Know Your CBA: Safety in Action in Chicago

To quote General Graham: “If we always keep our focus on taking care of these great people (on taking care of you), everything else follows.” Whichever USACE office you happen to work in, your local’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) likely has language that can help make sure that you’re taken care of. Being able to negotiate good contract language on safety in the workplace helped Local 777 (representing USACE Chicago District employees) push for training for their environmental and geotechnical engineers.

​Local 777 negotiated language that encouraged workers to cease work and request alternative duties when unsafe conditions are encountered. This language helped to strengthen the union’s position when protecting Chicago District engineers who were asked by management to work at superfund sites without the proper training and PPE. Being able to point to this paragraph led to a temporary stoppage of those work duties and brought the seriousness of the working conditions to management’s attention – making the training of these workers a priority. If you’d like to know about any negotiated language related to your safety, ask your local steward or any other union representative for a copy of your CBA.