Newsom’s Defense of Californians Should Include Cal/OSHA

BY GARRETT BROWN

Dec. 2 Governor Gavin Newsom convened a special session of the California state legislature to “defend Californians” against the incoming Trump administration. Lots of brave words were declared and bold promises were made for a $25 million “defense fund” to be considered by the Legislature in January. If Newsom really wants to set a good example for the rest of the nation, he might start by ending the understaffing that has crippled California’s enforcement of its own job safety and health rules covering 19 million workers in the private and public sector.

Newsom has well-known national political ambitions, and he is positioning himself to be a leader of Democratic Party opposition to an expected Republican roll-back of federal regulations protecting workers, consumers, and the environment.

However, since he became governor in 2019, California’s workplace safety agency – Cal/OSHA – has suffered from growing understaffing, just as federal OSHA lacked sufficient inspectors during Trump’s first term.

In August 2024, according to the latest available official data, Cal/OSHA had a vacancy rate of 46% in field enforcement inspector positions. Fifteen of 30 Cal/OSHA enforcement offices had inspector vacancy rates above 40% — ranging from 42% to 73%. The state has only one inspector for every 130,000 workers, as compared to the Washington state ratio of 1 inspector to 26,000 workers or Oregon’s ratio of 1 inspector to 24,000 workers.

Worker Protections Eroded

The years-long understaffing has had a devastating impact on worker protections in California:

• Starting in 2020, the majority of worker complaints about unsafe or unhealthy conditions resulted in Cal/OSHA merely sending a letter to the employer involved, rather than making an actual work site inspection.
• To manage an ever-growing backlog of the actual on-site inspections, Cal/OSHA compliance officers often rush through abbreviated, “once over lightly” job site visits, without having enough time to meet with all affected workers, perform a thorough walk-through, conduct exposure monitoring and assessments, and carefully review employer records of job injuries and accidents.

Not surprisingly, the Cal/OSHA inspectorate riddled with vacancies opened 12% fewer inspections during the first three quarters of 2024 than in the same period in 2023. Nine of the top 10 industrial sectors saw fewer inspections than in the same period of 2023. Cal/OSHA also issued 12% fewer citations to employers in the first three quarters of 2024 compared to 2023, and the 2024 citation total is 50% lower than during the same period in 2022.

Stung by critical media coverage of Cal/OSHA’s understaffing and resulting failure to protect workers, particularly those engaged in agriculture, the agency recently announced a reorganization. Cal/OSHA will now have three new district offices in Santa Barbara, Riverside and Fresno, and four new offices for a new agricultural safety unit in Bakersfield, El Centro, Lodi and Salinas.

But empty new offices, or ones half-staffed with inspector transferred in from elsewhere in the state, will not change the situation on the ground without more trained and bilingual field inspectors. Currently Cal/OSHA has only 11 field inspectors statewide certified to be fluent in languages other than English.

Cal/OSHA Twisting Slowly, Slowly in the Wind

The Governor prides himself on being a “problem-solver” and “can do” policy maker. Yet, even though the legislature has fully funded the budget needed to hire and create a better staffed inspectorate, the Newsom administration has been unable or unwilling to fill Cal/OSHA inspector vacancies.

Clearly, having a fully-staffed, trained, and robust force of Cal/OSHA inspectors is not going to win the Governor any applause from his many past – and possible future – corporate campaign donors in agriculture and industry.

But if Governor Newsom wants to be a real leader in the Trump 2.0 era – he can cut through the red tape and months-long waits in the hiring process to fully staff Cal/OSHA. He can order a revision of the overly restrictive job qualifications, and demand an accelerated pace of job offers.

Currently, many qualified applicants with industrial hygiene and occupational health and safety college degrees end up taking job offers elsewhere while they wait, fruitlessly, to hear back from Cal/OSHA. Candidates without engineering degrees, but who have years of relevant experience in union or company health and safety committees, are not even eligible to apply.

A weakened, in-name-only workplace safety agency cannot meet its mission and mandate to protect workers against jobsite hazards that result in hundreds of injuries, illnesses and fatalities each year in California. Nor will it be a deterrent to irresponsible employers who will seek to take full advantage of the incoming Trump administration’s pledge to slash regulatory health and safety protections.

California’s working people and their families should not be forced to pay the price in blood and tears for the Governor Newsom’s Trump-like lack of concern about serious workplace health and safety threats.

Garrett Brown worked for Cal/OSHA for more than 20 years as a field compliance officer and later as Special Assistant to the Chief of Cal/OSHA in Headquarters. He currently teaches occupational health and safety courses at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health.

