May 4 — The sound of bagpipes and a solemn moment of silence began the Workers Day Memorial Day service at the NYSDOT Clover Street facility in Rochester. 55 safety cones were on display emblematic of lives lost while on the job. Photos by Ove Overmyer, CSEA ©2018.
Rochester—On May 4, NYSDOT Region 4 hosted a Workers Memorial Day service at the Clover Street facility to honor our fallen CSEA and PEF brothers and sisters who died while working on the job. Speakers at the event included Kevin Bush, NYSDOT Region 4 Director; Patrick Meredith assistant commissioner for WNY regional operations at the NYSDOT; Brian Ossont, CSEA Local 506; NYSDOT Health & Safety Specialist John Daigler; CSEA Western Region President Flo Tripi and Western Region Health & Safety Specialist Nick Reed among others.
55 safety cones, a hardhat, safety vest, work boots and a shovel adorned the front yard of the facility adjacent to a memorial monument which served as a stunning visual reminder of NYSDOT colleagues who lost their lives in service to the state of New York.
Workers Memorial Day (April 28) is not only a day to remember those who have died while on the job, it’s also a day to renew our collective commitment to the fight for safe and healthy workplaces for all workers throughout the world.
Speakers at the event asked members to have conversations with co-workers and supervisors about safety risks to find out how we can all work together to make sure everyone has all the tools and resources they need to be safe and healthy at work. The overarching message of today’s ceremony concluded with a re-commitment to strengthening and enforcing our present health and safety laws and standards—as well as providing education, training and financial assistance when needed.
On this solemn day, our brothers and sisters from NYS DOT management, CSEA and PEF mourned those who we have lost, but at the same time brought awareness and resolve to understand what’s at stake to protect those who are still on the job.
Ove Overmyer, CSEA ©2018
