Workers Memorial Day events put focus on health and safety

April 28 is the anniversary of the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970 under President Richard Nixon. OSHA is the major federal legislation governing workplace safety.

Unionists in Duluth held a Workers Memorial Day observance Monday that included a tree planting. Events planned for Wednesday include:

Southeast Minnesota Area Labor Council observance including MNDOT Commissioner Tom Sorel, Congressman Tim Walz\’s office and Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede among others
8:30 a.m. – Minnesota DOT District 6 Offices, 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester. Please drive around the back of the offices to the Cold Storage Area.

Superior, Wis., Federation of Labor tree planting and observance
9 a.m. – Bear Creek Park, Highways 2 and 53 and Moccasin Mike Road, Superior

Minneapolis and St. Paul Building & Construction Trades Councils observance

Noon – United Hospital Project Site, downtown St. Paul

AFSCME and MnDOT observance
2 p.m. – Cedar Truck Station, 1900 E. 66th St., Richfield

West Area Labor Council observance, featuring singer Ron Franz and speakers
5 p.m. – Bringewatt Park, 2205 – 24th Ave. So., Grand Forks, N.D.

Southern Dakota County Labor Assembly and St. Paul Regional Labor Federation observance
7 p.m. – Lebanon Cemetery, 6442 – 140th St. W., Apple Valley

Panel discussion on current safety and health issues

7 p.m. – St. Paul Labor Centre, 411 Main St., St. Paul
Featuring Francisco Altamirano, Painters District Council 82; Lisa Brosseau, University of Minnesota School of Public Health; and Belinda Thielen, United Food & Commercial Workers.
Sponsored by the University of Minnesota Labor Education Service and co-sponsored by the Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

For more information
View the Workday list of resources and recent articles on workplace safety and health

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Commentary: We’re still mourning the dead and fighting for the living