Category Archives: Resources

2018, 2018 Pakistan, Events listing, Gallery

Pakistan: ‘Workers’ health and safety should be ensured and legislation be done’

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Unions in Pakistan held a press conference on 28 April, demanding better workplace safety standards and effective safety laws and enforcement, and issued this statement:

The trade unions’ movement demands that the safety of workers at workplaces – Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) – is their basic rights which the International Labor Organization in its civil declaration 2008 has accepted. It is also the responsibility of the state, employers and relevant authorities to ensure workers safety and they have failed in doing so. To make the socio-economic conditions better, it is necessary that the OSH is put among the top priorities and the federal government ratifying the ILO convention 176 do a legislation like the Sindh government did. Pakistan is one of those countries in the world where accidents at workplaces and workers losing lives and getting injuries in them are happening on a nearly daily basis and its prevention is nowhere is seen in the governments’ concerns. Unfortunately, there is no record of industrial accident s with the relevant authorities and because of this, it is intractable to determine how many workers die, injure, develop diseases at workplaces and the economic loss these problems cause.

Pakistan is the country where we have seen worst workplace disasters in textile and ship-breaking industries like Baldia factory fire and Gadani oil tanker tragedy yet there has been no remedy nor do such incidents make it to report, except a few, and the daily casualties are taken very casual. This appalling situation can trigger another industrial disaster anytime. The most recent example of it is the fire in the Lucky garments factory in Federal B Industrial Area in Karachi which could cause a massive human loss. It is in the very city that has 70 percent of the country’s industries but safety is a rare thing to be found here. At one side there are no safety arrangements in factories nor workers are trained to deal with emergency situations and on the other, the fire brigade department is in the ruins, They have no adequate resources to fight off the blazes. Though Sindh government has passed the OSH law, there has been no implementation on it.

According to an ILO report, 2.3 million people die in accidents at workplaces and of diseases caused by their work in the world and this inflict an annual loss of USD3 trillion. There are no data about Pakistan, however. The same ILO report states that two billion workers in the world are unhealthy and they suffer hand to mouth economic condition with life insecurity. Among them, 77 percent work on daily wages, contract and part-time and because of having no OSH the global economy suffer 10 to 15 percent losses in the GDP. Every year, 313 million workers get injuries during work in the world, meaning 860,000 daily. Similarly, 6400 die daily in work-related incidents.

With regard to OSH, the most dangerous sector is of construction and that is among the six top industries in the world where the workplaces casualties are alarmingly high. In Pakistan, the construction industry is booming because of the ‘development’ going around, yet there is no account of workers’ health and safety. To end the poverty and inequality in the society, giving employment and social security to the people is inevitable. Otherwise, the change and the establishment of an ideal situation is a mere dream.

Through this press conference, we demand that:

* Workers health and safety should be ensured in all industries, including textile and ship-breaking
* Like Sindh, other provinces in the country and the Center should make legislation in light of OSH and ensure implementation on it
* Monitoring committees, having workers representatives onboard, should be made at the provincial and federal level for an effective implementation
* Special legislation should be made for ship-breaking and construction sectors
* Governments should run campaigns to create awareness about health and safety and the subject should be included in the curriculum

Those who spoke at the press conference are Nasir Mansoor, deputy general secretary National Trade Union Federation, Zehra Khan, general secretary Home Based Women Workers Federation, Gul Rehman, general secretary Aluminium Packages Azad Workers Union (CBA), Riaz Abbasi, general secretary Atlas Group of Companies Workers Union (CBA), Bashir Ahmed Mehmoodani, president Ship Breaking Workers Union Gadani, Saeeda Khatoon, chairperson Ali Enterprises Factory (Baldia) Fire Affectees Association, and Mushtaq Ali Shan, information secretary Sindh Agriculture General Workers Union (CBA).

Contact
Nasir Mansoor, deputy general secretary National Trade Union Federation
ntufpak@gmail.com

 

2018, 2018 Hong Kong, Events listing, Gallery

Hong Kong: The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims hosts 28 April commemoration

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Commemorating  International Workers Memorial Day in Hong Kong. The demands that were made was that workers do not work excessive hours and have a right to a safe and healthy work/life balance and the second demand was that April 28 be recognised and commemorated in Hong Kong by all and not just a few groups in Hong Kong  that work on Labour Rights and Occupational Safety and Health. The assembly was hosted by Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims (Hong Kong). 

