Bush OSHA Nominee Heads Firm Specializing in Union Busting

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is one of the last remaining government agencies that actually protects working people in their workplace. Obviously, then, it is an agency that is really important to unions. Thus, not surprisingly, President Bush has gone out of his way to appoint someone to head OSHA that hates unions.

His name is Edwin Foulke and he is a partner at the law firm Jackson Lewis. How do we know that means he hates unions? Because Jackson Lewis is one of the nation's leading firms that helps bust unions. Just look at workshops it is now holding called "How to Stay Union Free." You may also recall that according to the New York Times, Jackson Lewis is at the center of a controversy where one company has accused it "of malpractice and of advising it to engage in illegal behavior" - namely, using thug-like behavior to prevent a union from organizing in South Carolina.

Bush's desire to put install foxes in the government henhouse is nothing new - just thumb through the 2003 report issued by Rep. George Miller's office to know that's true. Still, installing a person who holds workers in such contempt to head the agency that is supposed to protect workers is really outrageous, even for this administration.


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