Labor to remember workers killed on the job

Decades of struggle by workers and their unions have resulted in significant improvements in working conditions. But the toll of workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths remains enormous. Each year more than 60,000 workers die from job injuries and illnesses and another 6 million are injured.

In Oregon, 82 workers were killed on the job in 1999, according to preliminary data released by the Department of Consumer and Business Services. Nine more have died at work as of March 15, 2000.

The unions of the AFL-CIO remember these workers on April 28 - Workers Memorial Day.

This year the Northwest Oregon Labor Council is hosting a memorial service and march at St. James Lutheran Church, 1315 SW Park Ave., Portland from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Peter DeLuca, administrator of Oregon-OSHA, will give opening remarks and proclamations declaring April 28 as "Workers Memorial Day" will be presented from the offices of the governor, mayor of Portland, and chair of Multnomah County.

The service will include a processional "Parade of Prayers" through downtown Portland followed by a reading of the names of those killed on the job in Oregon last year. As each name is read, a bell will toll and a flag will be raised in their memory.

The first Workers Memorial Day was observed in 1989. April 28 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act and the day of a similar remembrance in Canada. Trade unionists around the globe now mark April 28 as an International Day of Mourning.

On Workers Memorial Day 2000, U.S. workers will mobilize and call for an end to attacks on job safety laws, stronger enforcement and whistle-blower protections and the right of workers to organize and, through their unions, speak out and work for safe jobs and a better future, said the AFL-CIO Department of Occupational Safety and Health. Today, the fight for safe jobs continues, with unions fighting for:

* The right of workers to organize and join unions without employer interference or intimidation.

In workplaces all over the country, workers are coming together and organizing unions for dignity and respect, to improve workplace conditions and to improve their lives.

But many employers are illegally blocking workers' efforts to organize, intimidating and firing workers who support union representation, refusing to recognize the union after the election and certification and refusing to bargain a first contract.

Workers have a right to organize. Employers who block workers' efforts to form a union should be held publicly accountable and penalized for their illegal actions. Labor law needs to be made stronger so workers can organize without employer interference.

* An end to employer and congressional attacks on workers' safety and health and workers' rights.

For years, Big Business and their anti-worker congressional allies have tried to roll back job safety and health protections for America's workers. They've pushed legislation to weaken OSHA enforcement, to make it harder to set new safety and health standards, to take away workers' right to OSHA inspections and to cut the job safety budget. The labor movement has fought back these weakening measures successfully, but similar proposals are likely to be advanced.

* Stronger protections and enforcement, stiffer penalties.

With more than 60,000 workers dying every year from job injuries and illnesses, and more than 6 million injured, workers need more job safety and health protections, not less.

At 1998 staffing and inspection levels (the latest statistics available), it would take federal OSHA 107 years to inspect each workplace once. In eight states (Louisiana, Florida, Iowa, Arkansas,Oklahoma, Texas, Mississippi and South Dakota), it would take more than 150 years for OSHA to pay a single visit to each workplace - 259 years in Louisiana alone.

Oregon and Washington have the best inspection frequency rates, according to the national AFL-CIO, at 19 years and 29 years, respectively. Both are state programs.

Penalties for significant violations of the law remain low. Serious violations carry an average penalty of only $709 ($879 for federal OSHA and $564 for state OSHA plans). A violation is considered "serious" if it poses a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to workers.

Oregon has the lowest average penalty for serious violations at $287, while the highest average penalty is Montana at $1,343. Washington's average penalty for a serious violation is $534 - ranking it the 42nd lowest.

* Coverage for all workers under the job safety law.

Currently, millions of American workers are not protected by the OSHA law. This includes more than 8.1 million state and local public employees in 27 states, transportation workers and farm workers who have weaker protection under other laws and workers in the federal government where OSHA standards apply but are not enforceable.

It's time to provide full OSHA protection to all workers, the AFL-CIO said.

* Stronger whistle-blower protections for workers who report job hazards and injuries.

The OSHA law in theory prohibits employers from discriminating against workers for exercising their rights. But in practice, the law is failing to protect workers. Each year, thousands of workers are fired for reporting job hazards or injuries, but the law's processes and remedies are too weak to provide justice to these workers.

Stronger federal and state whistle-blower and anti-retaliation protections are needed so workers can speak out about job hazards, report injuries and seek compensation without fear of losing their jobs.