On Saturday, workers across the nation who lost their lives on the job will be remembered in ceremonies marking Workers Memorial Day.
In 2016, the latest year for which statistics are available nearly 5,200 workers were killed on the job – the highest number of workplace deaths in years. And that is only part of the deadly toll. Each year, more than 50,000 workers die from occupational diseases caused by exposure to toxic chemicals and other health hazards.
Despite these gruesome statistics, the corporate CEOs and billionaires who hold so much sway in our government are succeeding in rolling back safeguards and protections for workers. These are the same super-wealthy political donors who seek to take away our freedom to join together in strong unions.
This year, Workers Memorial Day organizers are placing a special focus on workplace violence, which affects public service workers at a far higher rate than private sector employees. The on-the-job injury rate is 861 percent higher for state workers and 474 percent higher for local workers compared to those working for private employers, the AFL-CIO reports.