2018, 2018 Kyrgyzstan, BWI Kyrgyzstan 2018, Events listing, Gallery

Kyrgyzstan: On 28 April BWI campaigned for safety in LafargeHolcim operations

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Kyrgyzstan: On 28 April, affiliates of the global construction union federation BWI campaigned for safety in LafargeHolcim operations on the country. @bwiglobal @ituc @hazardsmagazine #iwmd18

2018, 2018 Iceland, BWI Iceland 2018, Events listing, Gallery

Iceland: Electrical union backs BWI’s global campaign for better safety at LafargeHolcim

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Here is a support photo from the Icelandic Electrical Workers Union. We have our annual meeting in the northern part of Iceland and we are happy to support our colleagues. Yesterday we discussed ways to make our members safer in work. We recently started to implement new project that’s involves giving personal tag-out/lock-out locks to our members that are working in defined branch.

http://www.rafis.is/…/2021-lafargeholcim-keep-your-word-res…

Kristján Þórður Snæbjarnarson
Leader of the Icelandic Electrical workers union

Building and Wood Worker’s International

2018, 2018 Slovakia, Events listing, Gallery

Slovakia: Let’s get together and protect the most important thing we have – human life

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A message from Konfederácia odborových zväzov Slovenskej republiky – KOZ SR “So this week, one more time: Let’s get together and do everything we can to protect even at work the most important thing we have – human life. #Iwmd18 International day of safety and health at work.”

2018, 2018 Wales, Events listing, News, Videos

Wales TUC launches animations and videos showing unions workplaces are safer workplaces [Welsh and English]

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To mark International Workers’ Memorial Day, a new short film has been launched today (Saturday) by the Wales Trade Union Congress to highlight the difference that trade union health and safety representatives have made in workplaces.

The animation (in both Welsh and English Version) shows how health and safety reps are ensuring that unionised workplaces are safer workplaces, with evidence showing that injury and sickness rates are lower in workplaces with higher numbers of union members.

It is launched alongside a message (In Welsh and English Versions) from the First Minister, Carwyn Jones, who urges people across Wales to join a trade union to make their workplaces safer.

Mike Jenkins and Julie Cook – President and National Officer of Wales TUC – pay their respects on International Workers’ Memorial Day in 2014.

2018, 2018 Brazil, Events listing, graphics

Brazil: 28 de abril – Dia mundial em memória às vitimas de acidented e doenças do trabalho

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Via  Isamar Escalona CSA-CSI

 

Companheiras e companheiros, os agravos à saúde e segurança no trabalho tem se intensificado por diversas razões: Desmonte do SUS – e o desmonte de suas politicas de prevenção/atenção e vigilância, com a redução gradativa e perversa do financiamento através da EC 95.  A desestruturação do Ministério do Trabalho e de seu quadro de auditores fiscais, a falta de investimento na FUNDACENTRO, entre outros.

A terceirização e a contra reforma trabalhista colocando na vitrine o golpe imposto aos trabalhadores e seus direitos. Enfim, situações que todas e todos estamos lutando contra.

Cientes e conscientes desta nossa luta, mais uma vez a UGT traz o Dia Mundial em Memória às Vitimas de Acidentes e Doenças do Trabalho como bandeira para conscientização da população brasileira. Anexo material em pdf que se possível pedimos aos companheiros que divulguem em seus sites e demais informativos junto a classe trabalhadora.

Agradecemos o empenho e a competência de todas e todos!

Cleonice Caetano Souza

Secretária Nacional de Saúde e Segurança no Trabalho

www.ugt.org.br

**As centrais reunidas no Fórum Nacional de STT, farão um seminário alusivo ao dia 28, no DIEESE, convite anexo e no final da mensagem. Mesmo sabendo que no mesmo dia  teremos nosso grande seminário de nossa UGT, socializamos para os companheirxs também divulgarem em vossas redes. Grata, Cléo

 

PELO FIM DAS MORTES DO TRABALHO!

Trabalhar sim! Adoecer não!

UM DIA DE LUTA, MAS TAMBÉM DE LUTO!!!

28 DE ABRIL – DIA MUNDIAL EM MEMÓRIA DAS VÍTIMAS DE ACIDENTES E DOENÇAS DO TRABALHO

Um dia de reflexão, para cada um de nós presentes, trabalhadores e trabalhadoras que somos, nos colocarmos como responsáveis pelo número de mortos no trabalho.

