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Members of the Workers Defense Project, construction workers and community supporters Wednesday evening protested Governor Rick Perry's recent comments downplaying the risks faced by construction workers. A recent report shows that one in five Austin construction workers have suffered serious injuries on the job, and the most recent numbers from 2007 show nearly 150 workers have died on the job in Texas. Protestors say Governor Perry has dismissed the need for improving safety regulations. Three construction workers fell 11 stories to their death in June while working on the 21 Rio apartments in West Campus. While there has so far been no official finding about what went wrong, OSHA reports scaffolding had either been assembled incorrectly or substandard parts were used that didn't meet weight requirements. At the Central Texas Construction Expo last week, Governor Perry was interviewed about the deadly working conditions in the Texas construction industry. He dismissed the need for improving safety regulations by saying: "we have enough oversight to keep our citizens safe" Governor Perry is ignoring the fact that Texas has the nation's most deadly construction industry. According to government statistics, every 2.5 days a construction worker in Texas dies on the job. As Governor, he needs to prioritize the the lives of the men and women that build this state. Instead, he indicates that safety regulations get in the way of making profit. He says that the key to a successful construction industry is the "reign of free enterprise" and being "wary of over-regulation." To read more from this interview go to: http://www.news8austin.com/content/top_stories/?ArID=245131 We Have to Let Governor Perry Know That Texas Needs More Safety Protections for ALL Construction Workers. Take Action: 1. Come to the protest on Wednesday! Bring noisemakers, drums. signs, cameras, bullhorns, megaphones and your voice. 2. Email Governor Perry http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/ 3. Call Governor Perry (512) 463-2000 4. Send him a letter Office of the Governor P.O. Box 12428 Austin, Texas 78711-2428 To learn more about how to Build a Better Texas visit: http://www.buildaustin.org

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