Each year, the Teamsters Union and trade unionists worldwide recognize April 28th as Workers’ Memorial Day (WMD) — an international day of remembrance and action for workers who have died, been injured, or made ill or disabled from their work.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has developed a variety of resources to help you plan WMD activities at your local union and workplace. These include examples of activities and events to host, talking points that may be shared with the media, and fact sheets on workplace hazards and workers’ rights. Available resources will be posted on this page in the coming days.  On this April 28, we urge you to commemorate and honor your fellow fallen workers by getting involved and organizing observances, remembrances, actions, activities, or digital campaigns in your workplaces and communities.

As a result of decades of effort, workers and their unions have made significant improvements to working conditions. But workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths continue to inflict enormous pain and suffering on millions of American workers and their families.  Since March 2020, close to 1 million have died, and 80 million have become ill from COVID-19 in the United States; many are frontline and essential workers, including Teamster members.

The Teamsters Union has organized to demand and win job protections from this highly contagious virus throughout the pandemic. We have organized for safe jobs and the right to speak out against unsafe working conditions. We demanded access to personal protective equipment, respirators, changes in ventilation system operation, and other measures that protect workers from exposure to the virus while at work. 

In addition to fighting for worker protections against COVID-19 exposure, we must continue to fight for protections against heat stress, workplace violence, and the evolving and unique hazards presented when humans and machines collide in automation/ robotics in the workplace. Continued action and constant pressure are required to ensure both employers and legislators address these concerns.  

This Workers’ Memorial Day is an opportunity to promote health and safety at every workplace by highlighting the toll of workplace injuries and illnesses, acknowledging their preventable nature, and demanding strong management commitment to developing and implementing adequate safety and health programs with input from workers and their unions. We must continue to fight and push forward to ensure safe jobs for all workers through strong unions and strong laws. Organize! Safe Jobs NOW!

• Statement from Sean M. O’Brien, Teamsters General President
• Letter from Lamont Byrd, Teamsters Safety and Health Director
• WMD2022 Posters and Social Media Graphics
• Workplace Fatality and Injury Report
• Covid-19 Update 2022
• A Focus on Heat Injuries and Illnesses
• General Media Talking Points
• Workers’ Memorial Day Activities
• Pre-event Media Advisory
• Sample Letter to the Editor
• Press Release After Event
• Tell Us About Your Event
• Teamster Safety and Health Website

Other Resources

• Death on the Job Report
• National COSH
  • Family Resource Guide to help survivors
  • Fatality Database
  • 2022 Dirty Dozen Report
• OSHA Adding Inequality to Injury – The Cost of Failing to Protect Workers on the Job