By The PA. AFL-CIO

– 12 Workers Die on the Job Every Day in the United States
Workers’ Memorial Day Events over the Next Few Days Emphasize Safe Jobs for All

Harrisburg, PA – Over the next several days there will be thousands of people participating in Workers’ Memorial Day observances throughout Pennsylvania in remembrance of fallen co-workers, friends, and family as they renew their commitment to making their workplaces safer.

Labor, clergy, community, and elected officials will help in leading the observances which include: the reading of names of deceased and injured workers, the tolling of memorial bells, candlelight vigils, memorial services and remembrances. Members of the public and the survivors of victims of workplace injuries and death have been invited to attend and participate. These events are being carried out by Local Unions, Area Labor Federations, and Central Labor Councils along with other organizations committed to safe jobs and protecting human life. Dramatic visuals for still and video news photographers will be available at many of these events. These events can be accessed on our Pennsylvania AFL-CIO web-site, www.paaflcio.org.

“Safety laws and regulations don’t kill jobs – but unsafe jobs do kill workers,” Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale said. “Our elected officials should be making sure that all workers are protected, by keeping safety standards and regulations up to date and enforced. They should also be strengthening the voice of workers to advocate on their own behalf for safer jobs, not attacking their rights to advocate effectively for themselves, their families, and all workers,” Bloomingdale said.

Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder stated, “virtually every safety and health protection on the books today is there because of working men and women who joined together in unions to win these protections. We must do more to fight back against corporate interests that stand in the way of our rights to create safe jobs. We consider one life lost one too many. Our fight will continue until every worker can go to work and return home safe and healthy at the end of the day,”
Snyder said.

Workers’ Memorial Day, observed on April 28, the anniversary of the signing of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, (OSHA), over 4 decades ago, has been designated as the time to remember fallen workers and surviving families and to emphasize the promise of safe jobs.

With the signing of OSHA, was the promise of the right to a safe workplace. In spite of this promise, and the commitment and efforts of both workers and enlightened employers, 12 workers die on-the-job every day in the United States. In fact, a total of 150 U.S. workers die each day, (more than 50, 000 workers each year) as a result of exposure to health and safety hazards on the job.

Source: http://www.paaflcio.org/?p=3967&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook