Volume 17, Number 1 (June-July 1988)

Bloomingt?n:-Normal

2 . • . • . . . . Help fu l tab le of c on tents , b enefi t ad , other
2 s tu ff .

- J A• • • . . • • • look a t the i d ea l fu tu r e of bi r thi ng . !tc:=�nc_ =:;cix�-�t==c1C*=�a1acx:=•M

4 0 SHA. • • . • • • • work s a ga i ns t s a fety and hea lth. About us

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6 • • . • . • . • Communi ty news b r eak throu g hs . community newspaper providing-infor­
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� BLOOM INGTO N

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Post Amerikan Vol . 1 7 . No . 1 June-July 1 9 8 8 Page 3

MidUJilery and hcmebirlh:
IhJ1J11 IuiurJ1J11
Imagine you are an Amerikan baby A big factor in the year 2000 was
being born in the year 2028. Your the insurance industry's awakening The two local hospitals are still
mother has chosen the cultural norm, to the obscene waste on obstetrics around in 2028, but their roles in
of course, of having you in the when the low-cost, high-satisfaction birth are back to what they should
safety, control, convenience, and and greater safety of midwifery would be--for extreme cases. Perhaps.an
pleasure of her own home. Things make much bigger profits! In the occasional mother will be involved
have changed a lot in forty years! mid-80s they had reaped similar in a car accident. Even then her
financial benefits by stopping the supporters accompany her into the
The gothering funding of unnecessary circumcisions. operating room to help her stay safe
They paid out less when the public and have a good birth.
As many family members and friends quit because insurance didn't cover
as she wants join her for the birth. it or were caused to explore the Each hospital has a long list of
She also has invited a circle of issue and then decided against it: independent doulas and midwives who
caring, experienced "wise women" to accompany their few clients who birth
help her--one or two as midwives, While you are being born, a there. Experienced "wise women" and
some as doulas (or labor companions), publicly-funded "flying squad" hospital folks have laid to rest the
and likely an apprentice or two. emergency vehicle (complete with old power struggle that embittered
operating room, an OB, and two RNs) them. The circle of birth has been
The house is quiet and warm, although pulls into the driveway quietly and healed; everyone recognizes and
everyone is free to talk and laugh parks. The staff inside sits through . respects each other's being a part
yet another birth playing cards and of it.
as usual. The lights are lowered watching videos.
the way your mother prefers. She C:elebrotion
Their service is offered to all, but
eats and drinks as she feels to keep is seldom used now that real At your home, the mood turns festive
prevention of problems is practiced now. As your mama catches you, you
her strength up. 'She bakes some through good nutrition and midwifery look at her and cry a little. She
cookies, then walks outside with care. Most importantly the public cradles you close and coos to you.
friends that drop by. She is in perception of birth has changed to Others cover you both with warmed
early labor and breathes only a little one of taking responsibility and blankets. Everyone celebrates!
more deeply. She smiles and strokes having confidence in birth to work Birthday cake and champagne get passed
her belly some. most of the time. out to everyone--including the flying
sq\lad folks who are invited in.
During active or mid-labor, the rest Birth is no longer secret and kept
of the birth circle arrives. Hugs in institutions. Birth knowledge is Does this scenario sound just too
are freely exchanged. not hoarded by professionals. Birth visionary? Last issue I pictured
is once again just a special part of the dystopia of today. I hope you
The rhythm of birth the normal cycles of life and death. were as outraged as I feel that we
continue �o tolerate birth practices
Now your mother feels like being ' Children grow up getting childbirth that are unkind, unsafe, and
inner-focused and quiet. People education at school. They see births unnecessary. I hope after reading
around her help her keep cool with of their siblings. Their grandmothers of this baby's future birth, you
wet cloths on her forehead and help probably help at an occasional birth feel like helping bring a better
her take off her clothes. She and their mothers eventually serve reality closer.
breathes more deeply and closes her as attendants of some kind also.
eyes sometimes. She loves having For future reading, I highly
her face and arms stroked and having The half-joking comment "a midwife recommend
people tell her they love her. The on every block" is almost literally
midwife and others as unobtrusively true. Helping each other birth is Diana Korte. A Good Birth, A Safe
as possible check your heart tones just something women do in Amerika Birth.
and your mother's progress. by 2028. Each ethnic group has its
own attendants they feel comfortable Rahima Baldwin. Special Deliverv.
The energy and caring flow in all with. Women have a lot of choices (She supplied materials for part of
directions at the birth. People and get much better care. the "Miscellaneous Birthing Briefs"
feel good. Your birth is helping last time.)
them to grow by taking responsibility With the solid re-emergence of
and giving of themselves. midwifery and homebirth, the Janet Isaacs Ashford. Whole Birth
malpractice "fever" broke. Informed Catalog and "Childbirth Alternatives
After her cervix is fully dilated, choice and respect for clients (not Quarterly." (The Madre Committee of
she starts to feel like pushing. "patients") became the standards Midwives information last issue came
She squats to help you come down the women came to expect of all from CAQ.)
birth canal. Perhaps she sits on caregivers.
your father's lap as she moans. The Other journals include "Maternal
sound helps her labor go faster and The rise of midwifery wa� also partly Health News" {Canadian), "The Compleat
better. responsible for more employment and Mother" (Canadian), "Mothering"
magazine (Amerikan), and "Midwifery
greater s�atus for women of all ages, Today."

