Just in time for Workers Memorial Day, the AFL-CIO’s 2025 Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect report highlights the persistent and growing challenges of workplace safety in the U.S. The report found that 5,283 workers died on the job in 2023, with an additional 135,304 dying from occupational diseases. This marked a slight decrease in job fatalities from the previous year. However, the union stresses that inadequate workplace safety laws and policies continue to put workers’ lives at risk.
As the nation commemorated Workers Memorial Day on April 28, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler reflected on the ongoing challenge of workplace deaths and injuries. Addressing the issue with the seriousness it deserves, she highlighted the report’s key findings, emphasizing how inadequate safety laws and policies continue to result in unnecessary deaths, injuries, and illnesses.
The Rising Toll of Inadequate Safety Policies
Despite improvements in worker safety over the decades, workplace fatalities remain disturbingly high. The AFL-CIO’s findings reveal that the job fatality rate in 2023 was slightly lower than in 2022, due to pro-worker policies. However, the union notes that recent cuts to federal agencies responsible for protecting worker safety, including the elimination of critical offices of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), are likely to exacerbate the situation.
A Disproportionate Impact on Workers of Color
The 2025 Death on the Job report reveals that Latino workers face a disproportionate risk. With 1,250 Latino worker deaths reported in 2023, this group had the highest fatality rate among all demographics. Latino workers’ fatality rate of 4.4 per 100,000 workers remains significantly higher than the national average.
In addition to the fatalities, Black workers also face higher risks. The report noted 659 Black worker deaths, marking the second-highest number in more than two decades. These figures underscore the need for employers to recognize the specific challenges faced by workers of color and take action to address these disparities in workplace safety.
President Shuler addressed this disparity in her remarks on Workers Memorial Day, stating, “Black and Latino workers continue to face exploitation in higher numbers, dying on the job at the highest rates we’ve seen in decades.” The labor movement, Shuler stressed, will continue to fight for greater accountability and protections for workers of color.
A Call for Action: Strengthening Worker Protections
In her speech, Shuler emphasized the importance of continuing the fight to protect worker safety standards. She called on lawmakers to defend agencies like OSHA, NIOSH, and MSHA. She’ll also urged them to reject any attempts to dismantle the protections workers fought so hard to secure. The report reminds us that progress in workplace safety is fragile and that employers must not compromise workers’ rights to a safe job.
Shuler’s call to action aligns with the broader message of the report. Employers must fulfill their legal responsibilities to protect workers from harm, and policymakers must reinvest in the safety infrastructure that has saved lives over the decades. She urged employers to look beyond compliance and take proactive steps to ensure the safety and health of their workforce. She reassured employers that “the right approach to safety can create stronger, more resilient businesses.”
As the AFL-CIO 2025 Death on the Job report makes clear, much work remains to be done to ensure the fundamental right to a safe job is a reality for all American workers. Whether it’s addressing workplace violence, improving the enforcement of safety regulations, urgent action is needed to protect the workforce.
In her Workers’ Memorial Day address, Shuler reminded everyone of the stakes. “We owe it to those we’ve lost and their loved ones. And we owe it to the next generation to make sure they have a safe and secure future.” The AFL-CIO’s 2025 report serves as a reminder for businesses and workers alike to fight for better protections. It also calls for ensuring that workplace safety remains a priority in the years to come.
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