CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Members of the West Virginia AFL-CIO will mark Monday’s Workers Memorial Day with a ceremony at Benwood City Park in Marshall County.
“We do this every year. It’s done throughout Canada and the United States. April 28th is a special day for a lot (of people). There’s been far too many fatalities on April 28th,” said Kenny Perdue, president of the West Virginia AFL-CIO.
This year’s event will be the 26th observance of the day dedicated to those who have died on the job. “We’ll recognize and ring the bell for the 22 workers that were killed in the workplace (in West Virginia) in 2013,” said Perdue.
He said workplace safety must always be a focus, though, no matter the day.
That’s why, Perdue said, organizations like the West Virginia AFL-CIO continue to push for stronger safeguards to prevent injuries along with protections from retaliation for workers who raise job safety concerns.
“There’s an opportunity, any time you or me, that (we) go out of house and we get our and do our job, there’s an opportunity for something to happen and it still happens far too many times,” Perdue said of workplace accidents.
More than four decades ago, Congress created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to protect citizens at work.
Monday’s service at Benwood City Park begins at 6 p.m.