Alliance -- An OSHA Cooperative Program<< Back to Concluded Regional Alliances - Region VII

  1. Alliance Background

    Date Signed

    1/13/2006 – original signed
    1/13/2008 – expiration date of original
    10/23/2008 – renewal signed

    Overview

    The parties intend, through this Arrangement, to establish a collaborative relationship to provide information, guidance and access to training resources in an effort to help Mexican citizens working in Nebraska to protect their working conditions and labor rights, including their health and safety. The agreement also focuses on a number of goals including:

    Training and education:

    • Develop and deliver training and education programs for Mexican Nationals regarding workers rights to proper minimum wage and overtime compensation, fall hazards, hazards related to construction, meat processing and migrant farming, and to communicate such information to employers and employees in these industries.

    • Deliver or arrange for the delivery of training concerning fall protection, personal protective equipment, ergonomics, minimum wage overtime, and hazard recognition courses.
    Outreach and communication:

    • Develop information on the recognition and prevention of workplace hazards, and to communicate such information (e.g., print and electronic media, including electronic tools and links to OSHA's web site from the Consulate's web site) to employers and employees in the construction, meat processing and migrant farm industries, in English and Spanish.

      Speak, exhibit, or appear at conferences, local meetings, or other mutually agreed upon events, such as the Mobile Consulate meetings scheduled by the Consulate of Mexico in Omaha.

      Share information on personnel issues and industry safety and health.
      Communicate best practices and/or effective approaches.

      Publicize results.

      Make available developed materials, training programs, workshops, seminars, and lectures (or any other applicable forum).

      Work with other participants on specific issues and projects in order to best provide safety and health, workers compensation, minimum wage, and overtime compensation information in English and Spanish.
    Promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health:

    • Raise awareness of and demonstrate commitment to workplace safety and health and workers' rights whenever leaders from the Parties address groups.

      Convene or participate in forums, round table discussions, or stakeholder meetings on issues affecting Mexican Nationals to help forge innovative solutions to issues concerning workplace safety and health and proper wage compensation.
    Implementation Team Members

    Mexican Consulate of Omaha

    • Edgar Rebollar Saenz, Department of Protection
    OSHA:

    • Doug Fletcher, CAS
    Nebraska Workers Compensation Court

    • Su Perk Davis, Public Information Manager
    Nebraska Workforce Development, Safety and Labor Law

    • William Hetzler, Executive Director
    USDOL – Wage & Hour

    • Richard Tesarek, District Director
    Evaluation Period

    01/13/09 – 01/13/10

  2. Implementation Team Meetings

    • 01/23/2009     Alliance team meeting
    • 04/17/2009     Alliance team meeting
    • 08/18/2009     Planning meeting for Labor Rights Week
  3. Events and Products

    Training and Education

    Events:

    • Nothing to report.
    Outreach and Communication

    Events:

    • The CAS was invited by the Consul to speak to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce meeting on 01/30/2009. The presentation included an overview of the Alliance, OSHA's outreach efforts into the Hispanic community, and the obstacles to this outreach.

    • New outreach materials have been provided to the Consulate by all agencies for display in their waiting room and for dissemination during "Mobile Consulate" activities around the State of Nebraska.

    • US – Mexico Labor Rights Week: activities were planned with the alliance participants, including a News Release, a radio talk show featuring the Consul and OSHA's Assistant Area Director, and a series of speakers, representing various local Agencies, at the Consulate.
    Promoting the National Dialogue on Workplace Safety and Health

    Events: Nothing to report

  4. Results
     
    Type of Activity Number of Individuals Reached or Trained
    Hispanic Chamber of Commerce presentation

    01/30/2009
         		 85 attendees
    US – Mexico National Labor Rights Week

    08/18/2009     		News Release distributed by the Mexican Consulate throughout local and regional news outlets.
    Consulate visits by various Agencies(Labor Rights Week)






    08/31/2009 Omaha Area OSHA

    09/01/2009 Des Moines OSHA

    09/02/2009 Wage & Hour

    09/04/2009 Attorney General    		 Customers of the Consulate who were seated in the waiting room were provided informal presentations by the various Agency representatives. Q&A was also afforded those in attendance. This number varied from day to day.

    45

    37

    ~40

    ~40
    Radio Lobo – Spanish language radio station broadcasting to eastern NE and western IA.

    AAD – Darwin Craig joined Consul Ernesto Espejel on a one-hour broadcast addressing occupational safety and health issues, including a Q&A opportunity for the listeners.







    ~ 50,000 Hispanics living in the Omaha metropolitan area. This does not include western IA, or surrounding communities.
    Totals ~ 50, 247


  5. Upcoming Milestones

    Currently nothing is planned for 2010.

    Report Prepared by: Doug Fletcher, Compliance Assistance Specialist, Omaha Area Office, 402-553-0171.