The United Auto Workers (UAW) union has joined other critics in speaking out against job cuts at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
NIOSH is a research agency that focuses on preventing work-related injuries and illnesses.
It's the only federal agency responsible for researching ways to improve worker health and safety in the United States.
In a written statement, the UAW said that the work done by the agency is “absolutely critical in advancing rules that protect workers on the job.”
These job cuts are part of a broader restructuring ordered by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who claims that reducing the workforce will save taxpayers money.
Rick Neitzel, a professor of environmental health sciences and director of the Center for Occupational Health and Safety Engineering at the University of Michigan, says the center is funded by NIOSH to help students pursue education in occupational health and safety.
"This is one of the federal agencies that actually helps us save money by preventing workplace injuries," Neitzel said. "The notion that we're saving money by cutting an agency that actually already is saving money for the country, again, I think is completely indefensible."
He also explains that these cuts will freeze progress in workplace safety research and eliminate funding for academic programs that train occupational health professionals.
"Without this agency in place, there's not going to be anyone pushing for new ways to prevent injuries, new ways to keep workers from getting sick or even being killed on the job," he said.
Kelly Barnett, president of UAW Local 6000—which represents Human Services and Administrative Support Units employed by the State of Michigan—believes these layoffs will affect local communities.
“When you have layoffs, it means less economic growth and stability in the areas where we live,” Barnett said. “There’s always a ripple effect when people lose their jobs.”
The UAW concluded their statement by saying they believe there will be negative consequences following the decision to cut jobs at NIOSH, and they demand that the jobs be reinstated.
