Workers Memorial Day

On April 28 each year, the labor movement observes Workers Memorial Day to commemorate workers who have been killed or injured on the job, and to renew the fight for safety-and-health protections. This year’s theme is, Good Jobs, Safe Jobs. For All.

More than three decades ago, with union backing, Congress passed legislation to establish safety and health standards to protect workers in every industry. In recent years, however, many of the safeguards have been eroded by lax enforcement. 

Since 2001, the Bush Administration has blocked or withdrawn dozens of important safety regulations, including ergonomic standards and a number of measures that might have prevented several recent mining tragedies. 

“The administration has killed workplace ergonomic protections, repealed recordkeeping for ergonomic injuries… favored employer voluntary programs over enforcement and excluded workers and unions,” notes an AFL-CIO Fact Sheet. 

The toll of workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths remains high. Each year, thousands of workers are killed, and millions more are injured or contract preventable diseases on the job. 

“Workers Memorial Day is an opportunity for us to focus on safety and health on the job,” said APWU President William Burrus. “We will continue to fight to make workers’ issues a priority in the 2008 political debate," he added, “especially the need to create good, safe jobs.”