[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 126, 112th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8805--APR. 27, 2012

Proclamation 8805 of April 27, 2012

Workers Memorial Day, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

For centuries, American workers have called upon boundless drive and
initiative to raise our cities, manufacture our goods, and build an
economy that remains the engine and the envy of the world. Generations
put their lives on the line to pursue prosperity, braving the hazards of
the factory floor and the heat of the fields without protective
equipment or the right to a safe workplace. Through the unbending
conviction of workers, labor unions, and public health advocates, we
secured that basic right over 40 years ago, helping protect Americans
from death or injury. Yet, despite the progress we have made, it remains
a deplorable fact that an average of 12 individuals die on the job every
day. On Workers Memorial Day, we honor all who have perished, and we
recommit to ensuring no worker ever has to choose between life and a
paycheck.
Every year, more than 3 million Americans are injured on the job. Some
will never fully recover; some will never come home at all. Tragically,
many incidents occur due to preventable hazards that cast our Nation's
most vulnerable workers into harm's way--in the mine shaft, on the
construction site, or at the factory. This is unacceptable, and as we
reflect on the terrible burden these workers and their families have
borne, we must do more to fulfill the promise of a safe workplace for
all.
My Administration remains committed to realizing that vision. The
Department of Labor and agencies across the Federal Government are
striving to defend workers' rights, hold employers accountable, and
empower Americans across our country with the tools they need to stay
safe on the job. We are pursuing enhanced whistleblower protections that
will reinforce every worker's right to raise their voice without fear of
retaliation. Over 2 years after the explosion at Upper Big Branch Mine
in West Virginia, we continue to advance and enforce new standards and
programs that will help ensure that tragedy was the last of its kind.
And, through a variety of public-private partnerships, we are
collaborating with businesses, employees, trade associations, and labor
organizations to eliminate workplace hazards and strengthen our
competitiveness in the global economy.
When the Congress passed the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of
1969 and the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, our Nation took
great strides toward safe and healthful working conditions for all. Yet,
when millions of Americans suffer workplace-related injury or illness
every year, and thousands lose their lives, we know we cannot give up
the fight. Today, we reflect on their sacrifice, and we rededicate
ourselves to protecting the health, safety, and dignity of every worker.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 28, 2012, as
Workers Memorial Day. I call upon all Americans to par-


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ticipate in
ceremonies and activities in memory of those killed or injured due to
unsafe working conditions.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day
of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
sixth.
BARACK OBAMA