Around 250 people gathered in New Brunswick, NJ for a rally and march to demand safe workplaces with stronger protections for workers.

Participants marched for Workers’ Memorial Day, an annual day of action to remember those who have died or been injured on the job, raise awareness to prevent future injuries, and recommit to the fight for safe and healthful workplaces for all workers.

In the wake of the shootings at Georgia massage parlors and FedEx in Indiana, the march served to reassert that safe workplaces also include those free of violence, harassment, misogyny, and white supremacy. In the United States, more than 100,000 workers die every year from workplace injuries and long-term occupational illnesses

In 2020, New Jersey lost 250 workers, which is more than three times higher than the total deaths in each of the last 10 years.  Many of these deaths were the result of COVID-19 specifically lack of job protection and earned sick leave.

To address these issues, participants specifically demanded the right to refuse unsafe work without retaliation and expanded sick time for workers in New Jersey, and an emergency OSHA standard that covers COVID 19 in workplaces across the nation.

“We need respect!  Respect for us as workers means having safe workplaces.  OSHA still hasn’t created a COVID standard.  We need action now!” said Monica Muguruza, a member of New Labor.

“Companies shouldn’t put profits before our own safety as workers.  We aren’t disposable and we won’t stop fighting them when they retaliate against us for demanding a safe workplace, said Abahram Castañeda of Laundry Workers Center in regards to two workers (Abundio Garcia and Juan Romero) who died in their workplace (Mondi).

“Too many students and school employees were rushed back into unsafe school buildings, while cases soared.  And much of our school support staff never stopped working in these buildings.  Governor Murphy needs to ensure that school employees- and all workers- can refuse unsafe work without fear of retaliation,” said Chrissy Kosar, a school bus driver from South Jersey and member of NJ21 United.

“If we don’t have the right to refuse unsafe work without retaliation, if workers have used up all of their allotted sick time, then they are caught between a rock and a hard place, and we can’t do our part to diminish the curve.  We need action on those now in New Jersey because our lives are on the line.  We go to work to make a living.  We don’t go there to die,” said Louis Kimmel, Executive Director of New Labor.

 ####

New Labor is  a membership-based organization of largely low-wage Latino workers that educates, organizes and fights for better working conditions. For more information, please visit www.newlabor.org.