Works Initiative News | Worker Wellness & Career Opportunities

Wellness & Well-being Highlights March 12

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of March 12, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from how perks in the workplace are about to change to how one religion has incorporated Yoga into their Lenten practices to the March 8^th celebration of International Women’s Day. Today, I wish to shed some light on how a rare conviction in a Brooklyn court recently charged a (non-union) contractor with the (homicide) death of an immigrant construction worker. The district attorney made it clear that when contractors cut corners and allow workers to work in unsafe conditions, they will face criminal repercussions! To this end, I have 2 thoughts I want to leave you with: 1) I am thankful for the working relationship our unions and signatory contractors have with OSHA at the national and local levels; and 2) Hopefully, “Carlos’ Law” will reinforce the importance of the professional-level safety training delivered to our future workforce via our jointly-trusted US-DOL Registered Apprenticeship Programs across this great nation.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/03/nyregion/brooklyn-homicide-construction-worker.html?searchResultPosition=1

New work perks?

Managing MH accommodations in the workplace

MH & Supportive workplaces

Gearing MH services towards our youth

The “Youth” MH great resignation?

Young women & MH

Mindful breathing

Sleep & Suicide?

Superpowers & Highly Sensitive People

Self-confidence vs Self-esteem

Self-care & Laughing more

Moods & Essential oils

Yoga / Religion / Lent

Update: Opioids & Sacklers

Update: Mexico & Fentanyl

Update: Long COVID

NY / Homicide / Construction

NY / Immigrants / Plans?

Unions & Scabby Rat

Migrants & Child Labor

Afghan Women & School

Iran’s Girls & Poisoning

International Women’s Day (1)

International Women’s Day (2)

Finding the “missing workers”

Surviving a layoff?

WARNING: Mexico’s Medical Tourism

Upcoming seminars:

Dementia 101

Brain & Body

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact johngaal@moaflcio.org with related questions or comments.

March 13, 2023/by Braxton Payne

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights March 5

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of March 5, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from addressing if AI (artificial intelligence) can help treat Mental Illness to the benefits of sleep to how one should continue to exercise regardless of age. Today, I wish to shed some light on how one school district is now requiring ALL teachers to be trained in administering NARCAN. Since the beginning of the blog, nearly 2 years ago, I have included numerous articles pertaining to the opioids crisis in the USA. In fact, you may recall seeing an article a couple of months ago where I was part of a team of first responders on a SWA flight to Las Vegas that revived an opioids overdose victim…while 35,000 feet off the ground. Had my spouse NOT been carrying NARCAN in her purse on October 22, 2022, I fear, for him and his family, that young man would no longer be with us today. To this end, people from ALL walks of life—social standing be damned—are dying on a daily basis from opioid overdoses. As such, I have 2 “immediate” asks of you:

Demand that your workplace stock NARCAN on site; and
PLEASE check your local resources and get trained sooner rather than later!

Sources: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/teachers-trained-to-administer-narcan-amid-opioid-crisis/#x

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/columns/tony-messenger/messenger-st-louis-man-who-saved-overdose-victim-pushes-airline-to-carry-narcan/article_54ced5c1-9d10-5867-9101-979b08e9bc3e.html

Training teachers to use NARCAN in schools

GA opioids trial

MH & Obstacles to Accessing Benefits

Improving Worker Well-being

Supporting MH Builds Resiliency

Update: Suicide Data

Insulin pricing?

AI / Doctors / Patients

AI & Treating Mental Illness

Loneliness / Workers / Costs

Grief & Ignoring Advice

Beating Brain Fog & MH

The 11-minute Walk = Longer Life

Aging & Exercise

The Ongoing Alzheimers’ Debate

Missing your work spouse?

Biden’s nomination for Walsh’s replacement

Supreme Court weighs in on Student Debt Relief

UMWA strike ends

STL nursing home closes

Firms losing worker w/o layoffs

5 Generations in the Workplace

Women & Title IX (1)

Women & Title IX (2)

Another NFLer passes: Stage 4 CTE

Upcoming Trainings:

QPR & MHFA (FREE – Onsite)

Past webinars:

Tale of 2 Surgeries

Opioid Risk Reduction & Minimizing Claims

Holistic Approach to Campus Mental Health

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact johngaal@moaflcio.org with related questions or comments.

