To train or not to train? Motivations for participation in worker training programs


Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

4188.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Board 5

Abstract #111552

Katherine R. King, PE, MS¹, Judith A. Daltuva, MSW, MA¹, Luis A. Vazquez, MPH², and Thomas G. Robins, MD, MPH¹. (1) Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, 109 Observatory, SPH II, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2029, 734-764-3946, krking@umich.edu, (2) UAW Health & Safety Department, UAW Health & Safety Department, 8000 East Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI 48214

The United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers Union (UAW) makes available to all members and their organizations a broad range of high quality health and safety training programs without charge. The program is completely voluntary and training is provided upon request only. The program successfully provides training to over 9,200 workers in an average year; however, this represents only 2% of the UAW membership. To better understand and design strategies to extend outreach and increase participation in the training programs, structured interviews were conducted with a sample of union leaders, health and safety representatives, and company management. Frequent participants in past UAW sponsored training programs, participants new to the training programs, and organizations that demonstrated early interest in the programs but chose not to participate were interviewed. This presentation will report on the range and the frequency of organizational motives to participate in UAW provided training programs. We suggest a classification method of motives based on intrinsic and extrinsic motivations at the organizational and individual level. The results from this research will be used to develop a written survey for use in a larger research of the union membership. Implications for the most effective strategies for labor organizations to increase training opportunities and continually improve curricula development are described.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the learner in this session will be able to

1. Identify the three most common reasons for and against participating in a worker health and safety program.
2. Assess how well their current training programs match these stated motivations.
3. Apply participant motivations in the development to training recruitment strategies.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Issues in Occupational Safety and Health

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA