W   RKERS UNITED

April 28 - Workers' Memorial Day

 

On April 28, 1971, the Occupational Safety and Health Act went into effect, promising every worker the fundamental right to a safe job. (In 1989, the AFL-CIO chose this date to observe Workers Memorial Day.)

• That law was won in 1970 because of the tireless efforts of the labor movement and allies, who drew major attention to work-related deaths, disease and injuries, organized for safer working conditions and demanded action from their government.

• For more than 50 years, unions and our allies have fought hard to make that promise a reality—winning protections in workplaces, and federal and state regulations that have made jobs safer and saved lives. But there is much more work to be done moving forward.

• Each year, hundreds of thousands of workers are killed and millions more suffer injury or illness because of their jobs. Far too many workers die from preventable hazards and become ill from exposure to toxic chemicals—and these chronic exposures are becoming more common.

• Black and Latino workers face disproportionate exposures to many job safety and health hazards. These workers often work in dangerous industries and experience exploitation and retaliation by their employers.

• Immigrant workers are particularly vulnerable due to their immigration status. And subcontractors have exploited this, going as far as placing migrant children to work in dangerous conditions on assembly lines and cleaning in meatpacking plants.

• Child labor laws are under attack and being weakened, exploiting children for dangerous work instead of fixing the hazards to make workplaces safer for all workers.

• The impact of workplace hazards is extensive: Workers and their families pay with their lives and livelihoods. Workplace injuries and illnesses shift costs from employers to workers and can limit working people’s opportunities and quality of life for decades.

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CLICK HERE for more information on Workers' Memorial Day