[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 53 (Monday, May 4, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4216-S4217]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          WORKER MEMORIAL DAY

 Mr. GRAMS. Mr. President, I rise to remember the American 
workers who have suffered injuries or died while at the work places in 
my home state of Minnesota and across the country.
  As my colleagues may know, since 1989 the unions of the AFL-CIO have 
recognized April 28 as ``Worker Memorial Day'' to commemorate the 
millions of workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths that occur each 
year. In addition, many unions throughout the world now mark April 28 
as an ``International Day of Mourning.''
  In Minnesota, AFL-CIO affiliates commemorated Worker Memorial Day 
with a wide variety of events around the state. This past Tuesday at 
noon, members of Minneapolis and St. Paul building trades met near the 
State Capitol in St. Paul to remember workers who have been killed or 
injured in the job. A bell tolled once for each local construction 
worker who died in the past year of job-related causes.
  In Grand Forks, the Northern Valley Labor Council and the Grand Forks 
Building and Construction Trades Council placed Workers Memorial Day 
stickers on their clothing at work. Statewide, a ``Minnesota's 
Workforce Minute'' Message about Workers' Memorial Day aired several 
times over the 29 stations of Minnesota News Network's Lifestyle 
Network.
  Lastly, the Minnesota Department of Transportation and local unions 
in the Twin Cities and St. Cloud participated in a number of Worker 
Memorial Day activities including the broadcast of a Workers Memorial 
Day message from the Metro Division Engineer over the MnDOT Public 
address and radio communication systems. This message preceded the 
observance of a moment of silence at 2 p.m.
  Mr. President, this year also marks the 28th anniversary of the 
enactment of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. In 1970, President 
Nixon signed legislation which created the Occupational Safety and 
Health Administration (OSHA) to establish and enforce labor standards 
and the National Institute for Occupational Safety Health (NIOSH) to 
conduct research investigations.
  At the Department of Labor bill signing, President Nixon underscored 
the goal of this historic legislation. President Nixon noted how the 
bill's enactment, ``. . . Represents in its culmination the American 
system at its best: Democrats, Republicans, the House, the Senate, the 
White House, business, labor, all cooperating in a common goal--the 
saving of lives, the avoiding of injuries, making the places of work 
for 55 million Americans safer and more pleasant places.''
  Mr. President, the goal of the Occupational Safety and Health Act is 
to prevent injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the workplace. 
Through statistics provided by the Department of Labor it appears as 
though the intent of this Act has achieved some level of success. 
Unfortunately, these numbers are still too high.
  According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were over 6,000 
workplace fatalities in 1996, the lowest level in five years. There 
were 6.2 million workplace injuries or illnesses among private sector 
firms with more than 11 or more employees, about 400,000 fewer than in 
1995. In my home state alone, 92 Minnesotans lost their lives, and 
138,000 suffered injuries or illnesses on the job in 1996.
  I have always supported employers and employees in their effort to 
create safe and healthy work places without cumbersome federal 
regulations. Workers are a business' most valuable asset and they 
deserve safe and healthy work places that will enable them to better 
perform their jobs. Safe working environments, achieved by restoring 
common sense and cooperation among workers, job providers and the 
federal government, result in smart business.
  I strongly believe we need to continue to promote better safety and 
public health standards. One way this can be accomplished is through 
comprehensive reform of the Federal regulatory process. For this 
reason, I am proud to be a cosponsor of S. 981, the ``Regulatory 
Improvement Act of 1997'' sponsored by Senator Carl Levin, one of the 
leading health, safety and environmental experts in the Senate.
  In my view, legislation such as the Regulatory Improvement Act of 
1997

[[Page S4217]]

will ensure a more open and accountable regulatory process which will 
improve our health, safety and environmental protections while reducing 
the regulatory burden on those subject to those laws. It will not 
compromise health or safety protections. I recently wrote the Majority 
Leader urging that this legislation receive consideration on the Senate 
floor, and I am hopeful that we will have a debate on how to best 
ensure safe and healthy work places in the coming weeks.
  On each Workers Memorial Day, I urge my colleagues to remember those 
American workers who have lost their lives or were injured on the job. 
Congress, the Administration, labor and business, must work together as 
they did nearly 30 years ago, to ensure that there are adequate 
protections to prevent unnecessary injuries and fatalities in the 
future and improve the lives of all of our nation's workers.

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