Join me in honoring workers today
By RICHARD TRUMKA
AFL-CIO president
Workers Memorial Day is personal for us. Too many of us know someone who sacrificed everything on the job. My father and grandfather both died from black lung disease. They spent their careers working in the same mine I did. It was dangerous, but they were driven by the idea of providing a better life for their family.
Putting food on the table or earning a paycheck should never cost anyone their life.
Workers Memorial Day brings us together to remember the ultimate sacrifices working people make to achieve the American dream. Every single one of the working people who die every day from injury or occupational disease is a constant reminder of the dangers we face at the workplace.
But worker safety is not a priority for this administration. These past three and a half years, we have seen how this administration suspended important rules and reduced funding for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
And during this pandemic, working people are dying of preventable deaths. From nurses and doctors to transportation and grocery workers, we have seen how this virus is taking the lives of hardworking people. But the administration is prioritizing corporate giveaways, instead of protecting these critical workers who are out there to ensure that our country continues to move forward.
This Workers Memorial Day, we remember those who sacrificed their lives doing the job they loved. In the midst of this global pandemic, we are being seen.
But appreciation is nothing without action. Until every worker is guaranteed the protection we need and the peace of mind we deserve, our job will endure.
That’s why I just sent this letter to Department of Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia because we need urgent action to protect workers from COVID-19 exposures and infections.