workplace safety, but also potentially violate legal and ethical obligations.

[cherryblossomshadow]

The Employer-Based Social Safety Is a Disaster. We Can End It.

Hamilton Nolan

Companies can do math … Classic defined benefit pensions are the single most costly benefit that employers traditionally provided, when you add up their total cost over the lifetime of workers. So, for more than 40 years, unionized companies have been absolutely cutthroat at the bargaining table in their determination to shift their workers into 401(k)s. Over the decades, in the private sector, pension after pension has fallen, each a lost battle in an economic war.

Even the man who invented the 401(k) now acknowledges that this process has been a financial catastrophe for workers.

.

I am not bringing this up just to bemoan the fact that companies are greedy. Yes, companies are greedy, but that is because they are in essence machines programmed to maximize profits, so cursing them for being greedy is like yelling at a beaver for making a dam. That is what they do.

What the fuck are we doing? This is all very dumb.

If America were a rational nation we would have sat down after WW2 and said, “Well, we rule the world and we are about to be so, so rich, we’d better just pass a sensible piece of legislation providing for health care and retirement and child care and other basic necessities for all, like a normal and reasonable country.” Of course we did not do that. Instead, deep in Cold War psychosis, we evolved our way into a system that provided health insurance for most people from the employers, which may be a crazy way to do it but is definitely NOT COMMUNIST. Then later we kind of grafted on Medicare to try to plug the hole for people left out of this system. The evolution of employer-provided benefits has continued for generations. But our original sin was allowing ourselves to be drawn into this plainly inferior system in the first place.

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Not to get super technical here but, because private companies are constantly trying to maximize profits, they have an ENORMOUS and NEVER-ENDING incentive to chip away at the cost of employee benefits. So it is unsurprising that, over time, such benefits will be jettisoned by employers at the first possible opportunity. I know I am speaking in generalities here, but this pretty much captures the trap we have gotten into: 1) Tie necessary life-sustaining benefits to employment, rather than building a universal public government-funded safety net. 2) Erode the unions which are the only force that prevent companies from engaging in a race to the bottom on the quality of these benefits. 3) The benefits go away and people die. In a mature and serious country, “workplace benefits” would be things like, you know, “a variety of free bagels.” Not stuff like “your health insurance” or “your ability to avoid poverty in your old age.” Remarkably stupid system. Really idiotic.

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The “gig economy” is, in aggregate, an attempt by capital to build a system of employment with no employees. Companies have realized that if you can turn every full-time employee into an independent contractor and every job into a gig, then you can escape the responsibility of paying benefits (and enjoy a work force that is legally unable to unionize). The gig economy is the arbitraging away of the employer-based social safety net. The savings go to the investment class. The model, as you can see, expands to the entire economy, sucking in not just Uber drivers but also adjunct professors. The root cause of this is that we have created an enormous financial incentive for companies to get out of playing the role of Real Employer, which comes with a host of demands for employee benefits. The people who designed this system should have seen this all coming. If they did, they didn’t care.

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You can write books on this topic, of course, and many people have. (One I read recently is “Over Work” by Brigid Schulte, an interesting exploration of various often stymied attempts to make workplace benefits more humane.)

.

Today, all I want to do is point out the fact that there is an escape route from all of this. This is an issue that presents the opportunity to create a natural alliance of convenience between business and workers. Not because business “cares” about human quality of life, but because business cares about itself.

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If you open an ice cream shop, you want to sell ice cream. Do you want to be a health insurance provider? No. Do you want to be a life insurance provider? No. Do you want to be a retirement investment account provider? No. You want to be an ice cream provider. The absurd burden of making businesses into benefit providers weighs most heavily on small businesses, which are forced to pay to outsource this stuff to large firms. The system is predatory and confusing for employers and employees alike. Unfortunately, the logic of capitalism is simply for employers to try to escape their obligations to provide benefits, which leaves employees with nothing.

