Workers Memorial Day 2026
On Workers Memorial Day, AFSCME Council 13 remembers those who lost their lives or were injured or made ill on the job, and we recommit to the fight for safer workplaces.
Every worker deserves to come home safe. Yet according to the AFL-CIO Death on the Job Report, in 2024, 5,070 workers were killed on the job, and an estimated 135,000 more died from occupational diseases — more than 380 workers every day.
These aren’t just numbers. They are our coworkers and our union family.
We honor our Council 13 brothers who we lost just in the last couple of years:
- Rodney “Craig” Walker (Local 2128, PennDOT)
- David L. Warfel (Local 2369, DCNR)
- Seth Baughman (Local 2103, PennDOT)
- Robert “Rob” Greenlee (Local 2103, PennDOT)
Too many of these tragedies are preventable. Yet 7.9 million public sector workers across the country are not covered by OSHA protections at all.
That’s why we’re fighting for stronger safety protections, including a Public Sector OSHA law here in Pennsylvania to ensure every public service worker has enforceable safety standards.
Going to work should never cost a life.
Today, we mourn. We remember. And we keep fighting.