Fight For The Living April 28th

Our nation has been focused on 911 and the aftermath for months. The important lesson, seemingly lost to many decision makers, is that any foundation for "Homeland Security" must include worker protections from occupational hazards. Minimizing the damage of attacks calls for a robust public health infrastructure. The programs that respond to the day-to-day dangers of working people are the same programs that will hinder and foil the terror attacks we fear. Those who advocate for safer jobs understand this; the public needs to learn this lesson. Take the time to tell your stories in your community on April 28th.

The riveting images of rescue and construction workers on the debris pile demonstrate the shortcomings of the health and safety protections for workers.

Rescue workers suffered enormous illness and injury rates during the recovery efforts. Too often they had to work with inadequate safety procedures and equipment.

The health complaints of these site workers are a clarion call for better protections. A prime example of lagging protections is the chemical exposure standards based on thirty-year-old science. As the smoke was clearing, the current administration in Washington was defunding and eliminating the OSHA efforts to upgrade chemical exposure standards.

The response to the anthrax attack showed our public health system in tatters. While those in power stayed home after anthrax was found in Senate offices, Postal Workers were told to stay on the job in contaminated but untested mail sorting facilities. As a result, two postal workers died of pulmonary anthrax. Ground Zero is common ground. The after effects of the ground zero contamination affected the workers onsite and the residents in the surrounding community. Residents, too, were breathing the smoke, living with toxic debris and suffering the same health effect of site workers. April 28th should be a time to build a common agenda for clean air for children and workers. Similar lessons abound in the communities where we all live.

After 911 our nation came out united and fighting. But in the fog of fear and war our most important protections are being eroded. We must continue this fight for the living by fighting for safe workplaces and safe communities. Make April 28th a day to carry on the fight.

Next: Fatalities in UAW Represented Workplaces 2001