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What needs to change is simply the calculation that employers make about what the path of least resistance is for their own operations. The rise of the gig economy is what happens when employers believe that their best option is just to pretend like none of this is their problem. Yet it is—in the long run, employers need a stable society that creates healthy working people who can survive and are not so desperate that they steal from their employer and also chop up the CEO and throw him in a river.

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Employer-based health insurance, a system hated by everyone that benefits nobody except health insurance companies, is probably the single most obvious issue upon which the AFL-CIO and the Chamber of Commerce should be on the same side. Business should be demanding Medicare For All as loudly as Bernie Sanders is! They don’t want to deal with this shit either! All of this is, by definition, a distraction from an employer’s core business, and a financial burden. The same goes for providing retirement benefits to workers. Adequate public health care and adequate Social Security that obviates the need for private health insurance and private retirement plans would be great for American business. It would leave them to just do the thing that they are in business to do.

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I don’t want to sound like a naive moron here. In order for the business world writ large to come to this conclusion, the first thing we must do is to close off the easier possibility they now prefer, which is to escape their responsibilities altogether through subcontracting and pushing full time jobs off their books, or whittling down benefit costs to the smallest possible number by eradicating union power. That means that we need to regulate the gig economy out of existence, at least in the sense of requiring gig economy companies to treat their workers like employees rather than independent contractors.

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Building a public safety net would mean more taxes for businesses.

But a government system would be more efficient, meaning the long term cost would be lower, and

employers would also get the invaluable gift of never having to think about this shit again.

Providing a necessary social safety net to all citizens is properly the role of the state, not of private business. The very idea of outsourcing this role to private employers is plainly ludicrous.

[coremcenterusa]

Ensuring Occupational Health and Safety is crucial to establishing a safe and efficient work environment. It reduces the possibility of accidents, diseases, and injuries associated with the workplace by protecting workers from possible threats. Strong health and safety cultures boost employees' confidence and sense of well-being, which boosts morale and productivity. Adherence to safety requirements shields companies from legal risks and builds their trust and reputation. Additionally, a safe workplace lowers healthcare expenses, employee turnover, and absenteeism, which eventually support the organization's long-term viability and profitability. It is morally and practically necessary to prioritize occupational health and safety. But if you have faced a workplace accident and want to claim the benefits of Occupational Hazard Insurance with professional help, contact Core Medical Center, USA, today.

[constructionsafetynetwork]

Workers' Compensation and Construction Safety: A Guiding Framework for a Safer Workplace

Workers’ Compensation and Construction Safety serve as twin pillars supporting the construction industry’s well-being. While workers’ compensation provides crucial financial support and medical care to employees who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses, its significance extends beyond mere compensation. It underpins the moral and legal imperative to maintain safe working environments,…

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #32

August 30-September 6 2024.

President Biden announced $7.3 billion in clean energy investment for rural communities. This marks the largest investment in rural electrification since the New Deal. The money will go to 16 rural electric cooperatives across 23 states Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Together they will be able to generate 10 gigawatts of clean energy, enough to power 5 million households about 20% of America's rural population. This clean energy will reduce greenhouse emissions by 43.7 million tons a year, equivalent to removing more than 10 million cars off the road every year.

The Biden-Harris Administration announced a historic 10th offshore wind project. The latest project approved for the Atlantic coast of Maryland will generate 2,200 megawatts of clean, reliable renewable energy to power 770,000 homes. All together the 10 offshore wind projects approved by the Biden-Harris Administration will generation 15 gigawatts, enough to power 5.25 million homes. This is half way to the Administration's goal of 30 gigawatts of clean offshore wind power by 2030.

President Biden signed an Executive Order aimed at supporting and expanding unions. Called the "Good Jobs EO" the order will direct all federal agencies to take steps to recognize unions, to not interfere with the formation of unions and reach labor agreements on federally supported projects. It also directs agencies to prioritize equal pay and pay transparency, support projects that offer workers benefits like child care, health insurance, paid leave, and retirement benefits. It will also push workforce development and workplace safety.

