Washington, Mar 7, 2001 - Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich, speaking during the congressional debate on the repeal of the ergonomic standard recently issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), made the following statement Wednesday morning on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives:

"Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this motion. This motion would stop the Occupational Safety and Health Administration from protecting Americans against repetitive stress disorder, carpal tunnel syndrome, and the litany of physical injuries workers sustain every day because of the dangerous design of their jobs and workplaces.

Many of these workers are women. They are our mothers, aunts, sisters and daughters. Each year, 400,000 women workers suffer injuries from dangerously designed jobs. Sixty-nine percent of all workers who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome are women.

This motion represents a betrayal of promises made to the women of America. In FY 1998, the House Appropriations Committee majority report stated that "The Committee will refrain from any further restrictions with regard to the development, promulgation or issuance of an ergonomics standard following fiscal year 1998."

In the next year, Chairman Livingston signed and sent a letter reiterating that promise. The letter stated "it is in no way our intent to block or delay issuance by OSHA of a proposed rule on ergonomics."

Yet this motion will prohibit OSHA from protecting women workers who are hurting and being crippled by dangerous workplaces.

From a business perspective, this motion is narrow minded and short-term oriented. A productive workforce is a healthy and a skilled workforce. When workplace injuries cause workers to take time away, businesses have to train new workers and pay higher workers' compensation premiums. These are all costs will get higher and higher if this motion passes. That escalation will cut into productivity and render American business less competitive in the future.

If this motion passes, America's working people – the vast majority of our citizens – will be left unprotected from dangerous workplaces. I urge my colleagues to vote No on the motion."

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