This year's observance comes as we are in the middle of a safety and health crisis. Not only are hundreds of working people dying each day as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, often due to exposure at work, the response of the Trump Administration has been to weaken or suspend workplace protections.
The theme of this year's Workers Memorial Day is "Protect Our Rights, Speak Up for Safe Jobs." The AFL-CIO has posted resources, including flyers and artwork that you can use as you commemorate the day, at https://aflcio.org/about-us/conferences-and-events/workers-memorial-day.
CWA members have been speaking up every chance we get, drawing attention to the ongoing need for personal protective equipment, ventilator production, testing, and other tools to address the pandemic. We have been making sure that our employers are putting policies in place that minimize the risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19, supporting workers who are not yet union members as they fight for protection, and pushing for local, state, and federal legislation to address the crisis.
Click here for a list of CWA members who have died over the past year on the job.
