Mayor proclaims Workers Memorial Day
Approximately 5,000 Americans lost their lives in the workplace in 2021
A sparse crowd huddled together in Highland Park on April 28 to hear Mayor Tyler Moore proclaim the date as Workers Memorial Day in the City of Kokomo. The ceremony was highlighted by the placing of a memorial wreath and the playing of “Taps” by Shawn Murphy and Shanna Broens from the Northwestern High School Band.
Glen Rodgers, representative from United Auto Workers Local 292, spoke briefly before placing the ceremonial wreath. He explained that normally a list of workers killed on the job in Indiana each year is read aloud as a memorial to them. However, that data hasn’t been readily available for the past few years.
“There are approximately 5,000 people (nationally) who died in 2021 on the job,” said Rogers. “And it is estimated than more than 600,000 people’s lives have been saved through the enactment of OSHA 50 years ago.”
The ceremony marked the 33rd year of observing Workers Memorial Day in Kokomo.
This is a day we don’t want to forget,” said Moore. “We need to remember that, yes, our first responders put their lives on the line day in and day out, but so many other workers do as well. We have such an amazing workforce in Howard County.”
In commemorating the day, Moore read his proclamation, the text of which is below:
Whereas, on Dec. 28, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed into law the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which went into effect 51 years ago today on April 28, 1971;
And whereas in 1989 the AFL-CIO declared April 28 Workers Memorial Day to honor those American workers killed and/or injured on the job each year;
And whereas workplace casualties remain devastating to workers and their families and could lead to financial ruin, placing significant costs on them, on our community, and on our economy;
And whereas labor, management, and government have a responsibility to work together to improve the working conditions, educational training, and health standards for all laborers;
And whereas the safety of workers in all fields faced new challenges in the past few years from the global COVID-19 pandemic, which placed many in tremendous peril;
And whereas we must always remember the men and women who have lost their lives due to workplace injuries or disease;
And to continue our commitment to safe and healthy working conditions in every American workplace;
Now therefore, I, Tyler O. Moore, Mayor of the City of Kokomo, Indiana, do now declare Thursday, April 28, 2022, as Workers Memorial Day in Kokomo, Indiana, in recognition of workers who have died or been injured while serving as members of the American workforce.