Laundry and Employees’ Rights

Laundry

A new study alleges that fabric softeners are exposing us to dangerous toxins.

Director of Risk and Environmental Safety Angela Logomasini responds.

“The study claims that lurking in your washing machine and dryer are dangerous chemicals from fragrances in fabric softeners for which there is ‘no safe exposure level.’ Are you quivering? Don’t bother. If you buy this line a bunk, don’t ever have a glass of wine again, nor enjoy whole milk, non-fat milk, whiskey, sake, apple juice, soy sauce, or beer. These are just some of the foods that contain at least one of the ‘dangerous’ chemicals listed in this study: acetaldehyde. According to the study, this chemical flowed in the air from dryer vents at levels up to 47 parts per billion. Supposedly, that warrants more study (and perhaps government research dollars flowing to these researchers’ budgets) to assess the potential impact on human health. Snuggles should file a defamation lawsuit for such wrongheaded fear-mongering.”

Employees’ Rights

A new NLRB rule requires private employers to notify employees of their rights.

Policy Analyst Ivan Osorio comments.

“While the posting of a notice is hardly assured to send a flood of new members into union ranks, the new notice rule clearly fits into a pattern of pro-union activism by the NLRB — including proposals to shorten election periods and to allow unions to organize by remote electronic voting (essentially electronic card check), as well as the Board’s campaign against Boeing for opening a factory in a right to work state.”