The Labor Day parade is a beloved tradition in Pittsburgh, a celebration and recognition of the union workers who forge the steel in our skyscrapers, mine the coal that powers our factories, teach our children and care for our seniors. In my home, we always made a special point to recognize the transit workers — like my dad — who operate the trains and buses that get folks where they need to go.
This year we’re recognizing Labor Day with heavy hearts, in remembrance of the two steelworkers who didn’t make it home from their shift at the Clairton Coke Works a few weeks ago, Timothy Quinn and Steven Menefee.
It’s not enough to simply eulogize the workers who lost their lives. We must take action to make workplaces in Pennsylvania safer. That’s what the Shapiro-Davis administration is doing, by reforming our workers’ compensation law to ensure emergency responders with post-traumatic stress receive the coverage they deserve and the treatment they need. We’re also pushing to cover annual cancer screenings for firefighters, we’ve stepped up enforcement of child labor law violations and we’re cracking down on worker misclassification…