For immediate release
April 22, 2008
Matt Painter
646/673.4999
Eric Sharfstein
347/564.4899
U.S. House Hearing on Tougher Safety Enforcement to Include Testimony by Son of Cintas Worker Killed on Job
Washington – Emmanuel Torres, son of a Tulsa Cintas worker killed on the job, will testify this Wednesday, April 23rd, at a House Subcommittee on Workforce Protections hearing seeking stronger OSHA enforcement for large, multi-site employers. The hearing comes one year after the subcommittee first called for a company-wide OSHA investigation of Cintas. It will be preceded by press availability with members of the subcommittee and Cintas workers from across the country.
A live webcast of the hearing will be available at http://edlabor.house.gov/
Eleazar Torres Gomez was killed in March 2007 after being trapped in a 300 degree industrial dryer, despite the company’s prior knowledge that unguarded machinery placed employees in mortal danger. OSHA cited the company for failing to provide guarding to protect employees from machine hazards. Since Eleazar’s tragic death, federal and state safety inspectors have investigated and found the same kinds of dangers in other Cintas laundries.
UNITE HERE and the Teamsters are standing with Cintas workers to help them win better, safer jobs. For more information, please visit www.uniformjustice.org and www.makeCINTASsafe.info.
A CALL-IN PRESS CONFERENCE AND PHOTO OPPORTUNITY WITH CINTAS WORKERS AND U.S. REPRESENTATIVES WILL BE HELD AT 10:30 AM. PLEASE CALL 646/673.4999 OR 347/564.4899 FOR CALL INFO.
WHAT: House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections hearing on "Improving Workplace Safety: Strengthening OSHA Enforcement of Multi-Site Employers."
WHEN: Hearing will be 11:30 am, Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008.
WHO: The House Education and Labor Committee’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections and Cintas workers from across the country. Witnesses:
Emmanuel Torres, Son of Tulsa worker Eleazar Torres Gomez who was killed in a Cintas laundry
Randy Rabinowitz, former Labor Counsel to the Committee on Education and Labor and noted OSHA lawyer
Frank White, Senior Vice President of ORC Worldwide and former Acting Director of OSHA
WHERE: Hearing will be in 2175 Rayburn, House Office Building.
To bring cameras into the hearing, please RSVP to the committee’s press office by e-mailing [email protected].
###