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| Local News | This story pubished online: Monday, April 26, 2004 11:45 PM CDT |
Illiopolis plant workers to be remembered at Workers Memorial Day service Wednesday
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On Wednesday, Joe E. Machalek, 50; Larry Graves, 47; and Linda Hancock, 56, all of Decatur, and Glenn Lyman, 49, of Cornland will be remembered along with others who have died or were injured on the job during an annual Workers Memorial Day observance in Decatur.
"That's one of the reasons of the worker memorial - so that we never forget," said Michael Shampine, president of the Decatur Trades & Labor Assembly, the group hosting the event. "For the people who give their lives, hopefully it's a safer workplace."
Unions nationwide have designated April 28 as a Workers Memorial Day since 1989.
The Workers Memorial Day service will be at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Worker's Memorial Monument, at the northwest corner of the Macon County Courts Facility, rain or shine.
Three others injured in Friday's explosion at the Illiopolis plastics plant remained hospitalized Monday at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. Randy Hancock and Bradford Bradshaw, both of Decatur, were in critical condition, and Chris Havener of Decatur was in serious condition. Dan Lyons of Riverton was discharged Sunday from Memorial.
In Illinois, 190 people died from work-related injuries in 2002, the most recent numbers available from the state Department of Public Health. That's 41 fewer deaths reported than in the previous year. Another 251 people reported injuries in 2001.
Nationwide, about 60,000 workers die on the job each year, according to the national American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.
The fatalities and injuries, Shampine said, serve as a reminder for constant cooperation between employers, employees and the state to prevent mistakes and make conditions safer in the workplace.
"The message is a clear reminder of how dangerous conditions can be, especially in factories and working around heavy equipment and working around chemicals," Shampine said.
However, he added, the risks do not discriminate between factories and offices.
Shampine said the names of those who died in Illiopolis will be added to the memorial outside the Macon County Courts Facility. Mayor Paul Osborne has been invited to speak at the ceremony. Other guest speakers will include relatives of some of the people who've died in the past.
Shampine said a special plaque will be presented to honor Father Martin Mangan, "who passed away and who was a great advocate for labor."
For those who cannot attend the service, they can still honor the deceased.
"At least take a moment of pause and reflect that these workers gave the ultimate sacrifice to have a safer workplace," Shampine said.
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