Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bill McCarthy issued the following statement in response to Governor Tim Walz’s Executive Order protecting workers who report safety issues from employer retaliation:
“As Minnesota’s economy slowly reopens during this pandemic, it is vital that workers are empowered to report unsafe working conditions and to refuse to work if they have not been provided proper protections or training to do their job safely.
“The simple truth is that our economy cannot rebound unless employers are held accountable to implement safety measures to protect both workers and public health. Failing to do so would result in more workers falling sick and even more economic damage.
“We thank Governor Walz for continuing to actively seek the input of Minnesota’s Labor Movement during the peacetime emergency."