but especially older women. --A Local Birth Activist
Traditional "granny midwifery" worked
She knows well that birth is sexual out best as a system. Midwives and
pleasure and orgasmic. The old canard attendants could raise their own
about its being all danger and pain families first. Young women could
has been replaced in the culture. earn more and even take their kids
The image your mother has seen on as they worked as home postpartum
television and at her friends' births visitors. They would gradually gain
is a positive, strong one. experience that way and occasionally
be at births also. Apprenticeships
in middle years were easily entered,
sometimes after courses at a junior
college.

She reaches up inside her to touch Operation Recycle's
your head and help her stretch as Summer
you crown. Her eyes are dilated and
others can sense the power in her Recycling Options
body and in her breath. You and she
are following the rhythms and messages *8 c onv eni ent
of your own unique birth. It is
timeless inner wisdom that your birth dropoff loc ations
attendants do not interfere with.
She knows "a good birth is a safe *
birth" for both you and her.

The socio� enlightenment ( )Call 829-0691 COMMUNITY ACTION for More Information

She and others since 1988 have seen Operation Recycle is a not-for-profit community recycling center
how the freedom to be oneself is
only possible in the home with
midwifery as the philosophy. Women's
magazines finally led some campaigns
in the 1990s on these issues. The
middle class got more and more
enlightened--and also just plain fed
up with 50% and higher Caesareans!