The Department of Transportation announced $1 billion to make local roads safer. The money will go to 354 local communities across America to improve roadway safety and prevent deaths and serious injuries. This is part of the National Roadway Safety Strategy launched in 2022, since then traffic fatalities have decreased for 9 straight quarters. Since 2022 the program has supported projects in 1,400 communities effecting 75% of all Americans.

The Department of Energy announced $430 million to support America's aging hydropower. Hydropower currently accounts for nearly 27% of renewable electricity generation in the United States. However many of our dams were built during the New Deal for a national average of 79 years old. The money will go to 293 projects across 33 states. These updates will improve energy generation, workplace safety, and have a positive environmental impact on local fish and wildlife.

The EPA announced $300 million to help support tribal nations, and US territories cut climate pollution and boost green energy. The money will support projects by 33 tribes, and the Island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands. EPA Administer Michael S. Regan announced the funds along side Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in Arizona to highlight one of the projects. A project that will bring electricity for the first time to 900 homes on the Hopi Reservation.

The Biden-Harris Administration is investing $179 million in literacy. This investment in the Comprehensive Literacy State Development Grant is the largest in history. Studies have shown that the 3rd grade is a key moment in a students literacy development, the CLSD is designed to help support states research, develop, and implement evidence-based literacy interventions to help students achieve key literacy milestones.

The US government secured the release of 135 political prisoners from Nicaragua. Nicaragua's dictator President Daniel Ortega has jailed large numbers of citizens since protests against his rule broke out in 2018. In February 2023 the US secured the release of over 200 political prisoners. Human rights orgs have documented torture and sexual abuse in Ortega's prisons.

The Justice Department announced the disruption of a major effort by Russia to interfere with the 2024 US Elections. Russian propaganda network, RT, deployed $10 million to Tenet Media to help spread Russian propaganda and help sway the election in favor of Trump and the Republicans as well as disrupting American society. Tenet Media employs many well known conservative on-line personalities such as Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, Lauren Southern, Dave Rubin, Tayler Hansen and Matt Christiansen.

Vice-President Harris outlined her plan for Small Businesses at a campaign stop in New Hampshire. Harris wants to expand from $5,000 to $50,000 tax incentives for startup expenses. This would help start 25 million new small business over four years.

[dreamdolldeveloper]

back to basics

mostly free resources to help you learn the basics that i've gathered for myself so far that i think are cool

everyday

gcfglobal - about the internet, online safety and for kids, life skills like applying for jobs, career planning, resume writing, online learning, today's skills like 3d printing, photoshop, smartphone basics, microsoft office apps, and mac friendly. they have core skills like reading, math, science, language learning - some topics are sparse so hopefully they keep adding things on. great site to start off on learning.

handsonbanking - learn about finances. after highschool, credit, banking, investing, money management, debt, goal setting, loans, cars, small businesses, military, insurance, retirement, etc.

bbc - learning for all ages. primary to adult. arts, history, science, math, reading, english, french, all the way to functional and vocational skills for adults as well, great site!

education.ket - workplace essential skills

general education

mathsgenie - GCSE revision, grade 1-9, math stages 1-14, provides more resources! completely free.

khan academy - pre-k to college, life skills, test prep (sats, mcat, etc), get ready courses, AP, partner courses like NASA, etc. so much more!

aleks - k-12 + higher ed learning program. adapts to each student.

