Public Employee Press

Union safety pro named Woman of the Year

Principal Program Coordinator Guille Mejia of DC 37’s Safety and Health Dept. was honored Dec. 11 with the Woman of the Year Award by the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital.

The award acknowledged her “special commitment to the center and to workers in need.” Center Co-director Dr. Jaime Szeinuk presented the award, citing Mejia’s support for the COEM clinics, advisory board and membership committee and her exemplary involvement with union members who need clinic services.

“Guille has been an advocate for these members,” Szeinuk said. “She gets personally involved, follows through, and is always there if we need any union intervention to get information about exposures or accommodations for the patients and to prevent occupational disease among other workers exposed to the same agents.”

Dr. Szeinuk worked closely with Mejia in setting up a program for the clinical evaluation of DC 37 members after a fire at the DEP Water Treatment Plant at Bowery Bay, Queens.

“Guille’s involvement was simply amazing,” he said. “She worked with all the parties and always put the patient’s need first. Thanks to her, we were able to get this program rolling, evaluate and test the patients, and then, together with the DEP, implement practices to reduce risks, including changes in workplace practices and protective equipment.”

“I’m honored and very surprised,” said Mejia. “The COEM has a major mission and we can’t lose sight of that.”