Fallen Workers Honored at Workers’ Memorial Day Event in New York City

For Immediate Release:
April 28, 2026

Contact: Kate Whalen, kwhalen@nycclc.org, 347-453-7131

NEW YORK, NY — Workers, Labor leaders and government officials gathered today for a Workers’ Memorial Day event in Midtown Manhattan to honor New Yorkers who have died or suffered injury or illness on the job, and to renew the fight for strong workplace safety protections. The event was organized by the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO and the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH), and the program included remarks by New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su and 32BJ SEIU Executive Vice President Israel Melendez.

Held in front of 345 Park Avenue, the site of a workplace shooting last summer that claimed the lives of four workers, the event honored New Yorkers who have died on the job over the past year. The names of more than 40 workers were read aloud, including 32BJ SEIU member Aland Etienne and PBA member Detective Didarul Islam (promoted posthumously), who were among those killed at this site and whose unions were in attendance. 

Once again, construction was the most dangerous industry, with at least ten known fatalities. At least eleven workers honored today from a variety of industries died as a result of workplace violence. 

Workers’ Memorial Day comes at a time of growing concern over weakened workplace safety enforcement. More than 380 workers are killed every day in the United States due to preventable workplace hazards, and federal OSHA resources and staffing have declined to historic lows, leaving too many employers unaccountable. Speakers called for stronger enforcement, stronger standards, and the protection of workers’ right to organize, and noted that Black, Latino, and immigrant workers face disproportionate risks on the job. 

“Workers’ Memorial Day is about remembering the workers we’ve lost and recommitting ourselves to the fight for the living,” said Brendan Griffith, President of the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. “But we’re also at a moment when the systems meant to keep workers safe are being weakened. OSHA was created to guarantee every worker the right to a safe job, and that promise only matters if it’s enforced. Right now, we’re seeing fewer inspectors, fewer inspections, and fewer consequences for employers who break the law. A safe job is a fundamental right, and the best way to keep jobs safe is through membership in a union. The NYC Labor Movement will keep organizing and fighting until every worker can return home safely at the end of the day.”

“Workers' Memorial Day is a solemn commemoration where we grieve every worker who died from April of last year into today. Every worker who dies on the job is one too many. We need to be vigilant in protecting hard-fought worker protections, investigating every fatality, and increasing agency capacity to create safer jobs and standards for every New Yorker,” said Charlene Obernauer, Executive Director of NYCOSH.

“This Workers’ Memorial Day, we’re honored to join the New York City Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO and New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health in honoring the four workers who died during the July 2025 345 Park Ave shooting, including security officer and 32BJ SEIU member Aland Etienne,” said 32BJ SEIU Executive Vice President Israel Melendez. “Alongside Aland’s family, we are making sure that New Yorkers remember Aland and his sacrifice. With the passage of the Aland Etienne Safety and Security Act, our city has shown the nation what it means to stand with security. This legislation, once fully implemented, will uplift all New York City security officers with better wages, money for benefits and paid time off.”

Currently, there is no single, official source for tracking workplace fatalities in New York City. In compiling the list of workers honored at today’s event, the New York City Central Labor Council and NYCOSH relied on media reports, OSHA reports, information from affiliates and community organizations, and word of mouth.

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