Today is Workers Memorial Day, and I hope you’ll join me in observing it, as we mourn for the dead, and fight for the living. 50 years ago, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, promising every worker the right to a safe job. Unions and our allies have fought hard to make that promise a reality—winning protections that have made jobs safer and saved lives. But our work is not done. Each year, thousands of workers are killed and millions more suffer injury or illness because of their jobs. Decades of struggle by working people and our unions have improved working conditions and made jobs safer. But the Trump administration and business groups have launched an all-out assault on workers’ rights and protections. We must fight back and continue to push forward. On Workers Memorial Day, write your Congressional representative and tell them to sign on and support the COVID-19 Every Worker Protection Act of 2020. You can also share a Workers Memorial Day graphic on social media and tag us; we’re @dclabor on Facebook and Twitter. In today’s labor history, on this date in 1914, a coal mine collapsed at Eccles, West Virginia, killing 181 workers. Ten years later, in 1924, on this exact same date, 119 died in the Benwood, West Virginia coal mine disaster. Today’s labor quote is from “We Just Come to Work Here,” written by longshoreman Harry Stamper and sung here by Anne Feeney: Mary Harris Jones was a tough organizer and her words still inspire today And if she took a look at our working conditions, I think I know what she would say If you’re talking about a Workers Memorial Day mourn the dead while you’re ringing the bell Just remember Mother Jones, when it comes to the living and you know we gotta fight like hell. Union City Radio is supported by our friends at Union Plus. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, many families are being hit with increased financial burdens. For those struggling with their credit, the Union Plus Credit Counseling program is still operating online and over the phone. Visit unionplus.org/creditcounseling to find out more.
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