Page

·we've b"ied over the past twenty years In fact, Auchter was so pro-business �Cal fornia Congressman George Miller,
that he blocked distribution of an
be�;to talc safety to employers and get them to OSHA booklet about brown lung chairman of the House subcommittee
Ray McClure. an indusb"ial disease--a malady often suffered EY on labor standards, became enraged.
hygienist for the federal government. told cotton mill workers. The cover
me. ·but as long as it costs money. they're featured a photo of a worker suffering "What would have been the harm if
not going to do it:--Rachel Scott's 1974 from the illness. The booklet was you lost?" he bellowed. "Your pride?
groundbreaking book on Industrial safety. finally distributed but only after Your agency's batting average? The
Muscle and Blood. Auchter shot taxpayer money putting bottom line is you did nothing and
a plain cover on the booklet. workers are still being covered by a
Employers are not always the world's twelve-rea7-old standard everybody
best at caring for worker safety, In January 1983, OSHA postponed a agrees is inadequate."
but the federal Occupational Safety proposal calling for the government
and Health Administration (OSHA) to publish a list of cancer-causing But OSHA, under Reagan, doesn't want
just flatly doesn't give a damn. chemicals and agents in the workplace. to act and is willing to let workers
die and unwilling to help workers
Back in 1983, a film processing plant OSHA did so poorly under Reagan that trying to expose unsafe plants.
worker died of cyanide poisoning Jimmy carter's OSHA man, Eula Bingham,
while working in Chicago. Assistant told the House Government Affairs -in the short time I was In the plant. the
Labor Secretary John A. Pendergrass Committee that most of Auchter's thick dust stained my shoes and perman­
called it a tragedy and said, "It's efforts had been to relax existing ently ringed my socks. My throat and nose
something we don't want to happen health standards and to send signals were black with the dust and when I blew
again." to employers that they were free to my nose. the mucus was black too:-­
ignore health regulations. Muscle and Blood.
For, you see, six months before the
death, OSHA, after inspecting only In Auchter's first nine months, OSHA It was the Wisconsin Committee on
the company's records--not the plant-­ inspections dropped 21 percent, there Occupational Safety and Health
pronounced the company in compliance were 33 percent fewer citations, (WISCOSH) who uncovered some of the
with safety regulations! total dollar penalties against really sleazy OSHA activities ' or
businesses declined 48 percent and lack of activity.
This horror story was told in the complaints from workers who said
March 24, 1988, issue of the Wall they were fired for calling OSHA WISCOSH was investigating OSHA
Street Journal. Why was this brought about unsafe plants rose 189 percent! performance on Section llc of the
up five years after the man died Occupational Safety and Health Act
from unsafe working conditions? OSHA did so badly that Steve Wodka, of 1970. That section states that
Because it wasn't until March 22 of a former health and safety employees cannot be fired for
this year that OSHA finally ordered reporting unsafe working conditions
its inspectors to examine hazardous �representative for the Oil Chemical to their firm or OSHA.
areas of the plant where accidents
occurred instead of just reading the and Atomic Workers Union, aid Auchter On December 9, 1986, WISCOSH filed a
company's accident records without "has been put in there with ·a specific Freedom of Information Act request
an inspection! ! with OSHA for copies of llc complaints
· filed with the Milwaukee area OSHA
·Most companies flnd..Jhat It ts more office between 1983 and 1987.
pr-ofitable to plan for disability and to purpose: to dismantle any
compensate the side and maimed wortcers effectiveness the agency might have." OSHA stalled, then asked for more
than it is to inslall safety measures to than $1, 000 in fees. WISCOSH
pr-otect them:--Muscle and Blood. As Jack Sheehan. a steelworker union contacted Congressmen Jim Moody and
lobbyist. pointed out. the federal law G7rald Klecka, who intt;1;rven.e_q . . . Even .
OSHA, under the Reagan administration, (OSHA) was enacted ·1n response to the
has performed so badly that it not historic failure of the states to provide twith this high-powered support OSHA
only cut down on inspections, but adequate protection to the working man:
dragged its feet on safety complaints --Muscle and Blood dd.ic' dcumneotntsstuanrttisleMnadiyn1g5W, IS1C9O8S7H--shiex
and even helped get workers fired months later!
who complained about plant safety! In 1982, under Reagan, the OSHA
More on this shortly. enforcement budget was hacked by 15 Out of 249 cases in the Wisconsin
percent. area, where workers had filed
The Wisconsin Committee on complaints saying they were fired
Occupational Safety and Health The courts stepped in when OSHA for filing safety protests, workers
(WISCOSH)--a group of workers, refused to set required safety won 15, lost 18 and 216 were closed.
attorneys, and health and safety standards, one example being when Only 50 inspections and 105 citations
professionals--issued a November the U.S. Circuit Board of Appeals resulted. The average penalty per
1987 report stating OSHA was so ordered OSHA to set a federal standard violation was only $74!
corrupt that "we found overwhelming for safe levels of exposure to
evidence that OSHA not only fails to formaldehyde. Richard Murray, a former OSHA
take worker discrimination complaints investigator, told OSHA "most of
seriously (where workers have been OSHA's reputation is so bad that in OSHA's investigators are retired
fired by employers for making safety June 1982, Environmental Protection military and civilian police officers.
complaints to OSHA), it seems to do Agency officials told their bosses That goes a long way toward explaining
everything possible to discourage to issue a standard for diethylene why they treat llc cases and
and deter workers from pursuing such dibromide and not wait for OSHA. �omplaint� as they do--many people
complaints at all." OSHA didn't issue its standards until in those Jobs believe that their
September 1983. role is to preserve and protect the
WISCOSH said OSHA was so bad that if status quo. Workers who insist on
nonunion workers had an unsafe plant, Then, two House subcommittees probed their right to a hazard-free workplace
they should first try to organize a OSHA's failure to act earlier.
union before making a safety complaint Auchter claimed OSHA would not have ar7--to OSf,!_A--at best, time consuming
because OSHA only tended to act when
a union was involved--particularly �een able to make a good enough case nuisances, and at worst,
after it roped in a local member of rabble-rousing troublemakers with a
Congress to help. in court .if the standard was personal vendetta against OSHA."
challenged by a business.
OSHA has done poorly when one
considers the U.S. Bureau of Labor ,,Rope CriSis Center
began investigating industrial
diseases in 1903, passed the first of Mcleon County
plant safety act (the Esch Act) in
1912 on manufacture of phosphorus WE'RE A NON-PROFIT VOLUNTEER GROUP WHOSE MAIN PURPOSE IS TO OFFER
matches, formed the Department of ASSiSTANCE AND SUPPORT TO VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.AND THEIR FRIENDS
Labor in 1913 "to improve working AND FAMILIES.
conditions," and ordered the first FEMALE VOLUNTEERS ANSWER OUR CALL�, BUT BOT'H.. MALE AND FEMALE
Labor Secretary William B. Wilson to VOLUNTEERS' ARE AVAILABLE FOR CRISIS ASSISTANCE, INFORMATION AND
report on industrial diseases and SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS.
accidents.

The bill establishing OSHA passed in If you want to talk to one of us
1970.

Under President Carter, his OSHA Call PATH 827-4005

man, Dr. Eula Bingham, tightened and ask for the .. ;,.-"-
safety inspections. But Ronald Reagan
appointed Thorne Auchter, a Florida

construction contractor, as the new ROpe Crisis Center
OSHA man, and called for deregulation

of business under OSHA •

................................................... .l. ._. _..;._. _________..;.,_____________..,._. _,,... __..-..__.__,__�·�/�----------..;_.;_,__._...., .:._. _-... ..,. .L...&11A1

·For the love of Until the April-May P ost Issue . I D i s regard ing the objecti ons of "'
animals d i d not realize how vital this humble res id ents and even memb e r s of its 0t/l
c olumn c ould be to animal rights own rank s . the McLean County Board rt
educ ation . (In light of the anti­ has app roved the c onstruction of a
animal slant published in the d aily �
rag . I should have known alternative . �
p ro-animal i s sues would be welc omed rabbit fac tory east of Bloomington .
by a c omp as s i onate read e rship . ) Th i s fac ility . wh ich will b e ope rated �
by Hazelton Research P roducts . Inc . . �
That c olumn s et in motion a chain of a Pennsylvania f i rm , will rais e 20 . 000 �
events which d id thi s old heart good.
On April 14 . I rec e ived a phone c all rabb it$ for use in lab orato ry
from Sc ott Curry . As one of the research .
p rop rietors of Electric Coffee . Sc ott
"On my first day in llc," Murray offe red the fac ilities for a World Setting as ide the mo ral is sues . there
Lab Animal Libe ration Week educational
�said "my supervisor took me aside b enefit . The spac e . mus ic and c offee are vital env i ronmental p roblems
would be p rov ided--all I needed to
and eriously oriented me to the do was plan a p res entation . which we re e ithe r ignored or white­
'real world out there in the streets:
85 percent of the complainants who A week and a half is not really the washed . Newspaper clipp ings and z
come in here are the scum of the optimum amount of time to p repare phone interviews with rep o rters from 0
earth.' He was dead serious--and I such a s oc ial oc c as i on . but with
soon discovered that the entire off.ice optimistic ignorance . I jumped at Denv e r , PA , s ite of an ex i s ting
operated on just that pr emise . " the opp o rtunity . Calling all the
loc al animal rights activ i s ts I c ould factory . reveal ho rrors of
OSHA was so hostile to workers that think of . I b egged for any suggestions envi ronmental mismanagement .
on two occasions, the documents they c ould offe r .
revealed, an OSHA supervisor, �n Mountains of exc rement , c o rp s e s . and
visiting a plant, told the business, Untold long d i stanc e calls late r . I litter we re allowed to acc umulate'
in violation of all rules, th e name had as suranc es from othe r c entral
coofmptlhaeinetmsp.loyeLeegwahlloy,filseudcht�ienformati. on Illinois activ i s ts of the i r willing unchecked. Hoards of flies . s p awned
can only be revealed with the partic ipation . Lauri Buchna from in blood and shit . invaded ne ighbo ring
employee's approval . C itizens for Animal Rights , based in res idents . "Unclean" rabb its . ones
Peoria . and metaphysic ian Trisha who had touched the floo r , we re k illed
Ln one case, the complaint resulted Holmes from Champaign p romised to by slamming cage doors on the ir necks , �
in 12 citations and fines of $780. attend . Lauri als o offe red to p rov ide and then were added to the p ile.
When the OSHA man leaked the name, video tap es of s eve ral lab exp os e s . �
the employee was not only fired during includ ing the award-winning movie 00
a layoff but was not rehired when The Animals' Film. a d i sturb ingly
the plant added old employees back graphic exp e r ienc e . Fearing public The stench from this "unholy acre"
on payroll the next year. alienation . I vetoed that one . but of grues ome waste c annot b e desc ribed .
urged Lauri to b ring whatever But� the fl ies were the worst p roblem .
In the second case, the OSHA pe ople ma instream material that she c ould .