Contact Governor Newsom HERE and tell him to fully staff Cal OSHA

The Things that Make for Peace

BY RICK LONGINOTTI

A Dialogue and Audience Discussion

Monday, Dec 16, 7pm

London Nelson Center

301 Center St, Santa Cruz

What I find inspiring in these times are people from different "sides" who are able to find common ground. I think you'll find the Dec.16 discussion between Dana Peleg and Rami Chahine inspiring. After hearing their stories, we intend to facilitate small group discussions.

New Peace Song from Michael Levy

One of the participants in our vigil at Panetta's office, Michael Levy, has written a new song inspired by a vision of peace for Israel & Palestine. He writes, "I got the input I needed for the song when I went to see Osama and Rotem speak. They are a Palestinian and Israeli Jew, touring under the name "Salt of the Earth," to spread understanding about the roots of violence over there, and to point the way towards future peace and justice. Using their stories, I created the new characters Avram and Ibrahim (essentially the same name in Hebrew and in Arabic), in this song. I hope it helps spread Osama and Rotem's message a little more."

Warming Center Opens

BY BRENT ADAMS

Warming Wednesday, the hypothermia protection gear distribution program is now open. It runs every Wednesday from noon to 3pm, at 150 Felker St., Santa Cruz, at the river side gate. The following items are available: jackets, blankets, tents, clothing, shoes/socks, hygiene and bath sundries, rain gear and hypothermia gear. Available items are limited to those who sleep outside. Those in shelters, 1220 River St., and the Armory are not included in this program.

Donate items to the Donation Barrel at REI Sports, Commercial Way and 150 Felker St. where there is a Donation Portal through the fence.

Donate funding support:

At warmingcenterprogram.com or write a check and send to:

Warming Center Program

PO Box 462 Santa Cruz, CA 95061

Contact:

Emergency Homeless Info Hotline: (831) 246-1234. Office: (831) 588-9892

warmingcenterprogram@gmail.com IG: @warmingcenterprogram

Jan. 20 - Santa Cruz March for the Dream

CONTRIBUTED BY NAACP SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

MLK Jr. People's March for the Dream has become a powerful tradition, symbolizing the ongoing pursuit of justice, equality, and civil rights for all in Santa Cruz County. 

The march will begin at 10am on Mon., Jan. 20, at Pacific Ave. and Cathcart St., Santa Cruz, and will culminate in a program at the Civic Auditorium, 11am –12 noon. Please note that the march will happen rain or shine.

This year, we are gearing up for an impactful event and need your support to make it truly extraordinary. We are seeking sponsors, volunteers, and groups to march with us. Click here to become a March sponsor; click here to sign your group up to march; click here to volunteer to help at the March. Or just visit our website.

Fight Back, Jan. 19 in San Francisco

BY MARK GINSBERG

For those of you who may not be able to travel to Washington, DC for the big march on Jan. 20, I urge you to participate (and bring friends, neighbors, family, and co-workers) to the rally on Jan.19 in San Francisco.

The day before Inauguration Day, Jan. 19, people from across Northern California will come together in San Francisco to demand a future that centers on the needs of the people over the interests of the wealthy elite. With voices raised for workers’ rights, immigrant rights, environmental justice, and an end to the genocide in Gaza, we will stand for working people, not a billionaire’s agenda-from the local to the global, from defending people at home to ending the U.S. war machine.

We are gathering endorsements. If you or your organization would like to endorse the SF action, please reach out to answer@answersf.org.

We also encourage our supporters to attend the SF MLK Day march the following day, on Mon., Jan. 20, 9:30am at 700 4th St., San Francisco.

CARTOON BY ELIZABETH WILLIAMS

Notorious RBG

BY WOODY REHANEK  

John wipes ashes off his car.

Carl whacks possums with a stick.

Jack anoints his wildflower garden

where the redwood smoke is thick.

Mel & Fancy Nancy in a black Corvette.

Suzy feeds Cha-Cha, Chewy, & Blue.

Chris stays home; Ana never left.

Covid exposes wise folks & fools.

Lately, of the many who passed away

from angst, sickness & disease

in our endangered, fractured,

Divided States

there is only one Notorious RBG.

******************

"Aging is an extraordinary process

whereby you become the person

that you always should have been."

--David Bowie

******************

"I believe that the privilege of a

lifetime is being who you are."

--Viola Davis

******  

PHOTO TARMO HANNULA

A turkey vulture cruises low above Bridge Street in Watsonville. The birds typically have a 67-inch wingspan and weigh about 4 pounds.