biology4kids - learn biology

cosmos4kids - learn astronomy basics

chem4kids - learn chemistry

physics4kids - learn physics

numbernut - math basics (arithmetic, fractions and decimals, roots and exponents, prealgebra)

education.ket - primary to adult. includes highschool equivalent test prep, the core skills. they have a free resource library and they sell workbooks. they have one on work-life essentials (high demand career sectors + soft skills)

youtube channels

the organic chemistry tutor

khanacademy

crashcourse

tabletclassmath

2minmaths

kevinmathscience

professor leonard

greenemath

mathantics

3blue1brown

literacy

readworks - reading comprehension, build background knowledge, grow your vocabulary, strengthen strategic reading

chompchomp - grammar knowledge

tutors

not the "free resource" part of this post but sometimes we forget we can be tutored especially as an adult. just because we don't have formal education does not mean we can't get 1:1 teaching! please do you research and don't be afraid to try out different tutors. and remember you're not dumb just because someone's teaching style doesn't match up with your learning style.

cambridge coaching - medical school, mba and business, law school, graduate, college academics, high school and college process, middle school and high school admissions

preply - language tutoring. affordable!

revolutionprep - math, science, english, history, computer science (ap, html/css, java, python c++), foreign languages (german, korean, french, italian, spanish, japanese, chinese, esl)

varsity tutors - k-5 subjects, ap, test prep, languages, math, science & engineering, coding, homeschool, college essays, essay editing, etc

chegg - biology, business, engineering/computer science, math, homework help, textbook support, rent and buying books

learn to be - k-12 subjects

for languages

lingq - app. created by steve kaufmann, a polygot (fluent in 20+ languages) an amazing language learning platform that compiles content in 20+ languages like podcasts, graded readers, story times, vlogs, radio, books, the feature to put in your own books! immersion, comprehensible input.

flexiclasses - option to study abroad, resources to learn, mandarin, cantonese, japanese, vietnamese, korean, italian, russian, taiwanese hokkien, shanghainese.

fluentin3months - bootcamp, consultation available, languages: spanish, french, korean, german, chinese, japanese, russian, italian.

fluenz - spanish immersion both online and in person - intensive.

pimsleur - not tutoring** online learning using apps and their method. up to 50 languages, free trial available.

incase time has passed since i last posted this, check on the original post (not the reblogs) to see if i updated link or added new resources. i think i want to add laguage resources at some point too but until then, happy learning!!

[realcleverscience]

More evidence that republican reagonimics is literally killing us.

highlights:

In 2021, 1.1 million deaths would have been averted in the United States if the US had mortality rates similar to other wealthy nations,..

"Think of people you know who have passed away before reaching age 65. Statistically, half of them would still be alive if the US had the mortality rates of our peers. The US is experiencing a crisis of early death that is unique among wealthy nations."...

The US had lower mortality rates than peer countries during World War II and its aftermath. During the 1960's and 1970's, the US had mortality rates similar to other wealthy nations, but the number of Missing Americans began to increase year by year starting in the 1980's, reaching 622,534 annual excess US deaths by 2019. Deaths then spiked to 1,009,467 in 2020 and 1,090,103 in 2021 during the pandemic. From 1980 to 2021, there were a total of 13.1 million Missing Americans.

The researchers emphasize that this mortality crisis is a multiracial phenomenon and is not specific to minoritized groups. Black and Native Americans are overrepresented in these measures... Still, two-thirds of the Missing Americans are White, a result of the larger population of White Americans, their older age distribution, and death rates that are significantly higher than other wealthy nations...

They connect the large excess mortality burden to the failure of US policy to adequately address major public health issues, including the opioid epidemic, gun violence, environmental pollution, economic inequality, food insecurity, and workplace safety. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated many of these issues, particularly among lower-income and minority groups, and now that most of the safety-net policies created during COVID-19 have expired, vulnerable groups have lost vital support.

"We waste hundreds of billions each year on health insurers' profits and paperwork, while tens of millions can't afford medical care, healthy food, or a decent place to live," says study senior author Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, Distinguished Professor at the School of Urban Public Health at Hunter College, City University of New York. "Americans die younger than their counterparts elsewhere because when corporate profits conflict with health, our politicians side with the corporations."...

