28th April: International Workers' Memorial Day PDF Print E-mail
Wednesday, 16 April 2008

International Workers Memorial Day: Remember the Dead - Fight For The Living - 28th April every year - The Global Union Campaign Day for Safer, Healthier, better work !

 

History

28 April became an international commemoration day in 1996 at the United Nations in New York when a Global Union delegation lit a Commemoration Candle to highlight the plight of workers who die, are injured or become ill each year due to unsustainable forms of work and production. Since then, the number of commemoration events known as Workers Memorial Day in the UK has grown, and they now take place in nearly 120 countries. These include a wide range of activities, from large rallies and sectoral mobilisations to educational and lobbying events, including basic information dissemination. In addition, many unions take the opportunity on 28 April to publicise the results of such actions as workplace assessments and surveys, as well as to announce initiatives they intend to pursue.


International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers”. 28 April is now formally recognised nationally by governments in 14 countries or territories: Argentina, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, Greece, Luxembourg, Panama, Peru, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Taiwan. 

2008 Workers Memorial Day (WMD) Theme

It’s time to start gearing up for the biggest event on the union safety calendar, Workers’ Memorial Day, on 28 April. This year's Workers' Memorial Day theme is 'GOOD OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH FOR ALL WORKERS'.

The purpose behind Workers' Memorial Day has always been to "remember the dead: fight for the living" and Unions are asked to focus on both areas, by considering memorials to all those killed through work but at the same time ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated. That can best be done through strong trade union organisation, campaigning for stricter enforcement of health and safety laws by the HSE and Local Authorities and campaigning for the government and courts to introduce higher penalties for breaches of health & safety laws and making Directors and Senior Managers responsible and accountable in law.

Every year more people are killed at work than in wars. Most don't die of mystery ailments, or in tragic "accidents". They die because an employer decided their safety just wasn't that important a priority. Workers’ Memorial Day commemorates those workers. All over the world workers and their representatives conduct events, demonstrations, vigils and a whole host of other activities to mark the day.

CWU WMD Posters

The Health, Safety & Environment Department has once again prepared a special CWU Workers Memorial Day (WMD) Poster for distribution to All Branches, Regional Health and Safety Forums and Regional Secretaries.

The Health, Safety & Environment Department will be sending each Branch, Regional Health and Safety Forum and Regional Secretary copies of the CWU's 2008 Workers Memorial Day Poster. Can Safety Reps please ensure that the Posters are widely circulated and placed on all Union Notice Boards in all Offices and Depots.

TUC WMD Posters

1000 TUC Workers Memorial Day Posters have been received from TUC HQ and have been circulated to Branches and Safety Reps..

London Hazards Centre WMD Event Poster and Fact Sheet

London Hazards Centre have produced a combined special Poster and "Fact Sheet" and these have been distributed to the London, Eastern and South Eastern Regional Health and Safety Forum in order to maximise support for the London event which we are supporting and have been involved in this years organising committee. The day's events start with a gathering at 10.30am in Holland Street, London SE1 beside the Tate Modern on South Bank of River Thames. March then moves of at 10.45am to the Health and Safety Executive's HQ, Rose Court in Southwark Street for a rally with speakers. The March then continues on to City Hall for a Rally with speakers including Trade Unions, campaigners and families of those killed at work.

Hazards Magazine WMD Special Edition

The CWU Health, Safety & Environment Department are nationally affiliated to Hazards and we have once again, as in past years, placed a half-page CWU WMD add in the Hazards Magazine WMD Special Edition.

'Hazards' Magazine, winner of the 2007 Work Foundation’s 'Workworld Media and journalism Award', is once again producing a Special WMD Edition of it's excellent publication. Why not subscribe at the special Union discount rate of £15 per year instead of the normal £28. Contact: Jawad Qasrawi, Tel: 0114 201 4265. Hazards, PO Box 4042, Sheffield S8 9RL. email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it web: www.hazards.org.

Hazards Magazine's special *Workers' Memorial Day* website resourse pages can be found at: http://www.hazards.org/wmd/
 
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