Saunders: Enhancing Worker Voices Crucial for Safety on Job
Editorial StaffThe Facts -
- Lee Saunders stresses workers' right to safety and commemorates those who lost their lives at work.
- Under President Biden, strides have been made on worker safety, with OSHA stepping up enforcement.
- Saunders argues that collective bargaining and union contracts improve worker safety, demanding safe working conditions.
AFSCME President's Statement on Workers Memorial Day
AFSCME President Lee Saunders marked Workers Memorial Day, on April 28, with a statement underlining the basic right of all workers- to return home safe and unharmed at the end of the day. He lamented the significant number of workers who are injured, fall ill, or lose their lives due to workplace incidents. Saunders stressed the importance of remembering these workers and fighting for improved safety standards in their memory.
"The tragedies faced by these workers were preventable and they were irreplaceable. In their memory, we strive to protect the ones they left behind," said Saunders.
He highlighted the progress made under President Biden's administration towards worker safety, with the reinvigoration of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) playing a critical role. OSHA enforcement has been stepped up, but Saunders emphasized that even one worker death is one too many.
According to Saunders, "There must be more accountability for employers who neglect safety regulations as worker’s lives should always be prioritized over profit. Collective bargaining and union contract protections are the most effective methods to enhance worker safety. This is why we are spearheading the movement to give all workers the opportunity to negotiate for safer working conditions."
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