For 30 years, Kay Stockholm has lifted and bagged sacks of potatoes, jugs of milk and boxes of laundry detergent as a checker at Casey’s Red Apple Market.

Initiative 841 could change the lives of checkers like Stockholm, as it would repeal or recall ergonomic rules that seek to reduce and prevent musculoskeletal injuries, such as back strain, tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome in the workplace.

What can be confusing, though, is the wording of the initiative on the ballots, some of which were sent to voters on Oct. 15 as mail-in ballots.

The ballot states: “Initiative Measure No. 841 concerns the repeal and future limitation of ergonomics regulations. This measure would repeal existing state ergonomics regulations and would direct the department of labor and industries not to adopt new ergonomics regulations unless a uniform federal standard is required. Should this measure be enacted into law?”

In a simplified explanation, if you vote “no,” a Washington state workplace ergonomics rule adopted by the legislature in 2000 would be kept in place. Washington state employers would be forced to comply with the rule on different dates, according to the size of the company. For many, the next compliance date is July 1, 2004.

A “yes” vote would recall the rules and prevent any new regulations from legislation and would force the department of labor and industries to come up with a national ergonomics standard.

After a few years of the repetitive motions of grabbing, swiping and bagging groceries, Stockholm admits she began to feel the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome.

“I started to get it,” Stockholm said this week.

Stockholm said she sought medical treatment, and was soon wearing braces on her arm and doing exercises aimed to strengthen the muscles used at her job.

It was when the store went to customer-unload checkout stands almost 20 years ago that Stockholm noticed the biggest difference. Stockholm said pulling item after item from a customer’s carts would have injured her back.

“I remember bending over and, oops, my back went out,” she said of their old checker-unload checkout stands. “I would have never made it 30 years.”

Erin Shannon, a spokeswoman for YES841.COM, a group that opposes the ergonomics rule, said her organization is asking voters to vote “yes” to toss out the ergonomics regulations.

“Businesses simply can’t afford this initiative right now,” she said. “Businesses are struggling to keep their doors open.”

Shannon said of awareness education and hazard analysis for businesses will be costly. She said the rule is vague as to what employers need to do to comply.

“There is no science the rule will reduce injuries,”she said.

She also agreed the wording of the initiative is complicated for many to understand.

“I think it’s confusing in a number of respects,” said Shannon.

On the other side of the issue, Dave Groves, a spokesman for the Washington State Labor Council and Working Families for Safer Jobs, urges voters to vote “no,” and to allow legislators to do what voters elected them to do; oversee the running of state government.

“841 is an abuse of the entire initiative process,” Groves said.

He said for three years, businesses have fought to repeal the law, and have lost every time. I-841 is the latest attempt.

“Obviously, we’re very frustrated,” he said.

Groves said voters should leave it up to elected officials to keep jobs safe.

“To suggest that our elected officials have no say in this is ridiculous,” he said.

Groves said advocates of the initiative claim they have the support of businesses of all sizes around the state. He said he feels it is the employers, not employees, who are showing their support.

“Don’t believe the lies in the ads,”Groves said.

Before Kay Stockholm makes her decision, both she and her co-worker, Leah Eddington, agreed they will do some more research.

“The advertising they do for it is not very clear,” Eddington said.