Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Safety on the job has not always been a priority. That’s one reason for Workers’ Memorial Day, and the keynote speaker at Monday’s Springfield event, state Treasurer Mike Frerichs, said it took Big Labor to get the day recognized.

“Not the government, not a business association, not a hedge fund or a corporate giant,” Frerichs said, “rather, it was organized labor that chose to recognize this day.”

“Death on the job affects us all,” said Illinois AFL-CIO president Tim Drea (pictured), “and none of us are immune to the loss inflicted by unsafe workplaces.”

Unions are advocating a bill to preserve the workplace regulations of today, even if the federal government rolls them back.

LATEST LOCAL NEWS: Check out the most recent news articles