November 5, 2007 The Pump Handle 4Comment

Yesterday, at the American Public Health Association annual meeting, I picked up a copy of Les Leopold’s new biography The Man Who Hated Work and Loved Labor: The Life and Times of Tony Mazzocchi. Tony is the towering figure in the US occupational safety and health movement. Until his death in 2002, Tony did more than anyone else in the country to shape the way unions and public health professionals work independently and together to prevent occupational injury and illness.

The book is a great read. It kept me up late last night fascinated and exhilarated, inside the passage of the OSHAct, the death of Karen Silkwood and other momentous events. I’ll try to get permission to excerpt parts of the book for The Pump Handle, but if you are involved in occupational health and safety and you don’t know the Tony Mazzocchi story, don’t wait. Buy this book now.

4 thoughts on “The Man Who Hated Work and Loved Labor

  1. We’re having a book party for the author Les Leopold in Boston on Dec. 4. If you are in Boston, please come!

    Book Party!
    Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007
    5:00 – 8:00 PM
    Milky Way Lounge and Lanes
    Hors d’œuvres and cash bar
    403-405 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
    Directions: http://www.milkywayjp.com

    Please RSVP and invite others on line at:
    http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?event=JFEQKXTFIAWPGYOYHMMC

    Les Leopold co-founded and currently directs the Labor Institute and the Public Health Institute. He designs research and educational programs on occupational safety and health, the environment and economics. He is now helping to form an alliance between the United Steel Workers Union and the Sierra Club.

    Les will also introduce a new short film about Tony Mazzocchi’s life.

    Signed copies of the book will be available for purchase.

    Sponsoring Committee
    (list in formation)
    Carolyn Mugar, Rand Wilson, Myles Calvey, Dick Monks, Ken Geiser, Sandy Eaton, Elaine Bernard & Greg Gigg, Charlie Rose, Anne Sills, Tolle Graham, Geoff Wilkinson, Ben Healey, Mimi Ramos, Steve Early & Suzanne Gordon, Sand Brim, Susan Klein, Robert Schwartz, Marcy Gelb, Harris Freeman, Elaine Mosesian, Joanie Parker, Steffie Woolhandler & David Himmelstein, Nancy Lessin & Charley Richardson, Craig Slatin, John Michalides, Susan Steiner & Henry Ferrini, Richard Healey, Jay Hutchinson

  2. Hi, I’m the Publisher of the book and thrilled to hear that you like it. Yes, you have permission to excerpt parts of the book. Let me know if you’d like us to send you word files. And many thanks for helping to get the word out about this important book!

  3. Hi,
    I found the book to be exciting as well. Important to get people out of this state of overwhelming helplessness in the face of so many wolves tearing at the hard work of people like Tony Mazzocchi. We’re having Les Leopold in for conversation about these things at our little bookstore in Bernal Heights. Hoping to get a good crowd of activists so please spread the word. Monday evening, January 14, 7pm.

    Red Hill Books
    401 Cortland Ave
    Bernal Heights
    San Francisco
    415-648-5331

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