Union Support
AOEC works closely with unions to support research, service, and training to improve the health and safety of workers.
For instance, AOEC provides on-going technical support and collaboration with the International Chemical Workers Union Council (ICWUC) for a broad range of issues, including emerging infectious diseases, tracking alerts on EPI-X and CDC, and training outreach at national public health meetings such as the American Occupational Health Conference (AOHC) and the American Public Health Association conference (APHA), and thought leadership for the future National Institute for Environmental Health Science (NIEHS) funding.
Over the last two decades, AOEC has collaborated with the AFL-CIO to develop projects with local unions through the Occupational Health Internship Program (OHIP). OHIP trainees are placed with local unions and community/worker focused organizations nationwide each summer for a 9-week field experience that includes a give-back to the unions. To date, 392 students, over half of which are under-represented minorities, have completed the program. Further, over 50% of OHIP alumni have gone on to pursue careers in occupational safety and allied professions. See below for a list of the 2023 OHIP projects.
2023 OHIP Projects
| Site | Students | Host Organization | Project |
| Chicago | Ursula Gately Lyann Tam | Community Health Partnership of Illinois, Legal Aid Chicago, Shawnee Health Service and Illinois Migrant Council | Developing health and safety training materials for farmworkers to protect their health and well-being |
| Los Angeles | Natalie Jefferson Thana Oladejo | Black Women for Wellness | Bringing awareness to health issues caused by toxic chemicals used in salons and the disproportionate harm it has on Black salon workers |
| Los Angeles | Luis Garcia Chavez Darvin Herdegen | Restaurant Opportunities Center (ROC) of Los Angeles | Documenting workers’ experiences of workplace violence in the restaurant chain industry |
| New York City | Nicholas Redmond Jessica Rodriguez | New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) | Evaluating workplace violence prevention control measures implemented in select NYSNA-represented healthcare facilities |
| Portsmouth, OH | Anna Gambetta Zachary Jones | The United Steelworkers (USW) | Documenting radiation and chemical exposure and training for workers at the Portsmouth Department of Energy |
| San Francisco Bay Area | Eva Schultz Kaitlin Simpson | National Nurses United (NNU) | Documenting experiences of workplace violence among nurses and developing prevention strategies |
| San Francisco Bay Area | Betsy Barba Emmally Trujillo | Laborer’s International Union of North America | Exploring construction workers knowledge of heat-related illness and recommending prevention strategies |
| Spokane, WA | Natalie Burda Aivan Nguyen | The United Food and Commercial Workers Union | Documenting injuries among grocery store workers and developing ways to improve the work environment |
| Metropolitan Washington, DC Area | Nikita Aggarwal Bethel Dereb | Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Local 689 | Investigating workplace violence among transit workers |