Santa Cruz County Covid-19 Report

By SARAH RINGLER

The California Department of Public Health and Santa Cruz County Health Department regularly release data on the current status of Covid-19 in the county as well as information on influenza, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and Mpox. Since cases of Covid are still appearing, and there are still vulnerable people, I will continue reporting the graphs below.

The three graphs below were updated on Dec. 11.

The first graph is the Effective Reproductive Number. When the line rises above one, it shows that the spread of the virus is increasing. Below one means the spread is decreasing. 

The second graph below shows data that the Health Department collects for Covid from wastewater at the City Influent, for the city of Santa Cruz, and from the Lode Street pump stations for the county.



The third graph below shows hospitalizations.

PHOTO BY TARMO HANNULA

Fashion Street - Famed rock guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, is the central theme of the collage covering this minivan that was parked on East Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz recently.

Labor History Calendar - Dec. 13-19, 2024

a.k.a Know Our History Lest We Forget

Dec. 13, 1917: Broken Hills strikers seize mine in Australia.

Dec. 13, 1981: Martial law declared in Poland; Solidarnosc suppressed.

Dec. 13, 1995: 60,000 march in Brussels against austerity.

Dec. 14, 1852: Daniel DeLeon born, helped found IWW.

Dec. 14, 1992: 300,000 march in Brussels against austerity.

Dec. 15, 1890: Oglala Sioux chief Sitting Bull killed.

Dec. 15, 1918: Textile workers strike for 8-hour day in Lima, Peru.

Dec. 16, 1970: Polish workers rebel against high prices; over 50 are killed. 

Dec. 17, 1985: UFCW blocks picketing of non-striking Hormel plants. 

Dec. 17, 2010: Tunisian worker sets self on fire, touching off 28 days of strikes and protest that topple government. 

Dec. 18, 1830: Trial of Swing Rioters, peasants and workers who fought for minimum wage.

Dec. 19, 1884: 27 miners killed by speed-up in Orangeville, Utah mine disaster.

Dec. 19, 2015: Amazon warehouse workers begin strike demanding company honor labor standards in Germany.

Labor History Calendar has been published yearly by the Hungarian Literature Fund since 1985.

“'Anticipatory obedience.' It’s a phrase I’ve found myself coming back to over and over in the past few weeks. It’s the notion – as explained by the historian Timothy Snyder, expert in the rise of Nazism – that power is often freely handed to authoritarians."

Betsy Reed, Editor of the US Guardian

Photo by TARMO HANNULA

Homemade Scandinavian crisp bread, cheese, fruit, a glass of wine and a winter night

 By SARAH RINGLER

These sturdy little crackers are not like the average crisp bread varieties found in most American grocery stores. The rye flour gives them substance. The delicate flavor of the celery seeds and brown sugar provide contrast to the heavy cracker. It goes well with most cheeses; the celery seeds complement the buttery flavor of cheese. Serve on a plate with cheese, some slices of apples and a cluster of grapes. Add a glass of wine and settle into the winter nights. 

Celery seeds are used as a spice but also have medicinal qualities as pain relievers and have, in experiments with rats, lowered their blood pressure. Do not use seeds developed for planting in gardens because many have been treated with chemicals to ensure that they sprout easily. 

As an image, the celery leaf goes back to Egyptian times when celery leaf garlands were found in King Tut’s tomb. Classical Greece used the leaf for funeral garlands but also to make wreathes for winners of sporting events.  

As a food, the bitter taste of the wild plant was an obstacle to reaching the kitchen table and is probably one reason it was associated with death. But over time, varieties were bred that were sweeter and more tender like the kind we use today. 

Scandinavian celery seed crisp bread

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup rye flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons celery seeds

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

2/3  cup water

Mix the flours, brown sugar, celery seeds, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the mixture continuing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add the water all at once and stir with a fork until the mixture can be made into a ball. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured board and knead gently 8 or 9 times. Divide the dough into 6 parts. Roll each ball into an 8-inch round. Use your index finger to make a 1 inch hole in the center. Use the tines if a fork to make small holes all around the center. Place the rounds on the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until it is crisp. Remove from the oven to cool and continue to bake all the rounds. Keeps for a few weeks in a tin. 

Submit a story, poem or photo of your art that you think would be of interest to the people of Santa Cruz County. Try and keep the word count to around 400. Also, there should be suggested actions if this is a political issue. Submit to coluyaki@gmail.com

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Thanks, Sarah Ringler