The Post-Journal, May 4, 2008, Sunday

The Post-Journal

May 4, 2008, Sunday

The Post-Journal

Eighth Annual Memorial Day Service Honors Fallen Workers

By Luke Anderson landerson@post-journal.com

From left, Don Williams and Hank Hoisington of the Dunkirk Labor Council admire a wreath placed in memory of the county’s fallen workers as others look on during the Workers’ Memorial Day service Saturday morning at Erlandson Overview Park.

P-J photo by Luke Anderson

5/4/2008 - FREWSBURG — The late James Miller, a dedicated educator and labor advocate, was the principal honoree at the eighth annual Workers’ Memorial Day service Saturday morning.

Area labor leaders gathered Saturday in remembrance of all the Chautauqua County workers who have been injured or killed on the job.

The service, held at Erlandson Overview Park, was intended not only to honor the memories of workers who have fallen, but to call attention to the need for creating and maintaining safe workplaces.

The service was held on a windswept hill under the workers’ memorial gazebo, a site which County Executive Greg Edwards, with rolling hills behind him, called a natural cathedral.

Mike Piazza and Paul Fardink read in turns the names of all the workers in the county — stretching back to 1880 — who have been killed on the job, in the line of duty or from job-related causes.

The last name on the list belonged to James Miller, a former Jamestown Community College professor and labor studies director at Cornell’s Industrial and Labor Relations School. Miller died of a heart attack in October 2007.

“Jim once told me he’d like to die on the job, that he’d like to die teaching,’’ said Martha Lindner, Miller’s long-time partner.

On Oct. 1, Miller went to JCC and taught his morning classes. Later, in the afternoon, he wasn’t feeling well, so he went home, but not before sitting down with another faculty member to give her instructions on what to do in case he had to miss his afternoon classes. Miller died that night.

During his career, Miller taught more than 35,000 trade unionists and mediated numerous labor-management disputes.

“He was a very, very special man: insightful, earnest and unyielding in obtaining ultimate peace for his clients,’’ said Charles DeAngelo, Miller’s friend and colleague.

During the service, the Workers’ Memorial Committee dedicated a park bench at Erlandson Park to Miller. The plaque reads: “In memory of Dr. James E. Miller, 1942-2007. Educator, peacemaker and dedicated friend of the labor movement.’’

State Sen. Catharine Young said being at the memorial service reminded her of all the people who are touched by the death of a worker.

“Behind every single worker we lose on the job, there are many loved ones, family and friends who grieve their loss but also treasure their memories,’’ she said.

The slogan of the memorial committee reads in part, “work shouldn’t hurt,’’ a sentiment echoed by Sen. Young.

“Today we remember those we’ve lost, but we are also renewing our commitment as a county and a state to protect our workers. That is all of our responsibility,’’ she said.