É duro isto, mas é a verdade! Desculpem-nos alguns…

O movimento sindical e social conta com as ferramentas e instrumentos que a Democracia proporciona. Conquistadas com muita luta. Cada um de nós sabe do seu papel e legitimidade concedida, a nós, por nós trabalhadoras e trabalhadores brasileiros (as). Que haja conscientização disto – todo dia – cada vez mais para o cumprimento deste nosso papel, deste nosso dever, desta nossa honra!

E por falar em honra, hoje é o dia de honrar os (as) mortos (as), os (as) adoecidos (as), os (as) acidentados (as), enfim, e principalmente nossas famílias enlutadas! Todos nós somos vitimas e adoecidos pelo trabalho. Ou não? Todos nós temos direito a esta lembrança e homenagem também! Não por sermos vitimas apenas, mas lembrados e honrados por lutarmos historicamente para eliminação desta praga. Por sermos cidadãos e cidadãs engajados (as) na defesa do trabalhador e da trabalhadora.

Descaso com os números e com a vida humana. O QUE ISTO ME DIZ RESPEITO? O QUE EU TENHO A VER COM ISTO? DESCASO! Isto também é uma praga que devemos erradicar de nossa sociedade.

Temos nos Ministérios da Saúde; do Trabalho e Emprego e na Previdência Social grandes instrumentos com prerrogativa de ‘aliados nossos’. ‘Talvez os maiores’ no poder público para a promoção da saúde do trabalhador e da trabalhadora. Fazem a sua parte? Existe descaso nas ações?

Prestemos atenção. Quantas mortes mais terão que acontecer, quantas doenças novas terão que surgir para prestarmos atenção ao nosso redor? Humanizarmos as relações de trabalho pode evitar mortes, adoecimentos e o sofrimento de todos e todas. Sermos mais ‘humanizados’ pode trazer muita luz para nossa luta. Colocarmo-nos no lugar do outro com certeza nos fará mudar nosso olhar sobre a prevenção, precaução e assistência aos acidentados (as): “FIM AS MORTES DO TRABALHO”.

Os números são impressionantes: 3 vidas ceifadas por minuto; 5 mil por dia no mundo (OIT). A cada ano acidentes não mortais totalizam 317 milhões de vítimas. No Brasil, são 4 mil mortes por ano (CLT). Mas o trabalho não envolve somente o risco de acidentes, mas também o de doenças. No mundo, são 160 milhões de pessoas que sofrem com doenças profissionais e 2,02 milhões de pessoas que morrem a cada ano devido a enfermidades relacionadas com o trabalho (OIT).

O tempo de leitura deste texto – alguns minutos apenas – será suficiente para ceifar quantas vidas? Façamos as contas: 05 minutos x 03 mortes = 15 (quinze) trabalhadores e trabalhadoras que perderam a vida para produzir; vender; beneficiar, enriquecer… O que? Para quem?

Deixamos aqui nossos questionamentos e sinceramente, mesmo sabendo de vossas lutas e valorizando a cada um (a) de vocês presentes nesta oportunidade de reflexão e conhecimento, pedimos a todos e todas que reflitamos juntos para a erradicação do adoecimento, acidentes e mortes do trabalho.

Cleonice Caetano Souza

Secretária Nacional de Saúde e Segurança no Trabalho

Histórico: O MOVIMENTO ABRIL VERDE – TODOS JUNTOS PELA SAÚDE DO TRABALHADOR

O Movimento Abril Verde nasce com a proposta: Relembrar um marco na história que impressiona. Em 1969 uma terrível explosão aconteceu em uma mina nos Estados Unidos. Foram 78 trabalhadores mortos. Era o dia 28 de abril.

Chamar a atenção da sociedade: São 3 vidas por minuto que são perdidas em acidentes de trabalho pelo mundo, 5 mil por dia (números da OIT, relatório de 2013).

A cada ano, acidentes não mortais totalizam 317 milhões e as vítimas de acidentes de trabalho somam 270 milhões, segundo o mesmo relatório, – isto equivale a mais de 2.800 Maracanãs lotados ou quase 24 cidades de São Paulo. No Brasil, são 4 mil mortes por ano. Os dados da Organização Internacional do Trabalho (OIT) colocam o Brasil como 4º colocado no ranking mundial de acidentes fatais de trabalho.

