(BOSTON) – Teamsters across Massachusetts descended on Beacon Hill to demand lawmakers enact two critical bills to improve workplace safety. At the Massachusetts General Court’s Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, lawmakers from both chambers heard from union members about the importance of H.2103/S.1307, to protect warehouse workers from unreasonable production quotas, and H. 3995/S.1355, safeguarding workers from exposure to extreme temperatures.
“Amazon and its Big Tech friends have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to increase their profits by forcing employees to work in unsafe, toxic conditions. Wages are low and benefits are terrible as these corporations put workers at risk of serious injury and heat stroke,” said Tom Mari, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Joint Council 10 and President of Teamsters Local 25. “Massachusetts can and must do better for working people by passing these bills.”
“It doesn’t matter if its freezing cold or scorching hot, too many companies today just think it’s business as usual,” said Sal Valente, a warehouse worker and member of Local 25. “Passing these two bills will force employers to take worker safety seriously, and that will save lives.”
Teamsters are pushing states nationwide to enact the Worker Protection Package, a series of bills that protect employee safety, union jobs, and workplace democracy. California, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, and Washington have passed this Teamsters-backed legislation to protect warehouse workers from unsafe production quotas. California, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington have also Teamsters-supported occupational standards for extreme temperature exposure.
Teamsters Joint Council 10 represents more than 50,000 union members throughout New England. For more information, go to teamstersjointcouncil10.com.
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