Sara Siebert¹, Shirley S. Kwok¹, Lissette Flores, BA¹, and Alison Buttenheim, MBA². (1) Community Health Sciences, UCLA School of Public Health, 318 Laveta Terrace #3, Los Angeles, CA 90026, (2) Department of Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 176 W Oak Park Dr, Claremont, CA 91711, 909 399 0816, abuttenheim@hotmail.com

Los Angeles County is home to 120,000 garment workers. Workers in this community face struggles common to other industries and other settings: low pay, no health insurance, unsafe and unhealthful working conditions, and discrimination and disrespect from employers. This contributes to range of work-related health problems, most notably respiratory disease, musculoskeletal and kidney disorders, and stress-related conditions including depression and anxiety. Organizing garment workers is difficult due to employer pressures, the documentation status of many workers, and the economic structure of the industry.

In this context, the Garment Worker Center initiated a health education and promotion program in 2004 to address the key health concerns of workers and to empower workers to take action to improve working conditions. This study reviews the innovative design and evaluation of the Garment Worker Center health program, from needs assessment through goal and objective setting to strategic and tactical planning. Unique aspects of the program include:

• A multi-level structure addressing both institutional and individual goals.

• A blend of critical consciousness approaches with technical skills and knowledge in the areas of occupational health, negotiation, garment industry economics, and health care financing.

• Use of promotoras for both peer health education and work site organizing.

• Linkages with other community-based organization to leverage existing health care resources.

• A dual focus on local work site health goals and broader industry issues.

The Garment Worker Center program is a model for using community organizing and community building to address occupational health issues.

Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to

• Identify the occupational health challenges of garment workers.
• Articulate innovative models for community organizing and capacity building in support of work site health.

Keywords: Worksite, Community-Based Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Garment Worker Center, Los Angeles
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.