Progressive Voices

Leslie is joined by Steve Sallman, Director of the United Steelworkers Health, Safety and Environment Department, where he's worked for over 19 years. The two discuss the urgent and timely topic of protecting workers from deadly heat. As the planet gets hotter, and wide swaths of the United States are seeing record temperatures, heat is becoming an ever more urgent workplace health and safety issue – in both in-door and out-door occupations. It’s no surprise that unions work to provide solutions. The USW works to negotiate common sense solutions into their contracts like rest breaks, ample supplies of water, electrolytes, and proper ventilation. UPS drivers made this a centerpiece of their recent contract negotiations too, signaling that this was so significant that they were willing to strike as necessary. They ultimately got what they needed, including fans and air conditioning in their trucks. However, all workers need protections, starting with a national standard on heat exposure like workers have