March 13, 2023/by Braxton Payne

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights February 26

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of February 26, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from the failure of the US War on Drugs to how a “phone call” can help cure loneliness to stories on the links between depression & inflammation as well as exercise & pain. Today, I wish to shed some light on the podcast touching on the Forgotten Mothers of Civil Rights’ Leaders. As Black History Month soon comes to a close it would be remiss on my part not to share such an impactful this piece. It reminded me that NONE of us are self-made! Most of us have had people in our lives who have been there to support & guide us through the good times and bad times during this journey we call life. PLEASE find 50 minutes during this coming week to listen to these three moving stories. You will NOT be disappointed!

Source: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ted-radio-hour/id523121474?i=1000597760729

On the USA losing the Drug War

Harm reduction in the USA

US resistance to effective treatments

Wellness & Well-being Highlights February 20

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of February 19, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from emergency rooms not being able to adequately accommodate children with Mental Health issues to one’s Mental Health following a stroke to a history of head injuries in sports. Today, I wish to shed some light on the articles touching on the increase in sadness being experienced by teen girls, the state of worker wellness, and how peer support is being provided by college students. There is no doubt that COVID has raised the level of awareness when it comes to Mental Health and somewhat lowered the stigma that surrounds this once taboo topic…with this comes an increase in reporting mental health issues. It is no secret that the US is confronted with a shortage of Mental Health professionals. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to step up and help solve this dilemma. One approach would be to increase the number of para-professionals known as Peer Supporters. This model is being utilized in a number of venues (i.e., OUD/SUD rehab, schools, remote villages, etc.) across the world and showing some success. After all, if you needed help who would you rather speak to…a peer with lived experience OR a person you never met before with no connections to your way of life?

Sources: www.wsj.com/articles/teen-girls-experiencing-record-levels-of-sadness-and-suicide-risk-cdc-says-b30b7e8e

www.constructforstl.org/dodge-interviews-mo-afl-cios-dr-john-gaal-on-the-state-of-worker-wellness/

www.wsj.com/articles/with-therapists-in-short-supply-college-students-counsel-each-other-b9cb5eb2

Teen girls & Sadness (1)

Teen girls & Sadness (2)

ERs failing / Kids / MH

Doctors / Kids / MH

Doctors / Infants / Financial Literacy

MH / Stigma / Politics (1)

MH / Stigma / Politics (2)

Depression after Stroke? (1)

Depression after Stroke? (2)

Ohio & Opioids Settlement

Exercise & Energy

Is rejection good for you?

Mice & Male Contraceptives

The Love Languages

Dating & Therapy Speak

Teens & Driving?

Win or Learn vs Win or Lose

Vapes on Planes?

Update: Fentanyl & Mexico

Child labor & Meatpacking

Chinese retirees protest

Railroads & Lack of safety

State of worker wellness

High paying jobs: No degree required

College students & Peer support

Training vs Learning

coNFLicts of interest

History of head injuries in sports

Upcoming webinar:

Managing pain: The tale of 2 surgeries

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact johngaal@moaflcio.org with related questions or comments.

February 20, 2023/by Braxton Payne

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights February 13

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of February 12, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from providing more Mental Health assistance to children in ERs to why women continue to leave the workforce to the risks of Magic Mushrooms. Today, I wish to shed some light on the article touching on the possible repeal of child labor laws. With a >35% increase of child labor law violations in 2022, this is not an issue to take lightly…worker shortage or not! We are not merely talking about kids working more than the allotted hours in a given week in the “safe” confines of your local grocery store. In fact, a number of these abuses stem from reports at suppliers to foreign car plants (mostly located in the south). As a lifelong advocate of Career & Technical Education, I can attest that the majority of these schemes over that past +4 decades have less to do about the virtues of work-based learning and more to do about sourcing another form of cheap labor…at the cost of worker safety, in general…and our children’s futures, in specific!

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/feb/11/us-child-labor-laws-violations?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

988 Guide for Schools

More govt funding for MH?

Deadly Fentanyl Wave

How to be happier?

Are Trigger Warnings working?

MH / Obesity / Isolation / College & COVID

Sailors / Nukes / MH

Setting boundaries

Microdosing & Mushrooms

Ketamine & Mushrooms: Risks

Vets / Ketamine & Therapy

Kids / Crisis / ER v Home

COVID / Food scarcity & College

Athletes & Personal Reporting

Women / Workforce / Health Inequalities

Co-workers & Well-being

Having it all v Falling apart

US Secretary of Labor’s next move?

The dangers of tweaking US child labor laws in 2023

Resenteeism

Learning to say NO

Women in construction

Productivity v Safety?

Navigating Rec Marijuana in MO

STL Co Jail & College

Kids / Concussions / Sports

UPDATE: CTE found in 92% of former NFL players

Upcoming webinar, etc.:

A tale of 2 surgeries

Mental Health in Construction Summit

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact johngaal@moaflcio.org with related questions or comments.

