(NEW YORK CITY) - Workers, Labor Leaders and Government Officials gathered for a Workers’ Memorial Day event in Midtown Manhattan to honor New Yorkers who have died or suffered injury or illness on the job, and to renew the fight for strong workplace safety protections.

The event was organized by the New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council and the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH).

The program included remarks by New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su and 32BJ Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Executive Vice President Israel Melendez.

Held in front of 345 Park Avenue, the site of a workplace shooting last Summer that claimed the lives of four Workers, the event honored New Yorkers who have died on the job over the past year.

The names of more than 40 Workers were read aloud, including 32BJ SEIU Member Aland Etienne and PBA Member Detective Didarul Islam (promoted posthumously), who were among those killed at this site and whose Unions were in attendance. 

Once again, construction was the most dangerous industry, with at least 10 known fatalities.

At least 11 Workers that were honored were from a variety of industries died as a result of workplace violence. 

Workers’ Memorial Day comes at a time of growing concern over weakened workplace safety enforcement.

More than 380 Workers are killed every day in the U.S. due to preventable workplace hazards, and Federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) resources and staffing have declined to historic lows, leaving too many employers unaccountable.

Speakers called for stronger enforcement, stronger standards and the protection of Workers’ right to organize – noting Black, Latino and Immigrant Workers face disproportionate risks on the job. 

New York City AFL-CIO Labor Council President Brendan Griffith said: “Workers’ Memorial Day is about remembering the workers we’ve lost and recommitting ourselves to the fight for the living. But we’re also at a moment when the systems meant to keep workers safe are being weakened. OSHA was created to guarantee every Worker the right to a safe job and that promise only matters if it’s enforced. Right now, we’re seeing fewer Inspectors, fewer inspections and fewer consequences for employers who break the law. A safe job is a fundamental right and the best way to keep jobs safe is through membership in a Union. The New York City Labor Movement will keep organizing and fighting until every Worker can return home safely at the end of the day.”

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Fallen Workers Honored at Workers’ Memorial Day Event in New York City | New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO

Photos Courtesy Of The New York City AFL-CIO Central Labor Council.