Change to Win Renews Commitment to Keep Workers Safe

Commemorates Those Lost on Workers Memorial Day

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

CONTACT: Greg Denier, 202-486-2365
Noreen Nielsen, 202-721-6047

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The following is a statement from Change to Win Executive Director Chris Chafe on Workers Memorial Day, April 28, 2009.

"Each year, thousands of workers are killed on the job and millions more sustain workplace injuries. According to the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than four million workers were injured on the job and nearly 6,000 were killed by injuries due to job-site hazards in 2007 alone. Thousands more died of job-related diseases.

"Today, on Workers Memorial Day, Change to Win remembers and honors all those workers who lost their lives or were injured or sickened on the job. Workers like Mr. Eleazar Torres-Gomez, a 46-year old industrial laundry employee from Tulsa, Oklahoma who died tragically in 2007 when he got caught inside a dryer at Cintas Corporation -- the nation's largest industrial laundry and uniform maker. Prior to this incident, Cintas had been cited several times by OSHA for the same workplace hazard and employee training violations that led to Mr. Torres-Gomez's death. Unfortunately, this is only one story of millions, which is why we must renew our commitment to fighting for workplace safety.

"The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was formed in 1971 to help assure that all Americans could work in safe and healthy workplaces. And after eight long years of the Bush Administration failing to enforce laws related to workers' rights and protections, we are excited to welcome a new Administration and Congress dedicated to protecting America's workers.  From Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, to President Obama and the Democratic-led Congress, it is clear that we have entered a new era of government for America's workers -- one that is strongly committed to protecting the interests, health and safety of all working families.

"Yet in order to keep workers safe, we must continue to strengthen our laws to protect more workers by ending government indifference and corporate misbehavior. We must improve safety and health standards, close the loopholes in OSHA's inspection programs and mandate strict follow-up enforcement actions against employers where workers were killed or injured. Congress also must pass the Protecting America's Workers Act to give OSHA the authority necessary to make sure that employers who flagrantly violate the law not only comply with safety and health standards -- but also finally face the consequences of their lawlessness. And Congress must assure that OSHA has the resources to do inspections before more workers die from employer negligence -- because one worker death on the job is one death too many."

** Note: Media representatives interested in scheduling an interview to discuss Change to Win’s position on protecting the health and safety of workers should contact Noreen Nielsen at noreen.nielsen@changetowin.org. **