On this day in Labor History the year was 1971.
That was the day that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was founded.
Since then OSHA rules have become a powerful tool for the protection of workers health and safety.
Before OSHA, 38 people died on the job each day in the United States.
April 28 is recognized around the world as International Workers' Memorial Day or International Commemoration Day (ICD) for Dead and Injured
It is a Day of Mourning to remember all of those who have been injured or lost their lives on the job.
It is also a day to renew our commitment to the enforcement and strengthening of workplace safety standards.
In 2012, Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis spoke at the Workers Memorial Day commemoration in Los Angeles.
In her speech, she recalled working conditions before OSHA. “If you worked in a factory, you might lose your life or limbs in a piece of heavy machinery. There was no federal law requiring safety shields to prevent amputations. If you didn't like it, they told you to quit.”
But Secretary Solis also discussed the work still left to do for worker safety. “Every day in America, 12 people go to work and never come home. Every year in America, nearly 4 million people suffer a workplace injury from which some may never recover. These are preventable tragedies that disable our workers, devastate our families, and damage our economy. American workers are not looking for a handout or a free lunch. They are looking for a good day's pay for a hard day's work. They just want to go to work, provide for their families, and get home in one piece.”
For many the motto for today comes from Mary Harris, better known as Mother Jones who commanded workers to “Mourn the Dead, but fight like hell for the living.”
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Labor History in 2:00 brought to you by the Illinois Labor History Society and The Rick Smith Show