Labor leaders urge county to prioritize worker safety ahead of Workers Memorial Day

John Christiansen, president of the Eastern Panhandle Central Labor Council, addressed the Berkeley County Commission to mark the run‑up to Workers Memorial Day on April 28 and urged local government leaders to prioritize workplace safety.

Christiansen told commissioners that a worker dies in the United States every 99 minutes and said West Virginia has one of the highest workplace fatality rates in the country. He said state and local government employees have a higher fatality rate than private sector workers in West Virginia and highlighted transportation incidents and construction as leading causes of workplace deaths.

“These aren't just numbers. These are people,” Christiansen said, adding that recent staffing and policy shifts at federal agencies tasked with workplace safety increase the need for local action. He urged the commission to enforce industry best practices, provide appropriate equipment and training and to cultivate a culture where safety is expected. Christiansen asked the commission to treat the day as “a call to action so that future generations will remember Martinsburg not just as a place where the labor movement began, but as a place where it continues to thrive.”

Commission members thanked Christiansen for raising awareness and briefly observed a moment of silence for workers killed on the job. No formal county action or policy change was proposed during the meeting; Christiansen's remarks were entered into the public record during the public‑comment portion of the meeting.

Ending: Christiansen requested action beyond remembrance and asked local officials to lead on worker safety where federal support is reduced; commissioners expressed appreciation and recognized recent local workplace fatalities.