Cancer Control Research
5R01CA095964-02
Balbach, Edith D.
LABOR AND THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY
Abstract
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant):
While the shared interests that unions and public health have in worker health
has led to cooperation on many health issues, it has often not led to such
cooperation on tobacco control. While some unions have been supportive of
tobacco control efforts, many have not, and a number have adopted pro-tobacco
industry positions, e.g., protesting tax increases, helping to pass laws
preventing discrimination against smokers in employment, and assisting in the
defeat of clean indoor air legislation. We will study why labor unions and
public health have had a problematic relationship around tobacco issues, in
contrast to other health issues, and to explore how that relationship might be
improved. A collaborative relationship has the potential to improve the health
status of blue collar and service sector workers.
Our overall research goal then is to build a sophisticated and nuanced
understanding of the relationships between the tobacco industry and organized
labor. To achieve this goal, we plan to document the nature and extent of the
tobacco industry's political relationship with organized labor at the federal,
state, and local level through pursuit of two specific research aims: (1)
Conduct a comprehensive search of the tobacco industry document databases for
materials related to the political alliances between organized labor and the
tobacco industry at the federal, state, and local levels on issues related to
tobacco policy. And, (2) develop nine case studies based on research conducted
under Specific Aim #1, using additional information found through the labor
press, local newspapers, and other written sources, and through interviews
with key labor leaders and public health activists. Case studies will focus on
clean indoor air, tobacco tax increases, and employment discrimination at the
federal, state, and local level.
|