Mas o trabalho não envolve o risco somente de acidentes, mas também o de doenças. No mundo, são 160 milhões de pessoas que sofrem com doenças profissionais e 2,02 milhões de pessoas que morrem a cada ano devido a enfermidades relacionadas com o trabalho (OIT). Neste panorama, a cada 15 segundos, um trabalhados morre por conta de uma doença relacionada ao trabalho.

Clique aqui e conheça outros dados em nosso release.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

SERVIÇO DO SEMINÁRIO:

FÓRUM NACIONAL DAS CENTRAIS SINDICAIS EM SAÚDE DO TRABALHADOR E TRABALHADORA

SEMINÁRIO 28 DE ABRIL – DIA MUNDIAL EM MEMÓRIA AS VÍTIMAS DE ACIDENTES E DOENÇAS DO TRABALHO

DIA: 26 de Abril de 2018 – 5ª feira

LOCAL: Sede do DIEESE

ENDEREÇO: Rua Aurora, 957, São Paulo – SP.

08h00 – Recepção

09h00 – 09h30 Apresentação e abertura – Representações das Centrais

09h30 – 10h00 Tema: REFORMA TRABALHISTA, ACIDENTES, DOENÇAS DO TRABALHO E A CONVENÇÃO 161 DA OIT E A EMENDA CONSTITUCIONAL 95 E O DESMONTE DA SEGURIDADE SOCIAL NO BRASIL

PALESTRANTES:

José Fernando Ruiz Maturana – Representante da CODEMAT na PRT15

Francisco Funcia – Consultor Técnico da Comissão de Orçamento e Financiamento do CNS

leonor Poço – CONTRAF/CUT

Victor Gnecco Pagani – DIESSE – Os riscos da reforma (anti)trabalhista para a saúde da população – Apresentação

Moderadora: Gilda Almeida- FENAFAR- CTB

11h30 as 13h00 – debates e encerramento.

Isamar Escalona
Responsable de los Programas de Economía Informal y Salud Laboral
CSA – Confederación Sindical de Trabajadores/as de las Américas
isamar.escalona@csa-csi.org
Rua Formosa, 367 – 4º andar, cj 450 – Centro
CEP 01049-000
São Paulo / SP – Brasil
Tel. (55 11) 2104-0750
Fax. (55 11) 2104-0751
directo: (55 11) 2104-0773
skype: isamaresc

2018, 2018 USA, Events listing, Resources

USA: For 28 April National COSH Announces “Dirty Dozen” Employers

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National COSH Announces “Dirty Dozen” Employers Who Put Workers and Communities at Risk with Unsafe Practices

The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) announced today“The Dirty Dozen” employers of 2018, highlighting companies that put workers and communities at risk due to unsafe practices. The Dirty Dozen 2018 report is released in observance of Workers’ Memorial Week, honoring workers who lost their lives on the job, as well as those who have suffered workplace injuries and illnesses.

“It’s heartbreaking to see workers lose their lives when we know these tragedies could have been prevented,” said Marcy Goldstein-Gelb, co-executive director of National COSH. “Time and again, employers are warned about unsafe conditions. When companies fail to correct safety hazards, it is workers who pay the ultimate price.”

The “Dirty Dozen” for 2018 are:

Amazon – Seattle, Washington: Seven workers killed at Amazon warehouses since 2013 – including three workers within five weeks at three separate locations in 2017.

Case Farms – Troutman, North Carolina: 74 OSHA violations per 1,000 employees – more than four times higher than any other poultry firm.

Dine Brands Global, Inc. (IHOP and Applebee’s) – Glendale, California: Demands for sex, groping, threats of violence against workers. More than 60 complaints about sexual and harassment and abuse.

JK Excavating – Mason, Ohio: 25-year-old Zachary Hess, buried alive in December 2017. The company was previously cited three times by OSHA for failure to protect workers from trench collapse.

Lowe’s Home Improvement – Mooresville, North Carolina: 56 U.S. deaths are linked to exposure to paint strippers containing methylene chloride, including 17 workers who died while refinishing bathtubs. The retail giant still sells products with this deadly substance, despite appeals from workers, consumers and families.

Lynnway Auto Auction – Billerica, Massachusetts: Five dead in preventable auto crash – including a 37-year-old mom working her first day on the job. Lynnway was cited by OSHA and warned of vehicle safety hazards in 2014.

