DOL Disputes GOP Claim That OSHA's Ergo Probes Improperly Wade Into Labor Dispute

The Labor Department and key House Republicans are battling over whether OSHA's investigation of ergonomics complaints at the Hyatt Hotels chain violates agency policy by wading into what the lawmakers view as a labor dispute, according to sources and letters obtained by Inside OSHA Online. DOL recently wrote to lawmakers that “whether there are ongoing labor disputes … is entirely irrelevant to OSHA's decision to conduct an inspection.” But sources say the GOP lawmakers are not satisfied and remain concerned that OSHA violated its own policy of not allowing compliance officers to become invol