Conference inspires, educates health and


By DEBORAH A. MILES The theme of the PEF and New York


State joint 2011 health and safety conference, “Health and Safety: Now More Than Ever,” fit the event to a tee. The three-day March conference attracted more than 400 participants, both long- time health and safety advocates as well as scores of new faces. The conference was designed to provide


training and education, and to motivate attendees to effectively address job hazards at their worksites. Another goal was for participants to become more involved in the broader occupational health and safety movement. It offered dozens of workshops. Some


were geared to long-standing issues such as workplace violence prevention and safe- patient handling and others on timely concerns at agencies and facilities. Those workshops ranged from how to work with criminal justice authorities, to preventing bed bugs, influenza and other challenges. At the opening night, PEF President


Ken Brynien and state Director of Employee Relations Gary Johnson, each welcomed the participants. Brynien also presented a $2,000 check to the guest speaker, Cecil Roberts Jr., president of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA)


for the Miners’ Aid Fund. Roberts then energized the participants


with a rousing talk on the history of coal miners. He punctuated his speech with facts such as 106,000 people have died in the mines and more than 100,000 people developed diseases related to mining. A sixth generation coal miner himself,


Roberts also brought home the need to fight to keep unions alive, bringing the crowd to its feet with applause and whistles. “The only two things that protect


workers are legislation and unionization,” Roberts said. “We are the American labor movement, we are the people. We have to stand up, fight back, every single day.” A first-timer to the


conference, PEF member Tony Brunson, said Roberts was very dynamic and enlightening. Brunson works at the state Office of General Services in design construction. “Roberts helped me


BRUNSON


appreciate unions even more, especially after hearing about the union- busting tactics in


Wisconsin. The issue there has the


potential of spreading like wildfire across the U.S.,” Brunson said. “I decided to attend the conference to


get a better outlook on health and safety issues. As a supervisor, I thought it would be a good learning experience and to bring back information to my members on Long Island,” he said. Debra Paternoster, a rehabilitation


counselor at the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities in central New York, said she was recently elected as a PEF steward and was asked to join the health and safety committee that represents PEF members at the agency in Madison County. “At one of the


PATERNOSTER


workshops, I learned how to plan an agenda and make sure we are working


with management. Hopefully, we will develop solutions to reduce the number of accidents, injuries and workers’ compensation claims, and to improve productivity,” Paternoster said. Conference organizer and PEF chair of


the joint health and safety committee, Kathy D’Arminio, said the conference was energized by the skilled workshop presenters and the enthusiasm of the participants. “The conference also proved to be the


GETTINGANSWERS—PEF Executive Boardmember Janette Clark waits for an answer froma workshop presenter at a Health and Safety Conference workshop in Albany.


PESH RIGHTS— Health and safety activists listen as a presenter discusses employer and worker rights and responsibilities under the PESH Act.


—Photo by Richard Dillard Page 8—The Communicator May 2011 PEF Information Line: 1-800-553-2445 —Photo by Ken Dischel


ideal platform to introduce new health and safety chairs and activists to our structure, program and network,” D’Arminio said. “All the workshops and sessions were designed to help participants develop effective strategies that target the leading causes of workers’ compensation cases, lost work time, and pain and suffering. This is especially important for local health and safety committees that are experiencing a transition due to retirements or agency reorganization.” PEF Director of Occupational Safety and Health Jonathan Rosen added, “I am


Dr. Andrew Coates —Photo by Ken Dischel


HEALTH & SAFETY


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