Workers face difficult times during pandemic

Each year, April 28 is the day in which organized labor observes Workers Memorial Day. It is a day to remember workers killed or injured on the job. This Workers Memorial Day takes on a very special meaning as we learn daily of more of our health care workers, essential workers and first responders contracting and succumbing to the deadly covid-19 virus. This April 28, the Northwest Arkansas Central Labor Council, along with the national AFL-CIO, renews its fight for strong safety and health protections across the nation and here in Northwest Arkansas.

From it’s inception, the federal OSHA program was a promise that every worker would have a safe job. But during the Trump administration corporate interests have taken over this safety agency. Deregulations have neutered OSHA. It is a hollow shell of an agency that has remained leaderless since Trump became president.

There is no plan to put OSHA’s compliance officers to work to ensure that as America goes back to work, Americans will have safe places in which to work. As with the administration’s

pathetic reaction to this pandemic, there is no federal plan to monitor the safe reopening of our economy. The president seems hell-bent on re-engaging at all costs. This is frightening and begs for a resurgence of the deadly virus that is now crippling our economy and killing us.

Worse than having no plan is the fact that people are being punished for speaking up against unsafe working conditions and unsound, untested remedies. Before any reopening, OSHA needs to be engaged. Until OSHA is fully staffed and begins to adequately monitor workplaces again, everyone’s safety is in jeopardy.

“Mourn for the dead and fight like hell for living.” Those immortal words of Mother Jones have never taken on more importance than in this year of the pandemic.

Please join the labor movement this Workers Memorial Day, April 28, to honor the victims of workplace injury, workplace illness and workplace death. Rest assured that the Northwest Arkansas Central Labor Council and the entire national AFL-CIO will keep demanding that promise of safe jobs for all workers. WALTER HINOJOSA Bella Vista

President Northwest Arkansas Central Labor Council