Life in Hotel California: Segregation & Discrimination Legalized by CAL/OSHA

Life in Hotel California: Segregation & Discrimination Legalized by CAL/OSHA — How to take action

Guest Commentary
by Amy Reichert
www.ReOpenSD.org

Did you know that segregation and discrimination was just legalized in California?

Last Thursday, June 3, the Occupational Safety & Health Standards Board, a seven-member body appointed by the Governor as the standards-setting agency for the Cal/OSHA program, approved regulations and guidelines that will promote these un-American practices.

I was there when it happened; it was crazy!

The regulator pictured above with matching accessories of a mask and a lifetime supply of Purell, proposed new regulations that would affect office, factory, retail, restaurant and other workers, including:

—ALL workers must continue to wear masks if they are in the presence of a co-worker who is not vaccinated.

This will create a hostile work environment of suspicion, resentment and division from those who have gotten the shot because they will be angry at their unvaccinated co-workers.

—Allowing employers to ASK and TRACK employees who are vaccinated and unvaccinated.

Workplaces would need to have worker’s vaccine records on file to comply with Cal/OSHA regulations.

—Allowing employers to SEGREGATE employees who are vaccinated from those who are unvaccinated.

The L.A. Times reported that one employer in the state wants to place stickers on ID badges to determine who is vaccinated and who is not.

Other employers in California are considering creating different floors for the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.

—Requiring employers to provide N95 masks to employees who are not vaccinated even if they don’t want them.

Aly Hartmann, the co-Founder of ReOpen San Diego, waited three hours to address the Board on these proposed requirements. I was able to get through five minutes before the Board closed public comments.

After a several-hour meeting, the vote was taken. While making dinner for my family, I stood in the middle of my kitchen with my husband and son while listening to the vote as it was streamed through my laptop.

We cheered every “NAY” vote; the final vote was 4-3! It seemed like we won. Every media outlet started reporting the vote too…

But the celebration was short-lived. We did NOT win.

After the vote, the Standards Board met with legal counsel and then the video feed DIED. I thought it was over and we ate dinner as a family and then my phone started to BLOW UP!

The Board reconvened and passed a new motion that instead accepted the new guidelines, with the additional wording that the concerns of the NAY voters will be addressed in a new subcommittee.

These new regulations will ironically go into effect the same day California is “reopened.” Now employers can ask, track and segregate workers with the blessing and the enforcement arm of Cal/OSHA!

Here’s what we can do now:

Email Cal/OSHA. The state is trying to coerce vaccines through shaming by your fellow co-workers and your employer.

The Board may change these regulations with revisions.

Please act now. These proposed regulations will go into effect as soon as 6/15/2021.

Email feedback to oshsb@dir.ca.gov

At the same time, please reach out to the Office of Administrative Law. The public only has five days to comment from the time it is published on its website; it was published here late Friday night, June 4, 2021. That means written public comments will only be accepted until Thursday, June 10.

Address correspondence to the staff attorney:

Christina Shupe
Ph: (916) 274-5721
Fax: (916) 274-5743
Email: CShupe@dir.ca.gov

Also…

The next Cal/OSHA Board meeting is June 17. Please be there on the phone to address the Board and send feedback BEFORE they publish anything. The Agenda is here.

On June 17:

Attend the meeting via Video-conference:

1. Go to www.webex.com

2. Select “Join”

3. Enter the meeting information: 268 984 996

4. Enter your name and email address then click “Join Meeting”

5. Video-conference will be opened to the public at 9:50 a.m.

Attend the meeting via Teleconference:

1. Dial (844) 992-4726

2. When prompted, enter 268-984-996

3. When prompted for an Attendee ID, press #

4. Teleconference will be opened to the public at 9:50 a.m.

Live video stream and audio stream (English and Spanish):

1. Go to https://videobookcase.com/california/oshsb/

2. Video stream and audio stream will launch as the meeting starts at 10:00 a.m.

Public Comment Queue:

Stakeholders who wish to comment on agenda items may submit a request to be added to the public comment queue. Please provide the following information:*

1) name; 2) affiliation; 3) comment topic; and 4) phone number (if not attending via Webex).

*Information requested is voluntary and not required to address the Board.

See you there!

UPDATED 6/8/21…

Yesterday, Cal/OSHA called for a special meeting:

The California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board will hold a Board Meeting on:

June 9, 2021, at 5:00 p.m.

The purpose of the Special Meeting is for the Board to consider new information from the California Department of Public Health on pending guidance regarding COVID-19 Prevention, and take action if appropriate.

Here is the agenda link.