Posted on 07/08/2002 7:33:23 AM PDT by SheLion
General Motors' Adoption of Smoke-Free Policy in All Ingham County Plants Hailed by Smoke-Free Environments Law Project of The Center for Social Gerontology.
The Center for Social Gerontology (TCSG), based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and its Smoke-Free Environments Law Project hailed the actions of the General Motors Corporation in adopting a total ban on smoking in all its Ingham County, Michigan plants and facilities, effective August 5, 2002.
Jim Bergman, TCSG Co-Director and head of the Smoke-Free Environments Law Project said: "General Motors management is to be highly praised for announcing the adoption of a totally smoke-free policy in all their Ingham County auto plants. Having worked very closely with the Ingham County Commissioners and Health Department on the adoption of a county-wide smoke-free worksite regulation, which was enacted on February 12, 2002, we at the Smoke-Free Environments Law Project are aware that General Motors could have sought permission to create designated smoking areas in their plants. Instead, they have opted to 'adopt a wall-to-wall no smoking policy' which applies to 'all employees, contractors and visitors,' effective August 5, 2002.
This is a tremendous victory for workers - old and young - whose health was threatened by secondhand smoke in General Motors facilities, a number of whom sought help from our Smoke-Free Environments Law Project in recent years. We also commend the Ingham County Health Department for their work with General Motors on this policy."
"The adoption by General Motors of a total ban on smoking in its Ingham County facilities is huge - for GM workers and in its implications for all businesses. This action by General Motors shows that corporations of any size can adapt to smoke-free policies and that union members - most of whom are not smokers - will accept such policies for their own health and the health of their co-workers. We hope and expect that other corporations will follow the lead of GM in adopting smoke-free policies," stated Bergman.
To access a copy of the General Motors smoke-free policy online, go to http://www.tcsg.org/sfelp/images/GM.jpg To access a copy of the Ingham County smoke-free regulation, go to http://www.ingham.org/BC/adoptedsmokingregulation.PDF
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The Center for Social Gerontology (TCSG), was founded in 1972 as a nonprofit, research, training and social policy organization, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Smoke-Free Environments Law Project (SFELP) is a statewide project of TCSG which provides information, consultation and advice for businesses, local units of government, and individuals in Michigan on policies and practices to protect employees and the general public from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke and to address the legal requirements and liability issues related to secondhand smoke.
For comprehensive information on this topic, go to the web site of the Smoke-Free Environments Law Project at http://www.tcsg.org/sfelp/home.htm.
I'd rather ban the use of taxpayer money to support the healthcare of others.
Blame the Commish, GM had no say in the matter.
A perfect example of this is the '96 Impala SS. The workers in that Texas plant knew that was going to be the last year and they probably would be out of a job soon. As a result it is rare to find an Impala from that year with all of the body panels square and lined up. It's a shame because that was the year that they finally got the design right.
Yes, Dan. But what about the Union? Union's aren't strong anymore? I know the smokers are in the minority, but surely the Union should have stepped in to help them. If you have a gripe against the company, you go to the UNION.
Well, the union sure didn't do any good here, I am afraid.
Perhaps, it is you that is the liberal. It was Hitler that first adopted no-smoking policies. Hitler(a socialist) would be so proud of your support for at least one of his policies. For your information, a public corporation is not a private individual.
A basic Freeper-ism that has been proven once again.
It's already happened at SAPPI Paper Mill. They went Smoke Free on their LOT 1 July. The following is an email I received from an employee, who shall remain nameless. Read this. It's going to happen all over, you watch:
There are two fellows who are close to 60 in age and have no intention to quit smoking. They work at the wet end of the machine where the rest rooms are small and the doors can be locked. Normally, there are no women working at the wet end and all the security people who do rounds are men, so one or both of these guys were sneaking their smokes in the ladies' room!
Well, there was a woman , working in the wet end lab and she used that ladies' room (she had a choice of 2 others) right after one of the guys had a puff. Blank reported the smoke to security and an "incident report" was filed. Blank quit smoking last year, so maybe she's one of those ex-smokers who are miserable and wants to share the misery.
I probably won't know until Monday what's going to happen.
Just to bring you up to date, the smoking ban at our mill too effect @ 0600 on 1 JUL.
