Business

Workers Memorial Day held online again from Green Island

Published

3 years ago

April 28, 2021

For the consecutive straight year, a memorial service for local laborers was virtual.

The annual workers Memorial Day ceremony at Green Island in La Crosse was conducted online again, because of the pandemic.

Local labor council president Tyler Tubbs from the Western Wisconsin AFL-CIO said the spread of COVID-19 has increased the importance of safety in the workplace.

“Today, the pandemic has killed more than 570-thousand people” in the U.S.,” Tubbs said. “Many of them, essential front-line workers. Many people of color, and immigrants among them, whose work served a nation in desperate need.”

Only three people took part in the ceremony, held each year on April 28. For that reason, there were no rows of white crosses planted on the lawn at Green Island, to honor dozens of area residents whose deaths were work-related. Eighty-eight names were read during the brief service.

The event was held as usual outside the Green Island ice arena, at a gazebo where the names of fallen workers are listed on plaques.

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.