NY: Workers Memorial Day construction mass

From 1010 Wins radio (4/28/08)

Construction Workers Hold Mass for Dead Colleagues. Construction workers killed on the job are being remembered at St. Patrick's Cathedral as New York City sharpens its focus on the dangers of their work.

Construction Workers Hold Mass for Dead Colleagues

NEW YORK (AP) -- Holding hard hats high to salute helmets on empty chairs in St. Patrick's Cathedral, thousands of city construction workers Monday paid tribute to their colleagues killed in a growing number of deadly accidents this year.

1010 WINS AUDIO: Al Jones Reports

Construction workers held an unprecedented Mass to remember fallen workers, joined by the families of victims in a March crane collapse and several other high-profile accidents in the city. Many came straight from construction sites in work boots and jeans after several contractors closed down jobs early.

Bells rang as labor officials recited the names of 26 union and nonunion laborers who died in the city in the past year. The dead include six of seven victims of the March 15 crane collapse, a window washer who fell off a Manhattan skyscraper and a man who plunged 40 stories to his death off a Donald Trump tower.

``They didn't die in vain,'' said Father Brian Jordan, who served as a chaplain at ground zero. ``They upheld the dignity of human labor.''

The ceremony was on Workers Memorial Day, which is held annually to commemorate the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act. But city construction workers have not held a Mass this large before and many said the crane collapse called greater attention to the high risks of their industry.

``I went to three funerals in a week'' after the collapse, said Ralph DiDonato, a senior superintendent at Bovis Lend Lease. ``Construction workers are the tightest crew when it comes for caring for people.''

The number of deaths cited at the service does not match the city Buildings Department, which also lists non-construction worker deaths and has said fewer people have died: 13 this year, 12 last year.

Organizers couldn't immediately explain the discrepancy, although federal agencies compile different data for construction-related deaths, sometimes using criteria that include a wider range of projects.

The city's buildings commissioner resigned last week, days after disclosing at a hearing that the building under construction before the crane collapse had improperly received construction permits. The city's acting commissioner, who attended Monday's service, ordered a review of high-risk construction practices, including crane and concrete pouring operations.

Several times the workers raised their hats to nine empty chairs, each with a different colored hard hat and roses or daffodils on the seats. Eight referred to the union construction workers who lost their lives in the past year, while the ninth represented the 18 who died in nonunion jobs, Jordan said.

The workers held a moment of silence after OSHA officials Richard Mendelson and Janet Kenny finished reading the names. Edward Malloy, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council, said prayers are always said on sites when they learn a worker has died.

No one will forget the fallen workers, Malloy said, because ``the legacy of all construction workers ... is the skyline of New York.'

MA: Firefighters call for unity rally prior to Memorial ceremony and lobby day

At last year's Lobby Day President McCarthy read the names of our members who died during 2006 of occupationally related illness and injury.

With recent concerns of the under-staffing and the recent attack on their profession in the media, the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts is calling on all non-working members in the area to attend their 3rd annual "PFFM Lobby Day, Unity Rally & Workers Memorial April 29th". Heres the story from the PFFM web site:

April 29th at 10AM will be the PFFM's 3rd Annual Lobby Day, Unity Rally and Worker's Memorial at the State House on Beacon Hill.

To: PFFM Locals and membership

From: Bob McCarthy, President & The PFFM Executive Board

Subj: Unity rally prior to Workers Memorial and PFFM Lobby Day. 04/29/08

All off duty firefighters are requested to attend a "UNITY RALLY' on Tuesday morning April 29, 2008 on the Boston Common in front of the State House. Formation at the corner of Charles St. and Beacon St. at 10:00am. Uniform of the day is Red Shirt and fire helmet. The Clinton Fire Local 3189 clothing van will be at the Unity Rally at 9:00AM at Charles and Beacon Streets meeting place. They will have the Red Shirts on hand available to purchase. Call 508-380-9606 and ask for Paul if anyone wants to pre-order some Red Shirts so that they can have their size on hand at the Rally.

This rally will be a display of solidarity. The print and news media have attacked our profession unmercifully over the past six months and it has become quite clear that they are attacking our benefits. This unity rally will demonstrate that we will not sit still for their vilification and the malice towards us, our profession and our benefits.

We will respond as proud union members who will fight as "ONE" against any and all attacks on our profession. We will stand proud in support of our local union officers our statewide union officers and our International union officers.

Let us pass the word and make this the best attended rally in our 63
year history.

After the rally we will join our Union Brothers and Sisters at a memorial for all the departed union members who have passed away from an on duty accident, injury or occupational disease at a "Workers Memorial Day Ceremony". We will then visit our respective State Senators and State Representatives to lobby for our legislative agenda.

click here for a copy of the PFFM Do's & Don'ts of Lobbying

I hope some of our firefighter friends in the area will get us some pictures, good luck

NY: Workers Memorial Day, construction unions and construction managment to stand together in Construction Workers Memorial Mass at St. Pats

From The planning Committee for the Construction Workers’ Memorial Day Mass:

Dear friends of the BCTC and the BTEA,

Greetings, April 28 is Workers’ Memorial Day and in light of the terrible tragedy of March 15 in the East Side of Manhattan, members both from construction worker unions and construction company management have come together to sponsor a special Construction Workers’ Memorial Mass on that same day. The Mass will begin sharply at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 28th in St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st.

All construction workers, union members and construction management personnel are most welcome to attend. Not only will we solemnly remember the six construction workers who were called home to God on March 15 but also the other Workers who died on the worksite since last year’s April Workers’ Memorial Day.


We respectfully request that all construction workers who are attending the Mass as a Sign of solidarity among construction workers in New York City, be by St Patrick’s Cathedral by no later than 1:30 p.m. We will have the New York Police Department coordinate a procession route on 5th Avenue and adjoining streets in which participating construction workers WEARING HARDHATS will process into St. Patrick’s Cathedral where you will be seated by the ushers.


Please bring your hardhats for this procession. You will take them off after the opening prayer! Management is encouraged to join in the procession wearing hardhats as well. Those not wearing hardhats should not process but just enter through the side doors of the church.

HARDHATS ARE MANDATORY!

All family members of our deceased brethren will be up in the front of the church previously seated. All family members should be in the Cathedral by no later than 1:45 p.m. Please identify yourselves to both the ushers and the union representatives who will greet you and escort you to the front of the church of your assigned seating.

The Memorial Mass will include appropriate music performed by the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Music Ministry, readings and the general intercessions to be read by family members. There will be a special ritual of remembrance in which family members, select union officials and management officials will participate to honor our loved ones. Along with the homily, there will be some brief reflections about the solemnity of Workers’ Memorial Day. The Memorial Mass should conclude between 3:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Besides the deceased, we will also remember those injured on the worksite this past year.

This Memorial Mass will also serves as a spiritual sign of solidarity among construction workers in our city. This noble profession of construction work poses greater risks than the NYPD or FDNY. Construction workers are more liable to death and injury than most other professions in this great city, THEREFORE, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT ALL UNION CONSTRUCTION WORKERS MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO BE PRESENT AND PRAY FOR OUR CO-WORKERS AND SHOW SOLIDARITY!

Thank you ---The planning Committee for the Construction Workers’ Memorial Day Mass.

The committee has also made preparations for St. Pats' to waiver the no hat ruling in the church, through dispensation, I have been trying to get this e-mail forwarded to me, I finally found it on Local 157 Blogspot, thanks John