Thirty years ago, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, promising every American worker the right to a safe job. Unions and our allies have fought hard to make that promise a reality--winning protections that have saved hundreds of thousand of lives and prevented millions of workplace injuries. After years of struggle, we have won new safeguards that will prevent crippling workplace injuries caused by ergonomic hazards.

But now this new protection and worker safety are threatened. Industry groups are looking to the Bush administration and Republicans in Congress to repeal the ergonomics standard and other critical workplace protections. They want to weaken OK1A and MSHA and make compliance with the law voluntary. If they succeed, thousands more American workers will be killed or injured on the job.

On April 28, the unions of the AFL-CIO observe Workers Memorial Day to remember those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew the fight for safe workplaces. On this Workers Memorial Day, we call upon all Americans to stop the pain of workplace injuries, support needed protections and defend the promise of safe jobs for all workers.