<<previous | index | next>> Appendix F: Injury Interviews and DataIn late 2003 and early 2004, a team of safety and health specialists from the United Food and Commercial Workers, the union assisting Tar Heel workers organizing efforts, interviewed sixty-three Smithfield workers injured at work. Slightly more than half of the workers were identified from OSHA report logs. Others were referred by union organizers based on house visits, and some were referred by interviewed workers themselves. There is no inherent pro or anti-union bias in these interviews. OSHA logs are neutral in that regard. Union organizers systematically visit workers homes based on name and address information they obtain without knowing the workers sentiments about the union. Workers referred to injured coworkers without regard to union sympathies. Here are the results of those interviews: Analysis of Injuries and Workers Compensation from InterviewsRate of workers who received workers compensation insurance for their injury or illness: 24% of interviewed injured workers received workers compensation.
Rate of workers reported on injury log versus not reported on OSHA injury log: 44% of interviewed injured workers did not have their work related physical illnesses or injuries reported to OSHA.
The rate of Latino immigrants who received workers compensation insurance for their injury or illness: 95% of interviewed Latino immigrant injured workers did not receive workers compensation.
The rate of English speaking American workers who received workers compensation insurance for their injury or illness: 68% of interviewed English speaking American workers did not receive workers compensation.
Rate of American English speaking workers to Latino immigrant Spanish speaking workers in terms of injury log reports and unreported: 47% of interviewed Latino immigrant injured workers were not reported on the OSHA log.
45% of interviewed English-speaking American workers were not reported on the OSHA log
Rate of termination of workers whom were injured:356 24% of interviewed injured workers were terminated sometime after their injuries.
Accidents: 38 injuries on database were sudden accidents on the job.
Pain, Illnesses, or Infections: 30 cited injuries resulted from skin infections, muscle pain, or illnesses stemming from repetitive motion or exposure to unsanitary working conditions.
[356] According to the researchers, termination dates in relation to date of injury were not always known. In some cases, workers were terminated shortly after reporting an injury; in other cases, the worker may not have been terminated for a year or more subsequent to the injury. Therefore, this data cannot be interpreted as causal.
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