On April 5 an underground explosion at Massey Energy’s Upper Big Branch Mine killed 29 employees and forced West Virginia officials to re-examine long-held assumptions about mine safety in their state. The tragedy exposed a system in which safety violations went unheeded and workers operated in a dangerous environment with too little information. We stand together with our West Virginia friends, even as New York works to strengthen our own workplace safety laws. As ranking member on the New York State Assembly’s Labor committee, I understand the progress we’ve made in the Empire State and the challenges we still face in securing a safer environment for all our workers.

My title as ranking member of the labor committee is the second such appointment I have enjoyed since being elected to the State Assembly in 1990. During this time I have worked with numerous labor representatives throughout New York State. I have addressed union memberships at conventions, befriended a myriad of statewide union officials, and collaborated with union and business representatives in crafting legislation that balances labor interests with the demands of competitive enterprise.

I have even gone out into the field to witness conditions firsthand. I have been dedicated to bettering workers’ rights and employer relations. Time and again, as a former member of the Laborer’s International Union, president of the New York State Deputy’s Association and president of the Oneida County Deputy Sheriff’s Benevolent Association Collective Bargaining Unit, I have endeavored to serve union members effectively. My 20 years representing the people of Oneida and Oswego counties in the state Assembly have only added to my regard for and understanding of working men and women.

In 2009 I helped to pass a new law designed to protect those who work around high-voltage lines. The purpose of the legislation was to correct industry practices and standards that threatened utility employees daily. High-voltage lines present various hazards, including death. The law I joined my Assembly colleagues to pass was the first permanent change to these workplace safety standards in 35 years. Now, with fewer dangers and improved guidelines, the safety of workers and the standing of management has been enhanced. Another bill that I supported from the start would have required the state Department of Labor to study workplace environments and their consequences. Every day, certain workers are subjected to workplaces that threaten their ability to complete their jobs safely and in a timely manner. Even though this measure was ultimately vetoed by Gov. David Paterson, I remain committed to keeping the issue of hostile work environments and their impact on employees at the forefront of the labor committee’s discussions.

I have had a relationship with unions and their members in one form or another since the 1970s. During this time I have been proud to represent the interests of working men and women; my resolve to stand up for the basic rights of these hardworking New Yorkers has only been strengthened during our economic recession. As lawmakers, we must continue this commitment into the future. For union supporters, enhancing workplace safety should remain part of this essential mission of fairness and progress.


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Dave Townsend, a Republican representing parts of Oneida and Oswego counties, is ranking member of the Assembly Labor Committee.