Remembering the Workers who Died on the Job in 2023

As part of Greater Boston’s observation of the 35th annual International Workers’ Memorial Day, we gathered on Friday, April 26, at the steps of the Massachusetts State House to distribute this year’s Dying for Work report and honor and remember the 62 workers who lost their lives on the job in Massachusetts in 2023. The event began with an invocation from Pastor Rafaela Radcke of Nuevo Amanecer Ministry, followed by opening words from Darlene Lombos, President of the Greater Boston Labor Council. In her speech, Darlene called attention to the 22 construction workers who tragically lost their lives in 2023, with all but one of them holding non-union jobs. “We know that the best way for workers to be safe is when they have the protection of a union,” she said.

Community members, union leaders, and labor advocates then lined up to read the names of those lost on the job over the past year. A tremendous thank you to this year’s readers:

Paul Jacques, Legislative Director, Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts (PFFM)

Tom Raiche, Labor Liaison, United Way and the Merrimack Valley Central Labor Council

Dan Collins, Organizer Director, UFCW Local 1445

Frank Callahan, President, Massachusetts Building Trades Unions

Winki Chan, Deputy Director, Chinese Progressive Association – CPA Boston

Gladys Vega, Executive Director, La Colaborativa

Nora Watts, Registered Nurse and Board Member, Massachusetts Nurses Association

Andre Simoes, Workers Rights Program Manager, Brazilian Worker Center

Jack Green, Legislative Staffer, IBEW Local 2222

Rodrigo Badaro, Business Representative, IUPAT DC53 & Vice President of Greater Boston LCLAA – Labor Council for Latin American Advancement

Matt Lyons, IBEW Local 2222

Keith Odume, Staff Representative, United Steelworkers District 4

James Durkin, Legislative Director, AFSCME Council 93

Ben Jacobs, Journeyman, Sheet Metal Workers Local 17

Following a moment of silence, Alicia Anacleto, MassCOSH Board Member and partner of fallen worker Peter Monsini, spoke on some of the experiences she shared in our report and called on employers to do what’s necessary to protect their workers:

“Family was everything to Peter. He was a man that was always there for his family or if he saw someone stranded on the side of the road, he would stop and lend a hand…The numbers of fallen workers should be decreasing but unfortunately they seem to be increasing. Employers are cutting corners, not abiding by codes and safety protocols and something needs to done so moms, dads, sons, daughters, etc. are able to return home to their families after their workday.”

Al Vega, our Chief of Strategy & Engagement, then spoke, highlighting the many concerning trends we wrote about in this year’s report and calling on elected officials and public servants to make sure they do not continue into 2024. Particularly, with more and more employers across the country relying on immigrant workers and child workers, we’re witnessing a dramatic increase in exposure to dangerous and low-paying jobs among the most marginalized workers. More must be done to ensure the health and safety of these workers, as they often face retaliation when they try to advocate for themselves.

Before closing out the ceremony, we also dedicated some time and attention to workers who are injured each year on the job. As with worker fatalities, a closer look at injuries on the job show a consistent pattern of disregard from employers towards the safety of their workers. Mayra Molina, our Immigrant Worker Center Organizer, shared the story of one such worker whose employer refused to acknowledge an on-the-job injury, gaslighting him and telling him that his injury had happened at home.

In 2024, we have our work cut out for us as a Commonwealth to heed these stories and help make sure we bring the number of worker fatalities down. As Chrissy Lynch, President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO State Fed, succinctly put it in the closing remarks of the ceremony, “One workplace accident is too many. This Workers Memorial Day,and every day moving forward, in the spirit of the immortal Mother Jones, we mourn for the dead and fight for the living.”