Washington, DC – April 28, 2019 – North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) President Sean McGarvey issued the following statement in recognition of International Workers’ Memorial Day 2019:

“This International Workers’ Memorial Day, North America’s Building Trades Unions solemnly remembers the men and women who lost their life on the job. While the construction industry has seen progress in recent years, the loss of any worker is one too many.  In 2017, the most recent year for which we have data, 1,013 men and women lost their life at work. These workers are more than just a number, they are people – sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, who all made the ultimate sacrifice.

“These men and women are why we are devoted to increasing safety resources for workers, industry and employers – large and small. They are why we’ve committed investments to expand fall prevention training and raise national awareness through CPWR’s Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction. They are why we continue the fight to reduce occupational disease and cancers in our workforce. They are why our Opioid Taskforce has employed all channels to combat the growing crisis that has hit our industry by focusing on preventing workplace injuries and pain which are often precursors to opioid use. And, each of their lives is why we keep investing in efforts to help reduce suicides.  Our standards, training, and research play a vital role in reducing these fatality rates for years to come, and we will not rest until our task is complete.”

 

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