| Author | Subject: What has happened?? |
| Injured Worker | Posted At 20:48:28 01/11/2000
I just enjoy this message board so much.. I haven't seen much activity lately.. I am actually wondering what has happened to the pissing matches?? They are really fun.. Especially when a "know-it-all" tries to defend themselves! Namely an insurance rat! |
| Be Patient |
Re: What has happened?? (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 10:29:01 01/12/2000 Things have been Quiet except for the Meetings between Labor and Management. This is the calm before the storm, The governor is going to start the appointments to the Kinder and Gentler MLAC committee in March, Expect 99 percent of the previous membership back On MLAC. One thing that all of us need to remember is that state officials are working in the background right now in case of a favorable decision in the smothers case, They are currently working on Legislation to off set the amount of lawsuits given a favorable decision from the Court. It dosen't matter if the decision is favorable or not, The legislature will pass a law that will only allow a certain time frame to file a lawsuit, I am guessing 6 months. This time frame will substantially reduce the sheer number of lawsuits filed from Injured workers Therebye PROTECTING the employers and the business climate. Remember this decision will in no way make your workplace safer of healther. There has been alot of talk lately about the OSHA ergonomic standards. Oregon employers are fighting these proposed stamdards because of the expense Federal OSHA estimates that the cost of fixing the average workstation to comply with it's proposed standards will be $150, but that employers will experience savings of $22,500 for each MSD or RSI prevented. Peter Deluca Oregons OSHA Administrator opposes any expansion of the Federal proposals at this time, What this means is that he will wait until the Feds push for the State of Oregon to comply with these proposals instead of ordering them Himself, "Makes you wonder just who he is working for." There is no reason whatsoever for Peter Deluca to put off these standards unless he is protecting the business climate in Oregon. These proposals will in no way protect workers who do production type work given the current Workers compensation system, Expect the standards to recieve benefits to rise even higher because of the proposals. I support these proposals wholeheartedly but Oregon will make it tougher to be compensated for Injuries due to MSD's or RSI's. Oregon is good at covering it own butt at the expense of it's workers. |
| Advocate |
Re: What has happened?? (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 10:53:00 01/12/2000 Of course Deluca is protecting the business climate in Oregon, Look at the average amount that OSHA fines employers for having unsafe and Unhealthy workplaces $287. Wow now thats a real incentive for the employer to clean up it's act, Most unsafe employers appeal the amount of the fines and it is reduced down substantially. Deluca will wait until the very last moment to comply to these needed standards. Oregon has and will always be a very unsafe and unhealthy state to work in because of it's attitude towards Injured workers and safety. Because of these attitudes towards workers and safety consider who much the state of Oregon has saved employers in the last ten years due to the reforms to Workers compensation, Employers have saved over 5 Billion dollars, That right I said 5 Billion dollars, Don't tell me that employers can't afford to comply. |
| Mike Maier |
Re: What has happened?? (Currently 0 replies)
Posted At 14:34:37 01/12/2000 The problem on the ergonomics standards is not so much Pete DeLuca as it is the Legislature. Last week, DeLuca told the assembled throng at the ergo meeting that Oregon will not have ergo laws until (unless) the Fed proposal makes it through. The reason for no Oregon rules, he said, is that the Legislature decreed that it would be that way. No laws or anything, just a decree--but DeLuca and DCBS are not going to defy the Legislature, which holds the purse strings to the DCBS budget and nearly gutted OR-OSHA in 1999 save for fierce lobbying from Labor. So, let's be clear about who the real scumbags are here. |
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