February 13, 2023/by Braxton Payne

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights February 6

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of January 29, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from workaholism to taking care of your brain to two brothers in Florida creating a pill mill that can be linked to today’s opioids crisis. Today, I wish to shed some light on 2 stories that provide differing perspectives on today’s construction industry. While NYT’s Klein hints at how safety is important on the contemporary job site, he concurrently indicates that this issue—among other factors—has stifled productivity. Interestingly, Klein never tackles the issue of how today’s workforce no longer reflects that of 1970s. To this end, MWI has been leading an effort across the state based on a program developed by the STL construction industry nearly a decade ago: Building Union Diversity (BUD). If you have not listened to the recent St. Louis On The Air piece linked below, please do so…you won’t regret it. I think you will then agree that the vitality of an industrial sector, community, and household are made up of more than one datum point!

Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/05/opinion/economy-construction-productivity-mystery.html?searchResultPosition=1

https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2023-01-06/how-one-local-woman-became-an-ironworker-and-is-encouraging-others-to-start-construction-careers

Lead Safety

Amazon & OSHA

Well-being for Teens

Younger workers & Stress

Youth / Well-being / Phone Calls

Surgeon General / Youth / Social Media

Workplace Supported Recovery

Narcan & Vending Machines

Outsmarting Gonorrhea?

Gaslighting & Narcissism

Birds & MH

Black Doulas

Wellness & Well-being Highlights January 30

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of January 30, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from drugs worse than fentanyl to the impact of gun violence on our Mental Health to homelessness issues in STL. Today, I wish to shed some light on 2 remotely related articles. First, the importance of empowering Justice Involved Individuals (JII: recently known as the formerly incarcerated) before they re-enter the community appears to be a strategy that truly refocuses our correctional systems towards rehabilitation vs punishment. Why does this matter? For far too many reasons to list herein…but one for sure is to help address the current worker shortage. Regarding the second article, COVID is now not being seen as a major culprit of today’s lack of workers. A recent study suggests that younger less educated men (Think: no college degree) are not seeking work as they did in the past. To all apprenticeship directors/coordinators looking to fill your ranks, this seems like an issue worth exploring!

Sources: https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/connection-hope-purpose-and-empowerment-for-justice-involved-individuals-reentering-the-community

https://www.wsj.com/articles/labor-participation-factors-economy-11674780877

Kids / Social media / Drugs

Biden / Congress / Opioids

Worse than Fentanyl: Nitazene?

Xylazine (1)

Xylazine (2)

Chronic pain: Opioids v PT

Native Americans & Deaths of Despair

MH resources for under-represented populations

Why urologists matter

Yoga for seniors

Selfish Mindfulness?

Benefits of Guided Imagery

Changes to Medicaid?

Worker shortage & COVID?

Does a college degree matter?

Holocaust & Lessons yet learned

Upcoming webinars:

Managing everyday anxiety

Use of herbs

Emergency Preparedness

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact johngaal@moaflcio.org with related questions or comments.

January 30, 2023/by Braxton Payne

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights January 23

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of January 15, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from the importance of social bonding to youth obesity to how PTSD impacts different portions of our population. Today, I wish to highlight the story on Recovery Friendly Workplaces (RFW). It is no secret that businesses across our region have been concerned about the shortage of workers. RFW is a program that addresses the need to SAFELY bring those workers who are in supervised treatment for OUD/SUD back into the workforce. As noted therein, a former Mizzou economics professor reported that Missouri has approximately 29000 workers who fit this category…of which ~3800 of those are construction workers! It is important to remember that OUD/SUD is now considered a disease not unlike diabetes. As such, businesses should consult their legal teams concerning how they can assist workers safely return to their shops, job sites and/or offices when adhering to the American with Disabilities Act and Mental Health Parity Act.

Source: https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2023-01-20/recovery-friendly-workplaces-are-breaking-the-stigma-of-drug-rehabilitation

OSHA / Workplace Stress

Workers & The GREAT Rebalancing

Social bonds

Key to finding happiness?

Colleges & Student MH

Cross-cultural Suicide Prevention

Youth Obesity

Women / PTSD / Therapy

PTSD & Military

What is Fentanyl?

Recovery Friendly Workplaces / MO

OUD treatments

Fentanyl Test Strips

Narcan Distribution in COMO

Mexico’s battle w/ Cartels

Tranq Dope in Philly

Strongwomen & Suicide

STL Building Union Diversity Program

US union market share

Amazon & Workers’ injuries

Amazon’s Smile wiped away

Upcoming webinars:

Living w/ Chronic Pain

Live your life well

Managing everyday worry

Mental Health First Aid

—CONSTRUCTION FOCUS—

Why We Need More Women in Construction

Strategies to Recruit and Retain Women

Being an Ally – Improving Treatment of Women on the Job

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact johngaal@moaflcio.org with related questions or comments.

