MADISON, Wis. — In recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day, held annually on April 28 to honor workers who have been killed or injured on the job, A Better Wisconsin Together is standing with Wisconsin workers and calling attention to an alarming amount of worker protections recently blocked by Republicans in our state legislature.

“As we honor and remember those who have lost their lives or fallen ill or been injured on the job, it’s a reminder that safety on the job should be a fundamental right,” said A Better Wisconsin Together spokesperson Lucy Ripp. “But even a cursory look at the recent legislative record of Wisconsin Republicans shows that protecting the rights and safety of Wisconsin workers isn’t a priority for our GOP lawmakers.”

Ripp noted that when Governor Evers introduced a new state budget last summer, Republicans’ first order of business was removing over 600 items, including several related to workers’ rights and protections.

Additional pro-worker legislation that Republicans blocked from becoming law this session includes: prohibiting abusive work environments, expanding access to medical leave and disability insurance, requiring employers to accommodate breaks for working moms, holding employers accountable for how they classify employees, and more. 

“More than a century after becoming the first state to establish a worker safety law, Wisconsin deserves better than Republicans’ recent neglect for the rights and freedoms of workers in our state,” said Ripp.