Companies Playing The Role of Parents - Attack on Tobacco

There seems to be a new move afoot in the corporate world to enter the realm of controlling the personal health practices of employees. IBEW 1837 first saw this when Bangor Hydro (BHE) announced the implementation of a new “tobacco-free workplace” policy that covered not only smoking but also the use of smokeless tobacco products.

Smoking is widely accepted as affecting not only the users but also those in nearby surroundings, so policies considering the rights of both may be considered reasonable. However, rules governing the use of smokeless tobacco are an unprecedented step at our represented companies. BHE says that the reason for the move is that a tobacco-free workplace has proven to be the most effective tool in getting employees to give up the habit and they want healthier employees.

As IBEW 1837 entered negotiations with Bangor Hydro over the proposed policy, two more companies announced policies to reduce smoking, one very similar to