Editor from Workday Magazine and contributor to The Nation, Sarah Lazare, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss her recent article about the daily pain and suffering of auto assembly line workers. Lazare also discussed the issues with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s reporting methods concerning workplace injuries.
Lazare has been a full-time journalist and Editor for Workday Magazine for the last 10 years. The Magazine focuses on labor in the Midwest, focusing on Minnesota. The magazine also partners with other publications, such as The Nation. This partnership has allowed for a greater interest in labor in the Midwest and more opportunities to share labor stories with the country.
Her recent article outlines the health and safety issues that United Autoworker workers in assembly plants face daily. During her research, nearly every worker on the assembly line was dealing with various injuries suffered through daily repetitive tasks. These injuries are not as shocking as some injuries during an incident on the floor, but in some cases could be just as impactful to the worker's life.
The number of workers suffering from these injuries is greater than the number OSHA reports yearly. There are several reasons that the numbers differ, Lazare said, ranging from fear of employer retaliation to a nearly impossible ability to prove certain injuries are work-related, workers interviewed by Lazare shared why they didn’t report them. With more awareness of the problems facing workers' health, she hopes there will be more oversight and, hopefully, improvements to the standard operating procedure.
To hear more from Lazare’s article on autoworkers' health, press play above.