UPS union upset over working conditions

• Unionized UPS employees voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike as contract negotiations continue, which could mean a potential work stoppage as soon as Aug. 1.
• About 97% of workers who cast ballots voted in favor of the move after more than a week of voting that preceded the tentative deal on heat safety that would cover 340,000 delivery drivers and package handlers
• UPS had long resisted calls to air condition its trucks and vans even as at least 145 of its employees have been hospitalized for heat illnesses since 2015, according to OSHA
• UPS acknowledged the vote outcome and said strike authorization doesn’t automatically trigger a work stoppage.
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Hostess fined $298,010

• A 29-year-old worker suffered the amputation of a fingertip while reassembling a pump at a Hostess Brands LLC facility in Chicago.
• OSHA investigated after the company reported the December 2022 injury and found the employer did not train workers on lockout/tagout procedures.
• The agency also noted Hostess Brands failed to make sure shafts, sprockets, and moving parts on equipment such as a dough mixer, coolers, icing and wrapping stations and box stoppers had required guarding in place to protect workers from contact with pinch points and moving parts.
• OSHA inspectors cited the company for one willful violation, one repeat violation, and five serious violations. The company faces $298,010 in proposed penalties.
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Law would make SUNY prioritize hiring N.Y. companies

• Proposed legislation in New York would ensure the State University of New York (SUNY) prioritizes hiring in-state contractors and unionized workers after some recent large-scale projects on various campuses were awarded to out-of-state companies that employ cheaper, non-union labor.
• New York construction workers pushed lawmakers hard this session to pass a measure to require SUNY campuses to enter Project Labor Agreements for construction projects and upgrades $3 million or more, and give greater preference to New York companies and workers.
• Labor advocates say SUNY has a tendency of awarding projects, such as new dorm rooms or facility upgrades, to the cheapest bidder.
• A $10 million bid for work at SUNY Stony Brook was recently awarded to an out-of-state contractor with a history of OSHA violations and insufficient insurance and no workers’ compensation.
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Triple-digit heat prompts OSHA warning

• OSHA is urging employers in Texas to take immediate measures to ensure the safety and well-being of their employees.
• The agency has outlined several essential actions that employers should implement to minimize the risks associated with heat-related illness.
• OHSA experts advise employees to wear lightweight and breathable clothing, use sunscreen, wear wide-brimmed hats, and use other personal protective equipment to further reduce the risks associated with extreme heat.
• Officials said that effective communication and collaboration between employers and employees are key in addressing heat-related concerns.
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