BISMARCK – Union members, labor leaders, elected officials and allies gathered Monday to commemorate Workers Memorial Day, to remember those who have died and suffered illnesses or injuries on the job in the past year.

The Missouri Slope Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO in Bismarck, ND, gathered at the North Dakota Capitol lawn, where union leaders wrapped eleven ribbons around trees, each embossed with the name of a North Dakota worker who died on the job in the last year. The Northern Plains United Labor Council, AFL-CIO hosted its annual Workers Memorial Day commemoration at the Fargo-Moorhead Labor Temple. Union leaders read the names of the eleven workers who died on the job in North Dakota last year while event participants placed a single flower on a memorial for each name.

“I dream of the day that we can read zero names, because even one worker not going home to their family due to a workplace fatality is one worker too many.” Northern Plains United Labor Council Treasurer Laura Haugen-Christiansen said.

“Labor unions have fought tooth and nail for the safety protections we have, and we will not go back. We must fight to protect our rights to safe workplaces.” Missouri Slope Central Labor Council President Dana Hillius said. “We need more OSHA inspectors in North Dakota, not less. We need more oversight of our workplaces, not less. We need more protections from heat stress and workplace violence, not less.”

The Northern Valley Labor Council will host a workers Memorial Day event on Thursday at Bringewatt Park in Grand Forks.