Tell Gov. Bill Lee and TN State Legislators that Workers Lives Are More Important Than Corporations!
The tragedy of loved ones not coming home is all too familiar.
As of now, there have been five reported deaths of workers at Impact Plastics in Erwin, Tennessee, that occurred during the flooding caused by Hurricane Helene.
What we know is that these workers were expected to be at work despite the forecast of life-threatening flooding. And we know that their deaths were preventable. While news outlets and meteorologists warned that Helene could lead to fatal flash flooding, Impact Plastics did not shut down. Gerald O’Connor, owner of Impact Plastics, made a statement on October 3rd saying, “The flood of September 27th took from the Impacts Plastics family some great employees”. O’Connor is wrong.
Unchecked corporate greed is the reason employees keep dying on the job.
In stark comparison to the fatal choice made by Impact Plastics, a nearby radioactive nuclear facility, Nuclear Fuel Services – represented by the United Steelworkers Local 9-677 – told their employees not to come into work on the day of the flood. Prioritizing worker safety isn’t hard. It’s just not enforced.
How do companies get away with endangering workers’ lives?Corrupt Policymakers. Corporate Backed Tennessee lawmakers are on corporate payroll, prioritizing anti-worker legislation that only serves CEOs and their profit margins. State legislators continue to attack the right to collectively bargain and vote for union representation, all while undermining demands for safety.
OSHA can’t protect workers from climate disasters. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 does not have any protections for employees who choose to follow public safety recommendations in times of disaster.
Our rights have been chipped away. The Tennessee state legislature has spent the last ten years stripping local municipalities of the power to establish health and safety standards, set a local minimum wage, create paid leave ordinances, and regulate the gig economy.
Join us as we demand that Governor Bill Lee and the Corporate -Owned Tennessee state legislature immediately pass policies that protect workers when disaster strikes. The Tennessee state legislature should also allow local communities to govern over critical issues that have a profound impact on our friends, families, and neighbors.
