By: Catherine Singley
For many Americans, today is just another day on the job. But for families who have lost loved ones to traumatic—often preventable—injuries at work, April 28 is a day of remembrance. Workers Memorial Day, which corresponds with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), is also an occasion for workers to raise their voices for safer workplaces, fair wages, and dignity on the job.
To that end, the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) is launching a new collection of stories told by Latino workers that bring to light injustices that are all too common in today’s low-wage labor market. The series is called We Needed the Work: Latino Worker Voices in the New Economy. Reynaldo’s story is one of countless examples of the painful consequences of limited recourse for workers employed in informal and temporary work arrangements.
Throughout the month of May, NCLR will release a new story every Thursday, concluding with the publication of a booklet of all the stories. On May 24, NCLR will host an event in Washington, DC to present the publication and hold a panel discussion on policy efforts to protect workers’ rights.
Click here to read workers’ stories
Click here to learn more about the event on May 24.