Labor Cautious on Reported Workplace Data

The Texas AFL-CIO reports Texas workplace fatality and injury rates continued a decline in the latest "Death on the Job" report issued by the national labor organization. But Texas labor leaders aren't sure the figures are providing a true picture of what is happening with the state's workers. The national survey is based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data and shows the fatality rate for Texas in 2004 (the latest year in which full numbers are available) was 4.2 per 100,000 workers, down from 4.7 the previous year. The injury and illness rate dropped to 3.7% from 4.0% the previous year, the...