Again on April 28, we meet and mourn for all the workers who have lost their lives while working on their jobs.
This year, we will add four more names to the plaque that hangs in our union hall, representing the names of workers killed in our six-county area of jurisdiction. This plaque is a constant reminder that our sisters and brothers and all workers should be able to expect to come home from work each day.
In Iowa last year, 38 workers were killed while performing their jobs. An additional 13 were killed while performing their jobs in the military. That total, 51, is just hard to accept.
Recently, the Iowa Legislature passed a law prohibiting smoking in most public places. Part of the reasoning was the premise that employees of bars, restaurants, etc., should not have to breathe secondhand smoke while on the job because it is a health hazard. While this bill was and is controversial, lives will be saved.
This law is a good start to help protect workers, but much more needs to be done. It is time for the Iowa Legislature and the U.S. Congress
Local Observance |
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The Workers Memorial Day observance in Dubuque will be at 5 p.m. Monday, April 28, at the Dubuque Labor Temple, 1610 Garfield Ave. |
The Bush administration has eliminated dozens of worker protection measures under development at Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Mine Safety and Health Administration, including rules on cancer-causing substances, reactive chemicals and infectious diseases such as tuberculosis. This administration also has failed to provide medical care for sick responders who assisted in the 9/11 response who are seriously ill from toxic exposure.
For years, the administration refused to order employers to pay for personal protective equipment. Finally, in 2007, this rule was issued, but only after the AFL-CIO and the United Food and Commercial Workers union went to court and convinced Congress to order OSHA to enforce the rule.
There is currently no rule to provide protection for workers from a disabling and deadly lung disease caused by the butter-flavoring chemical diacetyl, used in microwave popcorn and other foods.
Ergonomic hazards remain a big problem. The ergonomics standard, 10 years in the making, was repealed by the administration soon after Bush took office in 2001. The administration vowed a "comprehensive plan" to address ergonomic hazards. In six years, no "enforceable" guidelines have been issued. Meanwhile, musculoskeletal disorders remain a major job-safety problem, responsible for nearly one-third of all workplace injuries.
Our deepest sympathy goes out to the families of all the workers killed while performing their jobs. We invite the families and friends to join on Monday, April 28, to mourn and remember their loved ones and to renew the fight for safe workplaces. We will hold our observance at 5 p.m. at the Labor Temple, 1610 Garfield Ave., Dubuque.
I recently retired, but I will never give up the fight to protect every worker from "on the job" injuries and illnesses. We will continue to mourn for the dead, and fight for the living for good jobs -- safe jobs -- for all.
Robey was a safety enforcement compliance officer for IOSHA for 30 years until his retirement.
