Published: April 29, 2008 09:12 am         

Workers Memorial Day

Laborers reminded to stay vigilant, safe at work

CUMBERLAND - When Donna Edwards looks at the statistics for Maryland related to the workplace, there's one in particular that sticks out and troubles her.

"We rank 38th in penalties we impose on businesses for serious conditions that could lead to death or injury," Edwards, secretary of the Maryland-D.C. AFL-CIO, said. "That's not good for the richest state in the Union."

Edwards, a Cumberland native, addressed the crowd gathered in the rotunda of City Hall on Monday for the seventh annual Workers Memorial Day. The Western Maryland Central Labor Council sponsors the day that mourns workers killed and injured on the job and reiterates the importance of a safe workplace. With the theme Good Jobs/Safe Jobs, It's Time, many attending wore black armbands.

Now in its 20th year, the day is celebrated by hundreds of thousands in 100 countries, Edwards said, adding safety in the workplace is a fight that's far from over.

In 2006, 16 workers were killed and more than 11,000 injured, on average, every day in the United States, Edwards said. Another 50,000 to 60,000 die annually from diseases or illness they contracted on the job.

She said the Bush administration has halted regulations to the Occupational Safety & Health Act, passed 37 years ago and intended "to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women."

Maryland hasn't been much better. Edwards, whose father worked at PPG, asked what direction the country is headed when workers can be blamed for their injuries and when the business community "can kill" every bill that moves forward in Annapolis related to workers.

She said Republicans and Democrats alike need to understand what the American worker stands for and to fight for those individuals.

Sen. George Edwards said he believes people from both political parties are behind safety in the workplace and that everyone must work together.

"The more we can do to help businesses to come here, stay here and expand here, the more job opportunities we'll have," he said.

Ronald DeJuliis, commissioner of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, said the labor movement is for all workers, organized or not.

He said it's time for workers to fight to "restructure and to rebuild to the standards labor deserves." He believes Gov. Martin O'Malley is behind those efforts and said he has worked to strengthen the DLLR and make it a "valuable part of state government."

DeJuliis said in one year alone, 1,433 inspections of job sites were conducted and 5,446 violations were found. In that same time, 111,334 workers were removed from exposure or danger in the workplace.

"Safety in the workplace is and should always be the No. 1 priority," he said. "Each worker deserves the right to go home to his family. ... I pledge to you that we're going to continue to fight the fight and make sure the state of Maryland is safe, if not safer, than it's ever been."

Jennifer Dougherty, candidate for the 6th District congressional seat, said in some ways, union members have been let down, particularly on the political front. She called on those in attendance to begin the fight anew and to stand for labor.

"I believe the American worker needs the respect long given them in speeches, but not given them in action," she said.

Julianna Albowicz and Robin Summerfield, representatives for Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, respectively, also spoke, as did Allegany County Commissioner Jim Stakem and Cumberland Councilwoman Mary Beth Pirolozzi.

Contact Maria Smith at msmith@times-news.com.



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