New York and Atlantic Railway – New York, New York: Workers suffer amputation, brain injury and impaired vision. Immigrants workers face racial slurs and other discrimination, and do not have proper safety training or equipment.

Patterson UTI Energy – Houston, Texas: Five workers dead in an explosion in Quinton, Oklahoma. 110 OSHA violations and 13 workers dead in the past decade.

Sarbanand Farms – Sumas, Washington: Farm worker dies after complaining of headaches. 70 co-workers go on strike to protest unsafe conditions and are immediately fired, then evicted from company housing.

Tesla Motors – Fremont, California: Recordable injuries are 31% higher than industry average; serious injuries are 83% higher. Company claims recent improvement in injury rates, but CAL/OSHA now investigating reports that the company failed to report serious injuries.

Verla International – New Windsor, New York: Explosion kills a worker at cosmetics plant. Company previously cited for poor handling of chemicals that led to deadly blaze; safety consultant says disaster was “easily preventable.”

Waste Management – Houston, Texas: 23-year-old worker killed at a recycling facility. Company failed to lockout/tagout machinery during repairs.

“My brother didn’t need to die, and we don’t want to see this kind of tragedy happen to other families,” said Brian Wynne. Brian’s brother Drew, who owned a coffee roasting business, died from exposure to methylene chloride that was contained in a Goof Off paint stripping product he purchased at Lowe’s.

The Wynne family has joined a campaign to convince the giant retailer to stop selling products containing methylene chloride, which is linked to more than 50 deaths and can be toxic in very small doses. “We’ve been meeting with members of Congress, senators and anyone who will listen,” said Brian Wynne. “We will leave no stone unturned.”

“Workers at Tesla have been speaking up about health and safety concerns for over a year,” said Jonathan Galescu, a worker at the company’s Fremont, California assembly plant. “We’re making clean cars – we shouldn’t have to put up with dirty jobs. Too many workers are getting hurt and management seems to be trying to sweep the problem under the rug.”

Reports in May and December 2017 from Worksafe, a National COSH affiliate based in Oakland, documented recordable and serious injury rates at Tesla much higher than average for the automotive industry.  Based on recent reports from RevealNews.org, CAL/OSHA is investigating whether Tesla is failing to record serious injuries that occur inside its manufacturing plant.

Data presented in the National COSH “Dirty Dozen” report show that workplace deaths in the U.S. are on the rise. According to the latest information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5,190 deaths from workplace trauma in 2016, an increase of seven percent from 2015 and a 12 percent increase since 2012.

The budget for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has declined by 12 percent since 2012 and the agency has 132 fewer employees.

OSHA and other safety agencies, including the National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), were targeted for further budget cuts in FY 2018, along with the elimination of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board and Susan Harwood Training grants. Harwood grants assist unions, COSH groups, employer associations and other non-profits in providing training to vulnerable workers.

Worker and their unions, COSH groups, worker centers and safety advocates carried out a sustained outreach effort to members of Congress and convinced a bipartisan majority to avoid dangerous cutbacks in programs that protect workers and families.

“We need more resources for research, training and enforcement, not less,” said Goldstein-Gelb. “Otherwise, employers like the Dirty Dozen get the message that it’s okay to cut corners on workplace safety. It’s not okay– ever – when a worker doesn’t come home to his or her family.”

The “Dirty Dozen 2018” report is available on the National COSH website here. Workers’ Memorial Week infographics are available in English and Spanish here.

Workers’ Memorial Week is a global event to honor workers who lost their lives on the job and their families, as well as recognize those who suffer from occupational injuries and illnesses. In the United States, dozens of activities in 35 states will remember fallen workers. A listing of events is available on the National COSH website.

2018, 2018 Gibraltar, BWI Gibraltar 2018, Events listing, Gallery

Gibraltar: Remembering the dead – fighting for the living in Gibraltar today

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Remembering the dead – fighting for the living in Gibraltar today.

Sadly it is all too likely that people know someone who has died or been injured in the workplace – Find out about events marking International Workers’ Memorial Day on 28 April  … #IWMD18

2018, 2018 Italy, Events listing, Gallery

Italy: Photos from Italian International Workers’ Memorial Day 2018 events

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Claudio Sottile of Confederazione Italiana Sindacati Lavoratori (CISL) has sent the following photographs from International Workers’ Memorial Day 2018 events in several Italian cities. including Rome, Naples, Milan, Turin).