In view of the commemoration of International Labor Day, on May 1, we raise the alarm again about a sector that year after year sees how lives are cut short in occupational accidents that could have been prevented.
These are construction workers, a role in which immigrants play a particular role –many of whom, not having a legal status in the country, are exposed to risky work without proper protection.
According to the most recent data provided by the Office of Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA), 5,333 workers died on the job in 2019. About 20% (1,061) of worker deaths in private industry occurred in construction , which represents one of every five deaths of workers in the year.
Lack of necessary safety equipment, defective equipment, little or no training for certain tasks are some of the violations committed by employers in this industry, leaving a balance of dead or injured workers. And if we add wage theft or zero compensation to this, we see a spiral of labor injustice for those who only want to bring sustenance to their families’ tables.
It is known that occupational accidents in this sector are very common, but investigations often take years to reach a conclusion and leave immigrant families on the verge of despair, and if the companies are found guilty of negligence, the fines are often ridiculous.
On the other hand, there is the fear of reporting when the worker does not have a regularized immigration status. That is why permanent campaigns for the rights of workers are needed regardless of their status. In states like New York and California, there are laws that protect these workers.
In itself, construction work is a very heavy task. It is time to provide the necessary protections to those who leave their souls building cement jungles.
We also join the Fallen Worker Day remembrance promoted by activists from 50 organizations nationwide to demand that the Biden Administration take concrete steps to reverse the exploitation and disenfranchisement of immigrant workers.
As a starting point, they indicate that an executive order could well be materialized to protect the relatives of immigrants who have lost their lives, being a vital part of the backbone that drives the economy of the country. It is fair.