The Unauthorized Randy “Duke” Cunningham Page

Mon, April 23, 2001 11:49 pm 

Representative Randy Cunningham
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515-0001

Dear Representative Cunningham:

I am writing to express my outrage over your vote to kill OSHA's ergonomics standard.

Working people fought for 10 years to win the ergonomics standard's protection from crippling injuries that afflict some 1.8 million workers a year—600,000 of them so seriously they miss days of work. Their "ergonomic" injuries — caused by heavy lifting, repetitive work and poorly designed jobs‹are the No. 1 job safety problem for U.S. workers today.

I consider this vote very important. To me it signals a troubling lack of concern on your part for America's working families. Without this standard, millions more workers will be hurt.

I will not forget this vote, but I hope your future votes will reflect more concern for working people and less for business interests who care little for the well-being of working families.

At age 45 I have been diagnosed with severe carpal tunnel in my right wrist. I have worked as a word processor, then desktop publisher and web page publisher for the past 25 years. I am now unable to go back to my former job. I am the main wage earner for my family. I don't know how I am to pay San Diego's ever-increasing rent and utilities bills, let alone provide food for my family. And, this could have possibly been prevented if my employer (and previous employers) believed in letting us take breaks. However, when we work proposals and the customer is waiting, there is no such thing as a break, or an 8 hour shift.

So ... what option do I have? I never finished college because I was earning such a great salary as a word processing operator, and I just didn't take the time to finish. I don't have the luxury of going back to college for another 2 years. California only allows its injured workers a small amount for vocational rehabilitation, and a whopping $246 week to live off of (fora limited time). What am I going to do?

Thank you for putting us out on the streets!!

Sincerely,
Patti May
San Diego, CA 92126

You'd be the first woman I've heard of that worked 8+ hours without taking a single break ... guess I'm just cynical.