Since then, a few people have cheated. Two older guys, age close to 60, were using the Ladies' Room close to the control room where they work. They should have been okay, however, a tester named Blank used the rest room shortly after someone had smoked. She called Security. All 3 people are PACE union members. Blank quit smoking last year!
I haven't heard Blank’s excuse yet for blowing the whistle. I'm sure it'll be pretty lame.
It's funny how some of these people pick on the other fellow until their own turn comes.
1.. Blank is a volunteer fireman in Skowhegan. One time, he got his picture in the paper when a load of manure overturned in the middle of town and had to hose it off with water from a fire hydrant. This guy will go into a burning house and hose away cow dung, but whines like a baby if he smells a cigarette.
Plus this guy is a first class skunk. One Lady is one of my smoking buddies. She was out on vacation when the smoking area was moved away from the winder where she and blank worked. Blank-the-Skunk deliberately saved a "smoking area" sign and, when Lady came back to work, pasted it up in the area that used to be a smoking area. Lady didn't know any better and lit up ... Blank-the-Skunk ran right to the foreman to turn her in. Lady did get off okay. Just the same, this was a Union Brother playing a dirty trick to hurt a Union Sister.
2... One of Blanks mates is BUB-the-Baby. He whines about everything ... the foreman can't stand him (and neither could all his ex-wives!). Poor BUB hates the smell of smoke ... outside the mill, he is a dairy farmer. I guess he loves the smell of cow shit.
3.. And BLANKER. He was a Marine during Vietnam but did all his duty in the USA. He was all for gay rights in the military back when that was an issue. His answer was "It didn't bother me.". He had a gay in his unit but I guess BLANKER was too ugly to turn the guy on ... I don't know! Blanker quit smoking and is another ex-smoker who's gone crazy. Part of that is that his mother-in-law has emphysema and he has someone to care for when, with the kids gone, he thought he was home-free. I think Blanker is one of those "Me, Myself & I" type of guys.
A while back, the Company played a trick on the Union. It used to be that the ranks on the paper machine were like the military, E-9 down to E-1. The Company wanted the E-9 to become a manager and let the Union vote on it. By a 2-1 vote, the Union rejected letting their members manage. Then the Company abolished the E-9 job and busted everyone back a pay grade.
Blanker lost $3/hour when he got busted. He cried like a baby after that because he is now about 10 years away from getting that $3 back. But he's a hardnose if one of his Union members has a smoke. In fact, if either Blank or Blankee (who smoke in the Girls' Room) get fired, BUB moves up in the line-of-progression. He can make money by snitching on a Union brother! We have just enough skunks in the yard to help Sappi succeed.
My smoking buddies are the nicest people you could ever meet. They aren't nasty people. I can't say this for a lot of the "anti's". They're loaded with venom!
It ain't pretty!
All those in favor of policies like this can kiss my rebel backside. One of these days, the liberal thugs in our society will get their number called. I just hope it does not happen too late.
A close relative of mine is dying from second hand smoke (lung cancer). Maybe these rules are to prevent more of the same to others. It is to protect, not deprive. Maybe if some folks weren't so selfish and thought of others...
And who did the documentary? A liberal media source? Did they get you to buy thier propaganda?
You and me both.
I know that only 1 out of 4 people smoke, but tobacco has been around for hundreds of years. And the inaccurate, deceitful and dishonest lies about second hand smoke from the anti's is just becoming unbearable.
I believe in smoking sections and non-smoking sections. That is fair to everyone. But to completely go smoke free, especially if it is mandated by the government, this is WRONG.
And like Just Another Joe said: why did GM have the option to provide a smoking section or not, and the restaurants and bars do not. Something isn't passing the smell test.
Your certainly right! It's cruel and inhumane punishment. People need their jobs, and this is really going to add to a lot of ill tempered and embittered employees.
You know, a lot of these people have only a few years left to go before they can collect their pensions. They just can't up and quit. "They" have them by the you know what.
Excuse me?
Your telling me that Hitler's way of life and control was a GOOD THING? What are you saying here.
It's part and parcel with things like seatbelt laws, helmet laws, commands and demands from the nutrition "experts", regional planning by consensus, in other words, softening us up for Agenda 21.
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