not only refused to press to get the Not your ave rage hou s efly , the s e
man reh ired but sent h im a letter The 24th ar rived . with much left to
saying they would not handle the be acc ompl i shed. But we plunged ins ects , nourished by blood taken
case because the employee had ahead. To our d i s may . The P antagraph
complained about OSHA's performance misp rinted the time s . sho rtening the from horses and c attle and s tored in
to his Congressional representativ e! event by 2 hours . We c ould only
hope that the 200 fli e rs which Sc ott huge hold:i..ng tanks for s e rum
No action was taken against the OSHA and D iane Perris had c ontributed
official who gave the names to the would make the d iffe renc e . extrac tion , grew to eno rmous s ize
employers.
Looking back on it now . I feel v e ry and population. At a meeting of DER
small wonder that WISCOSH noted in pos itive about the experienc e .
its report, the11 • • • deadly dilemma Attend anc e c ould have b een b ette r . investigators and township
workers face today: Risk your life but fifty enlightened p a rticipants sup e rvi s o rs , a bucket was p as s ed
by continuing to work in hazardous is not too bad . Viewings of Tools among the m , filled with dead flies .
conditions, or risk your job by trying for Research and a slide p res entation .
to get your employer or OSHA to a panel d iscuss i on by Lauri . Trisha Thi s was a one-day accumulation.
correct the situation." and our very own Ma rty Greenb e rg . vacuumed from windows , doors and
inc id ental mus ic p rov ided by three
WISCOSH found such abuse as: local jaz z mus ic ians and rec o rd ings walls of a vic tim resident . "The
of the Animal L ib e ration album ( Nina
(1) The food service employee who Hagen . Howard J ones . et al ) . as well flies accumulate . . . during the evening
was fired because he told one business as pamphlets and petiti ons offered
on his route it had a safety problem. food for thought. hours when they are s e ek ing wa rmth . "
OSHA refused to act, saying that
since his safety concern hadn't been If even one of tho s e fifty c onveys "We are afraid of infection . • . • If
with his own company, he could be to others the abomination of you get eggs in your system , maggots
fired for pointing out another firm's l ab o ratory c ruelty . • • or just thinks will actually develop ins ide you."
safety problem! before blindly sub s id i z ing d rug and Most res idents claim they mus t
c osmetic testing when buying p roducts
(2) A safety inspector for a tire which have c omp ass ionate pu rchas e hund reds o f d ollars wo rth
company threatened to notify OSHA if alternatives • • • then our g oa l was m�t.
a safety problem wasn't corrected. of bug s p ray every year. And thes e
He was fired. OSHA then inspected The Animal P rotection League of flies , a "hardy" strain . s eem immune
and found 23 violations. But OSHA I llino i s was instrumental in p rov id ing to ord ina ry.pestic ides.
decided to agree with the company support and information . and in
that the safety inspector had a ass oc iation with Electric C offee has This info rmati on . c ollected by Dee
"personality conflict with his boss"! forwarded a check for the d o o r D amkoehl er from rep o rte rs and
p roc eeds t o P.E.T.A . • s o that the newspaper clippings from The Ephrata
(3) A man was called in and fired c oncept of animal lib e ration may Review which investigated the
because, his employer claimed, he reach p eople worldwide. Pennsylvania s ituation . was
had reported a safety problem to d e l ib e rately s quelched at the McLean
OSHA. The man, contrary to what the *********************************** County Board meeting. Efforts to
employer thought, had done no such b ring the matter b ack to the Zoning
thing. But OSHA said that since the Board of Appeals were d efeated by a
employee had not filed a complaint tie-b reaking v ote.
with OSHA they would take no action
against the company, even though it ' " I have not s een d oc umentation to
would be a violation to fire someone c ontradict the find ing of the Zoning
for notifying OSHA in the first place! Board c onc ern ing the envi ronmental