[buildsafecanada]

Construction Safety Services | Site Safety Training, Inspections & Audit - BuildSafe

BuildSafe services include construction site safety inspections audit, working at heights training, health safety policies programs Serving Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph and throughout Southern Ontario

[easternblocrelics]

CSÉB (Group Life Insurance) At every workplace Backside: Insurance - National Insurer - all year long safety 1974

[azspot]

Not to get super technical here but, because private companies are constantly trying to maximize profits, they have an ENORMOUS and NEVER-ENDING incentive to chip away at the cost of employee benefits. So it is unsurprising that, over time, such benefits will be jettisoned by employers at the first possible opportunity. I know I am speaking in generalities here, but this pretty much captures the trap we have gotten into: 1) Tie necessary life-sustaining benefits to employment, rather than building a universal public government-funded safety net. 2) Erode the unions which are the only force that prevent companies from engaging in a race to the bottom on the quality of these benefits. 3) The benefits go away and people die. In a mature and serious country, “workplace benefits” would be things like, you know, “a variety of free bagels.” Not stuff like “your health insurance” or “your ability to avoid poverty in your old age.” Remarkably stupid system. Really idiotic.

The Employer-Based Social Safety Is a Disaster. We Can End It.

[natalieironside]

hi! gonna get right to it, how do i unionize my workplace? something happened yesterday which makes me think i could get most of my coworkers on board, and i want to do it. I really think we need to fight for 1.) insurance and better benefits, 2.) workplace safety and conditions better for mental health and emotional well-being, 3.) a livable wage, that sort of thing. but i have no idea how to start and you seem pretty knowledgeable, or at least like you'd have a good idea of where to start.

:) Well, the first place to start is gonna be over at https://www.iww.org/membership/ where u can get your very own red card and access to a vast array of resources and individual expertise. There might even be a General Membership Branch in your area, which would make things go quite a bit easier.

Organizing a shop is a big job with a lot of steps and I always point people towards the One Big Chungus first b/c we regularly do stuff like Organizer 101 trainings you can get in on and that's sure to be more useful than a Tumblr text post. But in brief, you should start by trying to make connections with your co-workers and talk to them about workplace issues, but remember to take it slow; don't throw around scary words like "union" or "strike" all willy-nilly and keep these activities away from the prying eyes of The Boss. That's the Agitation stage of AEIOU: Agitate, Educate, Inoculate, Organize, Unionize.

In the Education stage, the organizer will start introducing more radical ideas to these conversations, talking about what a union is/does and what collective action is/can achieve with contemporary examples (for instance, "Did you hear about how those Starbucks workers did XYZ")

The Inoculation stage prepares your proto-campaign for inevitable pushback like propagandistic head games and million-dollar union-busting lawyers. Those le epic takedowns of Amazon or Wal Mart anti-union training videos are examples of Inoculation.

You've reached the Organizing stage when you feel ready for your first collective action, such as a walkout or confronting the boss as a group.

And Unionize is I think pretty self-explanatory; once you feel strong enough, you can publicly declare your organizing campaign.

There's lotsa tips in the #organizing tag over at @onebiguniondaily and I very recommend following cool fellow workers @boffin-in-training and @soul-hammer

[coremcenterusa]

Workplace Safety Regulations are essential for safeguarding workers from danger and establishing a safe working environment. Employers must abide by the norms and principles set forth by these regulations, which guarantee the implementation and upkeep of appropriate safety measures. These regulations' main goals are to reduce the likelihood of mishaps, diseases, and occupational injuries, promote a culture of safety consciousness, and advance workers' general well-being. Adherence to these regulations serves multiple purposes: it protects employees, reduces legal risk, boosts output, and fosters long-term success. Workplace safety laws aim to strike a healthy balance between worker safety and business productivity, which will benefit both companies and workers. If you have faced workplace injuries and want help with the paperwork for your Occupational Injury Claims, contact Core Medical Center, USA, today.

[lets-steal-an-archive]

Actors and writers want fans to help their Hollywood strike. Here’s how.

How are strikers encouraging audiences to get involved?

