Introducing: New Board Members Elmer Lizardi and Sarah Kanbar
What interests you about worker health and safety?
Elmer: I would not really say that worker health and safety is an interest of mine, but rather a responsibility. I was born into a family and community of farmworkers, so I witnessed from a young age the impact that employer discretion can have on individuals and families alike, especially when it comes to worker health and safety. I have unfortunately witnessed the difference between employers who value the hard work and humanity of their employees as they put their lives on the line daily, and those who do not. Workers have the right to be treated fairly and to have adequate health and safety protections at every workplace, regardless of who their employer is. I think I do have a responsibility to help protect workers in whatever ways I can, because of my personal experience, but also because of the need to ensure a healthier and more equitable quality of life for the workers who actually grow, maintain, build, and rebuild California.
Sarah: I firmly believe that all workers are entitled to work in safety and security, without fear of being subjected to physical, psychological, or other harm. I further believe that legal protections for workers’ safety are insufficient and outdated because they do not factor generational changes including the climate crisis, workplace violence, and the purported technological advances that rely on unregulated artificial intelligence. Thus, it is necessary that we ensure workers are well-educated and have the capacity and knowledge to organize around the issues that impact their workplace, as they are best positioned to determine what is necessary to be safe at work.
What inspired you to serve on the Worksafe board?
Elmer: When I started in my role with the California Federation of Labor Unions, I learned about Worksafe, their mission, and I began meeting many of the folks who are involved in the organization, and I think I was ultimately inspired by both the mission and its advocates to join the board and contribute to its success.
Sarah: Worksafe is one of the rare organizations whose work is centered on the right to have a safe and healthy workplace and uses a variety of strategies to deliver on that mission. I believe that rectifying something as widespread as health and safety issues cannot be done through one method, and that we need a variety of options, including organizing, public outreach, and legal advocacy to ensure workers know their rights, know how to organize to protect that right, and how to enforce that right.
What is the most pressing issue facing California workers in 2025?
Elmer: It is always difficult to only choose one major issue, but I will say that right now, new technologies and how they affect workers' job functions, health and safety, privacy, and job security is one of the most pressing issues we must tackle as worker advocates. We are already witnessing health, safety, and privacy being thrown to the wayside for the sake of efficiency, with little regard for how it manifests in worker's lives in real time. And as advancements in tech continue, we must ensure that workers are at the forefront of how that tech is implemented in the workplace to ensure sensible and ethical use that highlights and improves workers' skills rather than diminishes, exploits, or eliminates them. I would also be remiss if I did not mention the constant wage theft that workers face daily in California. Workers have billions of dollars stolen from them every year, and because it is so pervasive, it is often forgotten or ignored. Workers deserve what they have earned.
Sarah: The most pressing issue is ensuring that workers have the power to organize around safety issues in their workplace. There is little incentive for employers to proactively respond to safety concerns, since CalOSHA penalties are relatively low and are often dismissed as a cost of doing business. Workers yield the power to hold their employers accountable and ensure safety in the workplace.
Please join us in welcoming them to Worksafe!
