[act-ma] 3/9 - MEMORIAL RALLY FOR JUSTICE FOR HECTOR RIVAS

[IAC Boston]

*MEDIA ADVISORY *

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *                               March 6, 2007
                           
*Contact: *
Carmen Ortiz, Sister of Hector Rivas - 617-442-8245
Jonathan Regis, Committee for Justice for Hector Rivas - 857-204-7357
Rachel Nasca, Women's Fightback Network - 617-524-1535
Dorotea Manuela, Committee for Justice for Hector Rivas - 617-922-5744

*JOIN THE MEMORIAL RALLY FOR JUSTICE FOR HECTOR RIVAS.
ONE YEAR AFTER THE DEATH OF HECTOR RIVAS THE STRUGGLE
AGAINST CORPORATE NEGLECT CONTINUES

FRIDAY, MARCH 9 - 6:00 PM
FREEPORT ST. BUS FACILITY*


It has been one year since corporate negligence caused the death of 
Hector Rivas, a mechanic for the Boston Public School buses. To 
commemorate the life of Hector Rivas, demand justice and to defend the 
health and safety of workers, students and the community, there will be 
a special Memorial Candlelight Vigil Meeting held at 6:00 pm on Friday, 
March 9, 2007, at the Freeport St. Bus Facility - Dorchester Ave. and 
Freeport St.  Join the family of Hector Rivas, the Team Unity city 
councilors, community activists, students, mechanics and bus driver 
union officers and workers as they pay their respects to the life of 
Hector Rivas. Bishop Felipe Texiera and Rev. David Morales will be 
leading the memorial rally.

On March 9, 2006, Hector Rivas, a veteran mechanic for the Boston Public 
School buses and a United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 1596 member, died 
while at work as a result of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning from a First 
Student service truck.  An Occupational Safety and Health Administration 
(OSHA) investigation found that workers at the Freeport St. Bus yard 
location were exposed to high CO levels, and that Hector Rivas died with 
11 times the allowable level of CO in his blood, due to willful 
violations by the bus company of OSHA regulations.  On April 18, 2006, 
another BPS bus mechanic, Miguel Camacho, suffered a shattered pelvis 
resulting from an accident involving an illegally modified airlift, also 
resulting in OSHA citations.  The Committee for Justice for Hector 
Rivas, a broad Committee that was formed to seek justice for Hector 
Rivas and to defend the health and safety of workers, students and the 
community includes representatives of the Rivas family, City Councilors 
Felix Arroyo, Chuck Turner, Charles Yancey and Sam Yoon, UAW Local 1596, 
United Steelworkers (USW) Local 8751, as well as clergy, labor and 
community activists.  The Committee is calling for an independent 
investigation into the death of Hector Rivas and a full review of safety 
policies and practices related to Boston school bus transportation.

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