April 28 is Workers Memorial Day, when we remember workers who were killed, injured or made ill on the job. But it must be more than a day of remembrance. It must also be a call to action.
For CSEA members, workplace safety is not an abstract issue. Every day, our members serve their communities in demanding and sometimes dangerous jobs. Every one of those workers deserves the right to go home safely at the end of their shift.
Yet far too often, that doesn’t happen.
This past year alone, 10 CSEA members tragically died while on the job, and hundreds more were injured while doing the work our communities rely on every day. Too often, these incidents are preventable. They happen because of unsafe conditions, reckless behavior or protections that simply aren’t strong enough.
That should make every one of us angry. It should make every one of us determined to do something about it.
CSEA is pushing for stronger worker safety laws, including expanding workplace violence protections, increasing penalties for assaults on public employees and holding reckless drivers accountable when they endanger workers in work zones.
Members can help by calling on elected officials to support stronger workplace safety laws and by refusing to stay silent when something isn’t right.
But laws alone won’t keep workers safe. Real safety also depends on members speaking up—reporting hazards, raising concerns about unsafe conditions and standing together to demand better protections.
The best way to honor the workers we have lost is to keep fighting until every worker can do their job safely and return home to their family. When CSEA members raise our voices together, we make workplaces safer for everyone.