A Fung-y Situation in Wheatfield
Mold cleanup is close to being finished at the Georgia-Pacific Gypsum facility in Wheatfield, Indiana. Black mold is a chronic concern for USW members there, who are still without a union contract two years after voting USW. They’ve been diligently working to resolve the exposure problem. They are breathing a little easier as clean-up of the ceilings and walls moves forward.
One type of mold that may be cause for concern is Stachybotrys: Stachybotrys chartarum (also known as Stachybotrys atra) is a greenish-black mold that grows on materials with high cellulose content (drywall, wood and paper, and dropped ceiling tiles.) This mold, like some others, produces chemicals called mycotoxins under certain conditions. Health effects of breathing
mycotoxins are not well understood.
Here are some important facts about this problem:
• Not all black molds are Stachybotrys, and not all Stachybotrys produces mycotoxins.
• While still alive, Stachybotrys is slimy and does not release many spores or mycotoxins.
• Exposure is low unless it dries up, when spores and mycotoxins are released into the air.
• All indoor molds are potential health hazards and need to be cleaned up.
Allergic reactions, similar to pollen or animal allergies, are the most common health effects of molds. Some workers have symptoms like hay fever and the common cold, but they can last for longer periods. Allergic and toxic illnesses can be treated by getting rid of the mold exposure. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to control symptoms. In addition, some people in wet or moldy buildings may have flu-like symptoms according to the study Molds in Indoor Workplaces by the California Department of Health Services.
If your local has had a similar problem in the past, we’d like to know how it was handled in your facility. There are several ways to address workplace mold and remediation can be a long, drawn out process. We need to keep each other informed about the safety and health risks we experience in our facilities in order to address future problems that may occur. Please email District 7 Sub-District 4 Director Mike O’Brien mobrien@usw.org with updates on safety and health risks you have encountered within Georgia Pacific.
CORRECTION - Mark Cook, Business
Representative for Local 1861-U in Dubuque, Iowa reports that the labor agreement for 87 converting plant workers in Dubuque expires October 31, 2009, and wasn’t listed in the last issue with other USW-GP contract expirations this year.
There’s solidarity in safety!
Sharing Information: Power in Knowledge
USW staff are preparing a new booklet for GP local union members to help get up and running on the SharePoint system on the internet. This password-protected system is available so GP union officers can review union contracts at other locations, phone numbers and email addresses for other GP locals, educational and training material for members and much more. So keep your eyes open for the “SharePoint Users Manual.”
