More than 50 years ago, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act, promising every worker the right to a safe job. Working people have fought hard and are fighting hard to make that promise a reality — winning protections that have made jobs safer and saved thousands of lives.

April 28 is Workers Memorial Day — a time for workers, unions, and communities to remember those who have lost their lives, been injured, or fallen ill due to their jobs. This is a time for us to organize for a safer future for all workers. The workplace protections we have today exist because workers organized, fought, and died for them. Yet each day in the United States, 360 workers lose their lives due to their job — 14 a day from injury alone — and millions more suffer from chronic work-related injuries or illnesses.

Job safety agencies play a critical role in protecting workers from unsafe working conditions, and agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have open, active investigations against Elon Musk’s companies. Yet the Trump administration is granting Musk, through the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency,” access to workers’ confidential data from safety investigations, workers’ compensation claims, and other filings. This is an outrageous breach of privacy that puts many workers at risk of retaliation and discourages workers from wanting to come forward about unsafe working conditions. Additionally, it is unfair to businesses, as it gives Musk unfettered access to confidential business information about his competitors.

The government’s role is to protect workers from unsafe workplaces that inevitably lead to serious injury, illness, or even death on the job. But now, our entire worker protection structure is under threat. I call upon our Congressional delegation to demand that the Trump administration uphold the workplace protections we’ve fought so hard to secure.

As this solemn occasion of Workers Memorial Day approaches, I recall the words of Mother Jones (1837-1930), prominent union organizer, community organizer, and activist of blessed memory. She said, “Pray for the dead, and fight like hell for the living!” May we wisely follow her advice.

Garland Gates

Bristol