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Bushs OSHA To Cut Jobs March 5, 2002 The federal office charged with preventing injuries in Americas workplaces is cutting enforcement jobs. Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) Administrator John Henshaw told a congressional subcommittee in February the plan to cut 83 jobs is not an indication the agency will "falter" on enforcement. The plan comes as OSHA announces it will broaden its mandate to protecting against bioterrorism threats while expanding the number of workplace inspections and increasing compliance with safety regulationsall with a shrinking budget. "In these uncertain times, Americas workers cannot afford to be left out," said IBEW International President Edwin D. Hill. OSHAs budget will be reduced by $9 million in the proposed $448.7 million budget. Reductions are targeted at safety and health standards, enforcement and training and education for workers. According to an analysis of the Bush budget by the AFL-CIO, the President has proposed to cut the budget for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) by $28.3 million, from $286.6 million to $258.3 million. The reductions for NIOSH, the only health research agency that focuses on worker health and safety, are proposed at the same time major increases are sought for most other health research agencies for homeland security and for programs to protect the public from bioterrorist attacks. But no funds are being sought for OSHA or NIOSH to protect workers from these threats, even though workers were the main victims of the September 11 and anthrax attacks. The blow to the OSHA budget is only the latest in the Bush Administrations consistently anti-worker record. Since he came to office just over a year ago, Bush has stomped on workers issues, by canceling plans to implement ergonomics standards, attempting to eliminate federal funding for project labor agreements and pursuing big business tax breaks at the expense of workers.
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4/10/02 Bush's Ergonomics Rules: Compliance Optional3/5/02 Bushs OSHA To Cut Jobs2/22/02 House Republicans Delay Action While Unemployed Exhaust Benefits2/06/02 Bush Cuts Worker Training Programs1/14/02 Unwilling to Freeze Future Tax Cuts for Richest One Percent, President Announces Plans for Budget Deficit1/09/02 Judge: Bush Anti-Worker Order is Unlawful1/3/02 Bush Rolls Back Rules For Deadbeat Contractors12/05/01 Federal Judge Overturns Bush PLA Ban11/01/01The Bush Administration is again pushing for fast track negotiating authority in international trade deals.11/01/01 President Bush fires another shot at unemployed workers . . . |