SAG-AFTRA and WGA members have used social media to spread information about the strike, detailing how viewers can support entertainment workers’ demands for higher minimum pay, improved safety and more streaming residuals. Among their recommendations for aiding the strike efforts are sharing, liking and commenting on posts about the recently expired SAG-AFTRA contract because “actors are working people just like everyone else.”

“There’s a lot of misconception that our union is about stars and celebrities,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator.

Most of the guild’s 160,000 members, he said, are “working actors who are trying to make a living, pay their bills, pay their rent.”

Actors and writers are encouraging fans to join the picket line in their local area to increase strike visibility. They say people can bring signs, water and snacks to picketers. Union-allied organizations such as the Directors Guild of America, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States have thrown their support behind the strike effort in person and online, joining a broader coalition of unions pushing against mistreatment in the workplace.

Crabtree-Ireland said strike supporters could aid the effort by amplifying the union’s demands with social media posts and donations to fundraisers for SAG-AFTRA members. Boycotting projects made by the AMPTP is not the priority, he added.

“We’re not at this time calling for a boycott of anybody. Our focus is on shutting down production. … But that’s not to say that that won’t be something we do in the future,” he said.

How can entertainment workers receive financial support during the strike?

Several organizations have committed to supporting members of SAG-AFTRA and the WGA. Some of the most prominent funds are SAG-AFTRA’s Entertainment Community Fund and nonaffiliated crowdsourced fundraisers like the Union Solidarity Coalition Fund, Groceries for Writers and the Snacklist.

The fundraisers say they provide resources that include mental health support, health insurance, counseling, career resources, budgeting tips and grocery aid.

Fowlkes, T. 2023. "Actors and writers want fans to help their Hollywood strike. Here's how." The Washington Post, July 17. <washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/07/17/actors-strike-what-can-fans-do/>

[morbidology]

Thomas and Eileen Lonergan, a married couple hailing from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States, had recently completed a two-year tour of duty with the Peace Corps in 1998. Following their service, they embarked on a journey to Australia.

On January 25, 1998, the Lonergans decided to indulge in their passion for scuba diving at St. Crispin’s Reef in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Despite being experienced divers with 80 dives each, tragedy struck during their outing. Accompanied by 26 fellow passengers and five crew members on the boat "Outer Edge," the couple anticipated a fun day exploring the underwater wonders under the supervision of presumed experts.

The final dive at "Fish City," a vibrant reef teeming with marine life, began around 2:20PM. However, by 3:10PM, the engines of the Outer Edge roared to life, and the boat departed, unknowingly leaving Thomas and Eileen submerged beneath the waves. The Lonergans were never seen again.

The discovery of their bag on the Outer Edge, two days later, raised alarm. Hotel staff, upon checking the bag's contents and contacting the Lonergans' accommodation, learned that the couple had not returned from their dive. News of their disappearance quickly became an international horror story, prompting an exhaustive air and sea search over the next three days.

Diving gear items washed ashore miles from the dive site, suggesting a tragic drowning. A diver's slate found by fishermen bore a desperate message: "Monday Jan 26; 1998 08 am. To anyone who can help us: We have been abandoned on A[gin]court Reef 25 Jan 1998 03 pm. Please help us to rescue us before we die. Help!!!"

The safety procedures on the Outer Edge were revealed to be chaotic, with crew members unsure of responsibility for head counts and dive log entries. No records existed for the Lonergans' depth or time spent underwater. Alarmingly, a mere three days before the ill-fated dive, a Workplace Health and Safety inspector had issued a warning to the boat. While speculation emerged that the couple might have staged their own disappearance, the absence of subsequent bank activity and unclaimed insurance policies refuted such theories. Suicide was also considered but ultimately dismissed.

Jack Nairn, the skipper of the dive boat, faced charges of unlawfully causing their deaths but was later found not guilty. The Lonergans' mysterious and tragic disappearance inspired the movie "Open Water."