Washington, D.C. – April 28, 2021 – Today, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) President Sean McGarvey issued the following statement in recognition of International Workers’ Memorial Day 2021:

“This International Workers’ Memorial Day, NABTU solemnly remembers the dedicated men and women who lost their lives on construction job sites across the United States and Canada, as well as the nearly 600,000 that passed away due to COVID-19, many of which were a part of the building trades family.

“International Workers’ Memorial Day serves as a somber opportunity to recognize the dignity of human labor and pay tribute to these fallen tradespeople. They were not just construction workers, but also our family members, community leaders, and union brothers and sisters. Their memories strengthen and embolden us to continue to increase our investment in research which, in turn, enhances our health and safety training protocols, reduces fatality rates within the industry, and improves labor standards on job sites across all sectors of construction. These critical collaborations with our partner contractors are what the union difference truly represents.

“This day of action is a reminder that it is up to us to keep the good fight going by continuing to raise the bar and improve health and safety practices to ensure every worker returns home to their loved ones after a day on the job. We will not rest until our task is complete.”

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