These events should not surprise us impact . " s tated board repres entative
since President Reagan called for D ean D av is . The p rob l em is that
abolishing OSHA in a speech in 1979.
In its February 6, 1988, issue, The agricultural EPA guidelines do not
Nation noted Thorne Auchter, before add ress the impact of wastes from
resigning in 1984, approved the such intensive rabb it factory
dismissal of $ 12;000 in penalties fac ilities.
against a Kansas company owned by a
firm of which he was president. I gues s . when the c reeks and we l l s
Auchter also owned almost $22, 000 in reveal fecal c ontamination . when the
DuPont stock when he refused to issue
a federal formaldehyde safety exposure midsummer stench ove rwhelms the odor
standard--a standard DuPont "opposed. of hog farms . when mas s ive hoards of
super-flies descend on home and
The article also noted OSHA execs c ommunity . we ' ll realize what impact
used red-baiting to discourage their it has had on our env i ronment.
employees from doing their jobs.
Robert Rowland, Auchter's successor --RAF . with he lp from D ava Zs chau .
and a fundraiser for Reagan in the D av iTdhEemPswanilteagrr. aiT?hlel" Ephrata Review .
past, said during Congressional and
testimony there were "commies" at
OSHA. OSHA Health Standards Director \ Diesel Dick's
Leonard Vance was quoted in the same
article as having told a woman on * ·:-�-· ****�. ii * 'It ***· * COMPLETE
his staff that she sounded as if . AUTOMOTIVE
she'd been "trained in Moscow." .J)ti\.�• . --� �
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