Memorial service held for workplace deaths in West Virginia

Source: WSAZ3

April 29, 2019

MARION COUNTY, W. Va. (WDTV) — April 28th is International Workers Memorial day, and the West Virginia A.F.L.C.I.O. held it’s annual Workers Memorial Day event to honor those in West Virginia who lost their lives on the job in 2018.

Dozens gathered at the Farmington number nine mine disaster memorial, where 78 miners died in an explosion in 1968.

United Mine Workers of America president, and featured speaker, Cecil Roberts spoke of the change those Farmington miners made decades ago, and how it helped shape the history of workplace safety that workers all over the country now have rights to.

But even with the occupational health and safety act, promising workers safety on the job, 22 West Virginians lost their lives in workplace incidents last year.

President of West Virginia A.F.L.C.I.O. Josh Sword says that these deaths are still far too many.

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