In public works, union contracts are key to staying safe

In public works, safety is always top of mind.

Among AFSCME members in municipal government, those in public works departments are the true jacks of all trades. From filling potholes and plowing snow to trimming trees and spraying pesticides, public works employees are responsible for a wide variety of tasks that make their communities safer.

But with so many responsibilities come varying challenges. Among the biggest is making sure that public works employees themselves are safe on the job, no matter what the day’s work is.

“Our motto is, ‘Everyone goes home safely,’” says AFSCME Local 2891 President Eric Stojakovich, a utility maintenance worker in the Village of Homewood Water Department.

When it comes to keeping to that motto, they’ve built a strong ‘safety-first’ culture that empowers workers to speak up when they feel their safety is at risk. 

“Everybody agrees—if we don’t feel comfortable, then we can say that we have to rework something to get a job done,” says Local 2823 President Brad Washkowiak, a laborer in the City of LaSalle Department of Streets.

Risks around every corner

Though safety is the priority for AFSCME members in public works, the job still comes with risks, especially for streets workers.

“These days, distracted drivers are worse. The biggest issue we can’t control is the maniacs still going 45 mph down a 25 mph road,” Stojakovich says. “I tell the workers to keep their heads on a swivel. I’ve seen cars get hit, plow trucks get hit, but fortunately never a person. And now there are electric cars, which don’t make as much noise, so it’s hard to hear them coming.”

It’s an important reminder: Next time you’re driving near a snowplow or maintenance workers on the road, make sure to slow down and give them some extra room.

Investing in safety and certifications pays off

In some cases, the emphasis on safety in public works also benefits cities financially, while keeping work in-house and performed by trained AFSCME members.

The only LaSalle city employee licensed to spray pesticides for mosquitoes, Washkowiak maintains seven different category licenses that allow him to work on various foliage. When he learned that LaSalle was contracting out with a landscaping company to spray the city’s 12 acres of sports fields, he volunteered to do the work himself.

“I figured that I could do it myself, and even if I did it all on overtime, it would still be cheaper than what they pay the landscaper to do it. The city saves thousands of dollars by having me do it rather than contracting with the outside company,” Washkowiak says.

Prioritizing safety in the union contract

In some cases, local unions representing public works employees have used contract negotiations to add language emphasizing or improving safety for workers on the job. AFSCME Local 2819’s contract with the City of Ottawa contains provisions that compensate workers for attending both mandatory and non-mandatory trainings, and includes stipends for various certifications, such as commercial driver’s licenses, water operator licenses, playground-safety inspection certifications, and pesticide-spraying licenses.

“Safety is a two-way street. It’s a liability issue for the city if someone gets hurt doing something we aren’t trained in,” says Local 2819 President Bob Anderson, a laborer in the city’s street department. “It’s in the city’s best interest for us to be the best-trained we can be for the citizens we serve.”

Because of Ottawa’s focus on safety, Local 2819 members don’t hesitate to ask for support or additional funding for safety in labor-management meetings. 

“We brought up in labor-management meetings, that we needed better signage and reflection for workers doing road construction,” Anderson says. “The council agreed to spend that money to increase safety and get us what we needed.”

This mindset also applies whenever a tragedy occurs, so that workers are always prepared for the next instance. Following a tragic incident when an employee died from a heart attack, Local 2819 succeeded in convincing the city to provide CPR training and to have defibrillators at hand. 

When it comes to staying safe on the job, Anderson preaches a simple rule both to public works employees and the public. 

“A little bit of common sense goes a long way,” Anderson said.