Thread by @RaiseUptheSouth

BREAKING: Service workers across US South launch a 1-day strike after filing a civil rights complaint against @SC_OSHA for violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act for “disproportionately excluding Black workers from the protection of its programmed inspections.” #UnionsforAll

Complaint: “@SC_OSHA has engaged in a pattern of conducting almost no programmed inspections in four key industries with disproportionate numbers of black employees,” specifically food/beverage retailers, general merchandise retailers, food service, and warehouse and storage.

Some of the US’s most-profitable corporations are included in these industries, corps like @DollarGeneral, @Wendys and @Popeyes.

For example, the SC population is ~27% black, but general merch and food/beverage retailers employ 38% and 46% black workers, respectively.

Moreover, these same industries neglected by @SC_OSHA, “have a significant incidence of injuries and illnesses according to DOL nationwide data, often greater than that of the industries frequently inspected by SC OSHA.”

The filing of this complaint comes the same day as the @TheSOC publishes the “Southern Service Worker Health and Safety Poll,” finding that “87% of southern service worker respondents have experienced a workplace injury in the last year.”

This survey found “over half of southern service worker respondents (56%) reported observing serious health and safety hazards,” including improperly stored merchandise (24%), blocked fire exits (20%), missing or damaged PPE (14%).

Report: thesoc.org/wp-content/upl…

These findings align with the (nat’l) @OSHA’s news release from 3/13/23, outlining how @DollarGeneral “continue[s] to ignore their legal responsibilities to protect their employees at stores”, including violations like blocked fire exits.

Release: osha.gov/news/newsrelea…

Both the Title VI administrative complaint and poll show the SAFETY CRISIS in the service industry – the reason why 100+ service workers, like Sersie Cobb Jr. of Columbia SC, are WALKING OUT today to demand industry-wide standards for workers across the US South. More soon.