The Connecticut labor news., 1923-09-01
WHAT ONE UNION
 DOES TO PROMOTE HEALTH OF MEMBERS
By Intrnational Labor News Service.

By Intrnational Labor News Service. New York, Aug. 3I.-What organ ized labor is doing to promote the
 health and safety of the workers is well illustrated by the health and sanitation work carried on by the In- ternational Ladies' Garment Work CTS Union.
 Not only is the union protecting the workers health in the factory but lit is actively looking after his or her physical well being at all times. A summary of the unions health and sanitation activities indicates the wide scope of organized labor's work along these lines, work which few lrealize. The summary, which was furnished by President M. Sigman of the union follows:
 q. The union and the employers jointly conduct a joint board of san |itary control ,the function of which lis the enforcement of health regu1a- tions in the factories, and also the in- troduction and maintenance of fire drills and all other activities tending to reduce to a minimum health and lsafety hazards. Generally the board of sanitary control Is successful in the enforcement of it's rules, but in those instances where difficulties are encountered the public health author ities are called in. The joint board of sanitary control has done much toward making the factories in our l trade safer and more sanitary for the workers.
 "2 The local unions of the inter national maintain tuberculosis funds which are employed whenever the need arises. There are very few cases of incurable tuberculosis, all others being cared for by the local
 unions through various sanitariums to which the workers are sent, and
 where they are generally cured In I the case of incurables, the locals gen. era1ly provide for the comfort of the afflicted member, and make all ar
 arrangements for keeping the tubercu- lar out of the factory.
 ! B. The international, through its affiliated locals, conducts a medical
 and dental center known as the Union Health Center. Its activities are car ried on in beautiful building owned by the union and located on East I7th street, New York City. Every mem Der of the international IS entitled to the medical services of the center, and most prominent physicians are either in attendance regularly, or visit
 the clinic at stipulated times. Free examinations are made by competent authorities, and prescriptions given.
 Tn many instances the center gives
 the medicine free Arrangements are
 also made for the families of mem
 bers of the union, and there have
 been innumerab1e instances of the
 Health Center serving several mem
 bers of the same family at the some time.
 "The center also conducts dental clinic, which during the past year was visited by members with teeth troubles over 5o,ooo times. It is one
 of the most successfully conducted clinics in New York City, and oper- |ates on cost basis, supplying dental
 facilities at very nominal cost. The
 Health Center conducts various
 classes in health and the care of the
 body, which are attended by hundreds
 of workers weekly. These workers
 are addressed by able lecturers and physicians, who generally use graphic
 slides, pictures, and other means. of
 bringing the truth about health more forcefully to the attention of the workers"