January 23, 2023/by Braxton Payne

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights January 15

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of January 8, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from civil rights heroes to kids and cannabis to injuries on the field and at work. Today, I wish to shed some light on the 2 articles focusing on suicide. The first story examines the effectiveness of 988. In July 2022, this nation implemented a three-digit Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (Think 911). On average, wait times to speak to a MH professional went from 3 minutes to less than one minute over the past 6 months. This is great news for a person in crisis! The second story appeared in yesterday’s WSJ and reported on the VA’s new efforts to reduce suicides among our Veterans. This concerns me as I know many of our union sisters and brothers who proudly served our country! It was not too long ago that our nation saw a loss of nearly 24 vets EACH day to suicide (in 2021, this dropped to <18/day). Reports in 2017 suggested that over 50% of those related deaths were by guns. PLEASE…If you know of someone who is having suicidal thoughts, etc. NOW is the time to have discussions about the safe (offsite) storage of weapons and ammo.

Sources:

https://www.npr.org/2023/01/13/1148970520/examining-how-effective-the-national-mental-health-helpline-has-been
https://www.wsj.com/articles/va-expands-efforts-to-curb-suicide-among-veterans-11673704191

Standing up for civil rights

MLK: Test your knowledge

How effective is 988?

Curbing veteran suicides

Less lethal fentanyl?

Is any amount of alcohol harmful?

Kids & Cannabis

Children & Sexual Assault

Children & Vaccinations

S.A.D. & Light

US cancer rates drop

Remote work & Corporate Wellness

Health & Gas stoves

Does online therapy work?

Adults & Relationships

Best time to eat?

Changing your personality

PTs & reducing job injuries

Preventing shoulder injuries

Women / Track / Success

Of sport & injury

Death of a former NFLer

Nursing shortages, etc.

NYC nurses return from strike

Student loan update

Upcoming conference

Are you a global educator?

January 15, 2023/by Braxton Payne

Worker Wellness News

Wellness & Well-being Highlights January 8

Wellness & Well-being Highlights

for the

Week of January 1, 2023

This week’s edition of our Worker Wellness & Well-being blog consists of topics from making/ignoring New Year’s resolutions to the impact of legalized marijuana in MO to recognizing the life, death, and mental health aspects of collision sports. Today, I wish to highlight the article that landed in my email 24 hours ago from the New York Times on Tranq Dope. If you have been following this blog for the past year or so, you should have noticed a number of articles on fentanyl and how it is destroying our people and their communities. I recently finished reading a 2021 book by Sam Quinones called, “The Least of Us.” In it he explains how meth and fentanyl are being mass produced (and mixed) for the US marketplace in Mexico with China’s ongoing support. Sadly, yesterday’s NYT article one ups Sam’s book. Why? Because we now have criminals who are adding a new drug (xylazine: a horse tranquilizer) into the fentanyl supply…which is causing people with OUD to lose arms and legs…before they lose their lives!

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/07/health/fentanyl-xylazine-drug.html?searchResultPosition=1

Leaders’ influence on MH

988 in MO

Speaking of suicide

Grief & Time

Another opioids settlement

Funding for safe-use sites?

Fentanyl’s new & SCARY twist

Magic mushrooms in OR

MO / Marijuana / Driving

Childhood trauma / Impact

Children & Weed edibles

Media & Changes in the teen brain

Food & housing insecurity / College

Soft skills for today

Today’s MH journey

New Year’s resolutions (1)

New Year’s resolutions (2)

New Year’s anti-resolutions

Digital declutter this New Year

A healthy relationship w/ work?

How to be happier in your job?

Neck & Back pain relief?

Vets & Homelessness

Living Apart

Damar / NFL / MH

Damar / NFL / Violence

Tua’s concussion: Update (1)

Tua’s concussion: Update (2)

Rugby / Concussions / Testing

Gen Z is Pro-union

Trades & Gen Z?

Trades & Pay

FTC / Non-compete Clauses

Upcoming webinars:

Legal marijuana in MO?

Mental Health First Aid

NOTE: The links provided above are for informational purposes only. None of these serve as a substitute for medical advice one should obtain from his/her own primary care physician and/or mental health professional. Please contact johngaal@moaflcio.org with related questions or comments.

January 9, 2023/by Braxton Payne

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