Workers Memorial Day 2008
Good Jobs. Safe Jobs. For All.

Seven UAW members died on the job in 2007 and three have already lost their lives this year.

These sad facts underscore the importance of Workers Memorial Day on April 28, 2008. On this day, we remember those who have died on the job and recommit to making sure every worker arrives home at their end of their shift in the same condition as when they left home to report for work.

The challenges are daunting. There are employers out there who see health and safety as an afterthought compared to profits and productivity, especially in a down economy

"As UAW members, we know nothing is more important than our health and safety," UAW President Ron Gettelfinger said. "Even though membership in a union means far better focus on health and safety when compared to non-union workplaces, we must remain ever vigilant about protecting ourselves from dangerous workplaces. We owe that to ourselves, our families and our communities."

The information included here about UAW fatalities, along with the articles in the Safer Work section on the right-hand side of this page, can help all of us find ways to work with our employers to make sure our workplaces are safer and our members are protected. 

Safety is everyone’s job.  By reducing exposure, implementing engineering controls, and developing policies which strictly limit and control any circumstance where a worker is working alone or in isolation, we can have a significant impact on workplace safety.