May 6, 2025 — Workers’ Memorial Day is set aside to remember and honor those who died or suffered illness or injury on the job and PEF leaders and staff observed a moment of silence in memory of those fellow workers on April 28.
RELATED: Watch video of the ceremony
“We do this on this day to remember those who have lost their lives, or gotten injured severely, or with minor injuries, to be reminded of the importance of preventive protocols for health and safety practices,” said PEF Vice President Bruce Giddings. “We remain mindful for ourselves and others to remain safe, unharmed, and alive each day so that we can go home to our families and loved ones.”
Unions have been on the frontlines of health and safety and remain so today.
“Nearly all on-the-job fatalities should be prevented,” said Secretary-Treasurer Joe Donahue. “As a union, it is important on this day to publicly renew our commitment to health and safety for workers. Thousands of PEF members work on the frontlines every day, caring for some of the state’s most vulnerable people.”
Donahue called attention to the need for continued advocacy in the wake of a handful of high-profile workplace violence cases across the state since this time last year, including the stabbings at Buffalo Psychiatric Center, the attack at South Beach Psychiatric Center that left a member with a traumatic brain injury, and recently a sexual assault of a PEF member at Pilgrim Psychiatric Center in Suffolk County.
“Those are just the ones in the media,” he said. “In response, PEF launched a ‘Stop Workplace Violence’ campaign to educate members about what to do in the event of an incident with tabling events across the state.”
The union also initiated an advertising campaign on buses, bus shelters, and billboards.
Bradley Kolb, a field representative from the New York City office and president of PEF’s staff union, USW Local 9265, understands firsthand the importance of workplace safety – having lost a family member to an on-the-job exposure.
“Each year, too many workers around the world leave their homes and never return,” he said. “They are our coworkers, friends, parents, siblings, and neighbors. Today, we honor their memory and recommit ourselves to the mission of ensuring every worker has the right to a safe and healthy workplace.
“The day is not just about mourning, but about action,” Kolb said. “It’s a call to strengthen protections, raise awareness, and fight for justice. Whether it’s better safety training, stronger regulations, or simply speaking up when something doesn’t seem right – every step we take matters.”
Later in the afternoon, PEF Health & Safety Director Geraldine Stella joined Shana Davis, CSEA Capital Region IV President, to represent the unionized workforce at a Workers’ Memorial Day Dedication ceremony at the New York State Department of Labor in Albany.
There is a wealth of information on health and safety on PEF’s website.