ISHPEMING, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Upper Peninsula Regional Labor Federation held a Workers’ Memorial Day ceremony today at the Cliffs Shaft Mine Museum in Ishpeming. The Event honored fallen workers from across the U.P. and marked the 100th anniversary of the Barnes Hecker mining disaster, a deadly cave-in that claimed the lives of 51 miners in 1926 and was the worst industrial accident in Michigan history.
“These people died so that we don’t have to. And so I think that that should really be the message of today, that there are so many people that passed away in these disasters that are even here locally, that is really going to move us into the future of trying to make sure nobody ever dies again like that,” said Adam Saari, President of The Upper Peninsula Regional Labor Federation.
Workers Memorial Day coincides with the anniversary of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, which was established in 1971 to improve workplace safety.
“They really regulate anything that happens. You know, whether it’s the air you breathe, or whether it’s you know, the steps that you walk up to try to eliminate the amount of injuries, because at one point, the injuries were prevalent,” said Saari.
Local officials, labor leaders, and members of the public all gathered for a moment of silence, followed by a recounting of workplace safety through the years. Saari admits that safety in the workplace has come a long way, but constant vigilance is essential.
“There’s never an end to this. I mean, this keeps going. This is a perpetual thing that we have to continue to push for, because if you don’t, the awareness goes away,” said Saari.
In years past, rank-and-file workers were often at odds with management regarding safety, but not so in today’s modern industrial climate.
“Everybody is on board. Everybody has to work together for safety to actually function. Management is definitely on board with us, and they’re doing everything that they can in their power to help us out,” said United Steelworkers local 4974 safety chair, Matt Perry.
