May 5 — CSEA Chautauqua County Local 807 President Bonnie Peters delivers Workers Memorial Day speech in Frewsburg, NY. Photo provided.
Chautauqua County — The Chautauqua County Workers Memorial Committee held its 18th Annual Workers Memorial Day ceremony on Saturday morning, May 5 at the Chautauqua County Workers Memorial site, Erlandson Overview Park on Oak Hill Road in Frewsburg, NY.
Workers Memorial Day (April 28) is a day of remembering all of the local men and women from Chautauqua County who have been killed on the job, in the line of duty, or died from job related causes. This year’s ceremony recognized over 140 individuals who have passed away since 1980.
The event was open to the public and the keynote speaker was Chautauqua County Executive George Borrello. Other speakers included New York State Sen. Cathy Young, New York State Assemblyman Andrew Goodell and CSEA Chautauqua County Local 807 President Bonnie Peters.
The Chautauqua County Workers Memorial Site is made possible through the cooperation of Chautauqua County, Chautauqua County Parks Commission, local labor organizations and by donations from a family of supporters.
Here are some excerpts from the speech from Bonnie Peters, CSEA Chautauqua County Local 807 President:
This beautiful location is a place of reverence where we meet annually to remember workers who have lost their lives due to work-related injuries in Chautauqua County. We are here to honor men and women who went to work and never returned home– people who had a right to a safe and secure workplace with the proper tools to do their jobs safely.
We offer our deep condolences to the family and friends of the fallen workers.
As we gather to mourn, to reflect, and to honor– let us also rededicate ourselves to making every workplace in our county safer and healthier. Be it office, field, factory, hospital, or roadway — every worker deserves a safe environment to work in.
Let us all strive to do our best to reach a day when there are no new fallen workers to mourn.
Safety laws exist in large part due to the diligence of unions. We remain at the forefront of the fight for workers safety laws and regulations. As many protections are under attack, CSEA and our brothers and sisters in other unions are continuing our fight to keep life-saving OSHA regulations in place. We must diligently protect the regulations that protect us. We must renew our commitment to fight to protect workers from illness, injury and death.
Every worker deserves to go home safely to their loved ones at the end of their work day. Let us do all we can to protect every worker no matter what vital job they perform in Chautauqua County.
In closing, I would like to thank our political allies who continue to support us. Due to their support I feel confident in saying that we want the same thing– healthier workers, safer workplaces and a stronger Chautauqua County.
Members of the Chautauqua County Workers’ Memorial Committee are Co-Chairman George Borrello, County Executive; Co-Chairman Doug Stock, President of Dunkirk Central Labor Council; Co-Chairman Dave Wilkinson, Jamestown Central Labor Council; Secretary and Treasurer Robert Dando Jr., National Conference of Firemen and Oilers SEIU 32BJ; Reva Byczynski, Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) Local #903/3; Mary Ellen Decker, New York State United Teachers, Dunkirk Teachers (Retired); Don Emhardt, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local #106; Paul Fardink, Friend of Labor Management; Hank Hoisington, (CSEA) Local #903/3; James Kurtz, (CSEA) Local #903/3; Bonnie Peters, CSEA Local #807/6300; Jack Rudy, President Emeritus of Jamestown Central Labor Council; William Servis, Pipefitter and Sprinkler Local #699; Steve Skidmore, CSEA Local #807/6300; George Spitale, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local #418; and Gary Swain, Operating Engineers Local #17.
-Ove Overmyer
