The Minnesota Department of Transportation, which has held a Workers Memorial Day commemoration for two decades, is cancelling this year's event, saying it no longer can commit the time and resources.

"We're not having a 'ceremony' ceremony, but we're not forgetting the day," said Lucy Kender, communications director for MnDOT.

Workers "are pretty upset about it," said Bob Hilliker, a business agent for AFSCME Council 5, which represents about 2,600 of MnDOT?s 4,500 employees. "They think it's a slap in the face."

The cancellation coincides with the Legislature's refusal to contribute any state funding in this session's bonding bill to the proposed Workers Memorial Garden, which already is approved for placement on the Capitol grounds.

Budget cuts have an impact
Kender said MnDOT expects to distribute posters and "orange ribbon" commemorative pins to work sites for Workers Memorial Day, and is encouraging individual facilities to hold a moment of silence or a local ceremony in honor of co-workers injured or killed on the job. It is also likely that department Commissioner and Lieutenant Governor Carol Molnau will broadcast a statement in honor of the day, she said.

The cancellation of the main ceremony, she said, "is no indication of any less support for that day." But staff no longer can commit the necessary resources, Kender said. "It's not a lot of money, but it's a lot of staff time ? and that staff is mine. We're a lot smaller than we used to be."

As a result of state budget cuts, her staff is down to 12 people, compared with 30 just two years ago.

Getting motorists' attention
"I'm pretty disappointed at the action they want to take," Hilliker said. "I'm not sure where their priorities are."

Hilliker said he helped start the annual ceremony nearly 20 years ago, and that he and other union representatives helped plan it every year.

"They never discussed it with us or talked to the union," he said of the cancellation. "All we got is a letter."

Hilliker said he takes the decision "as an insult to our workers." If you look at the names on the transportation memorial at MnDOT?s St. Paul headquarters, he said, "about half the folks killed are ours."

The ceremony is more than a commemoration. It also helps spread the word to motorists to be alert in work zones as road construction season kicks off, he said, "so nobody else gets killed."

"We got some pretty good press out of it. I doubt that's going to happen this year."

For that reason, contractors and other unions involved in highway heavy work also have indicated they will challenge the cancellation, Hilliker said.

Other Workers Memorial Day events organized by unions will be held. Twin Cities unions will conduct two public ceremonies to honor workers killed or hurt on the job, and those who developed fatal illnesses at work.

The Southern Dakota County Central Labor Council will hold a ceremony at 7 p.m. April 27 in Lebanon Cemetery, Pilot Knob Road and County Road 42, Apple Valley.

On April 29, the Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council will hold a ceremony at 11:50 a.m. at the Shaw-Lundquist construction site for the Orville Freeman building, Cedar Ave. north of Interstate 94, St. Paul.

Another hurdle for Workers Memorial
Work on the proposed Workers Memorial Garden at the state Capitol will continue, despite the Legislature?s failure to support the project financially.

"We have $300,000 in hand, which is enough to begin site work," said Steve Hunter, secretary-treasurer for the Minnesota AFL-CIO. "We can either try to raise the rest privately or go back to the Legislature next year."

The Senate had allocated $400,000, but the House and Governor Tim Pawlenty prevailed in continuing to deny state support. The bonding proposal does allocate $670,000 toward a World War II monument on Capitol grounds.

Adapted from The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org