Workers' Memorial Day 2022 Events Announced Across Pennsylvania

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sarah Hammond [email protected]

Did you know: Every hour, 14 workers die as a result of a catastrophic workplace injury or disease. This translates to 342 preventable deaths a year.

More than 50 years ago on April 28, 1970 – Workers’ Memorial Day – the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) went into effectreating. OSHA created workplace safety standards to reenforce the fundamental right of workers to have the safest worksites possible.

Unfortunately, federal OSHA protections do not cover public sector workers in Pennsylvania. This means that hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvania’s public sector workers today are still not afforded the same rights and protections as their private sector counterparts in the same jobs.

The pandemic exposed our weak laws that have prevented workers from organizing in their workplaces to demand safer working conditions. It has also uplifted awareness of the weak job safety laws and lack of resources that would ensure OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) can adequately protect workers.

One the next week, Central Labor Councils across PA will be observing Workers’ Memorial Day to will remember those lost on the job this year, while spreading awareness around the lack of worker safety standards in PA. Additionally, we will call for legislators to take action in support of House Bill 1976 (Harkins) & Senate Bill 310 (Tartaglione), which will extend OSHA protections to public sector workers.

See the full list of Workers' Memorial Day Events Across Pennsylvania below: