À l’occasion de la Journée internationale de commémoration des travailleuses et des travailleurs #IWMD22, les organisations syndicales font pression en exigeant que la santé et la sécurité soient finalement reconnues comme l’un des principes et droits fondamentaux au travail.
La CSI et ses organisations affiliées appellent les gouvernements à prendre des mesures pour :
ratifier et mettre en oeuvre les conventions fondamentales de l’OIT sur la sécurité et la santé ;
ratifier et mettre en oeuvre toutes les conventions sectorielles ou sur les risques professionnels ;
établir des instances nationales chargées de la santé et de la sécurité regroupant des représentants des syndicats et des employeurs ;
assurer des services de santé au travail pour tous et garantir des mesures d’indemnisation appropriées, notamment en reconnaissant la Covid-19 comme maladie professionnelle.
Workers’ unions are pressing their demand this International Workers’ Memorial Day #IWMD22 to finally make health and safety at work a fundamental principle and right.
The ITUC and its affiliates are calling on governments to take action by:
ratifying and implementing core ILO health and safety conventions;
ratifying and implementing all sectoral or hazard-specific conventions;
establishing national health and safety bodies bringing unions and employer representatives together;
requiring occupational health services for all, and proper compensation including making Covid-19 a recognised occupational disease.
Con ocasión de la Jornada Internacional de Conmemoración #IWMD22, sindicatos de todo el mundo presionan reclamando que por fin se considere la salud y seguridad como un derecho fundamental en el trabajo.
La CSI y sus afiliadas piden además a los Gobiernos que tomen medidas para:
ratificar e implementar los convenios básicos de la OIT sobre salud y seguridad;
ratificar e implementar todos los convenios sectoriales o sobre riesgos laborales específicos;
establecer organismos nacionales sobre salud y seguridad agrupando a representantes de sindicatos y patronal;
requerir servicios de salud laboral para todos y acordar la debida compensación, incluyendo el reconocimiento de la COVID-19 como enfermedad laboral.
As the 344th Session of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) commences on 14 March 2022, global unions are calling for an amendment to the 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work that will lead to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) being considered a fundamental principle and right at work.
The amendment would see OHS joining the four fundamental principles and rights at work that the Declaration currently recognizes: freedom of association and the right to organize and bargain collectively; the prohibition of forced labour; prohibition of child labour; and the elimination of discrimination in employment.
The Governing Body meets three times a year, in March, June and November. It takes decisions on ILO policy, decides the agenda of the International Labour Conference, adopts the draft programme and budget of the organization for submission to the conference, and elects the Director-General.
The call by global unions’ is consistent with the 2019 ILO Centenary Declaration on the future of work and a global campaign for OHS to be added to the fundamental principles and rights at work. In June 2019, UN experts urged the ILO to immediately recognize and adopt safe and healthy working conditions as one of its fundamental principles and rights at work. A follow-up to the resolution on the ILO Centenary Declaration for the Future of Work called for proposals, including safe and healthy working conditions, to be added to the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and rights at work.
According to the first joint WHO/ILO monitoring report, released on 27 September 2021, at least 1.9 million workers lose their lives every year due to the work-related diseases and injuries. However, when adding causes of death by risk factors not included and filling in information gaps from poor record-keeping, the number is closer to a staggering three million deaths.
“Health and safety at work is neither a perk to be bargained for nor a favour to be asked. It is our right,” said IndustriALL mining director and OHS lead, Glen Mpufane.
“No wage is worth our health or our life, and no remedy can be granted by an arbitrator that will restore our health or our life, once it is lost.”
At the November 2021 meeting of the ILO Governing Body, global unions finally secured agreement that the agenda for the 2022 International Labour Conference would include an amendment to the ILO 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work to achieve this.
On the back of this achievement, and to maintain the momentum and ensure that the ILO Governing Body takes the decisions workers need on OHS, IndustriALL Global Union calls on its over 50 million members and affiliates to amplify the call by the ITUC to call on governments and employers:
To designate Convention 155 on OHS as a fundamental right at work, as it is the main convention setting out what governments need to do.
To designate ILO Convention 161 on Occupational Health Services a complimentary fundamental right at work. ILO Convention 161 on Occupational Health Services requires governments to ensure that workers have access to an occupational health service, either in their workplace or through the public health system.
To allow the broadest interpretation of health and safety, urge Governments to support the term “working environment” as reference in the fundamental principle and right at work.
To ensure that should be no international competition over OHS standards in trade agreements.
“The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights include a duty and responsibility to protect the health and safety of workers. With the United Nations’ resolution recognizing access to a healthy and sustainable environment as a universal right, another historic moment awaits the Governing Body to make the correct decision,” said IndustriALL assistant general secretary, Kan Matsuzaki.
AFLO-CIO is gearing up for International Workers’ Memorial Day with a comprehensive suite of resources including briefings, information, posters, stickers, graphics and events listings available in English and Spanish. The details below are from Safety and Health Director Rebecca L. Reindel.
Flyer [English]Flyer [español]
Colleagues,
Workers Memorial Day, April 28, is just around the corner. This year, the labor movement will commemorate those we have lost on the job and will organize to make the fundamental right of a safe job a reality for all workers. This year’s theme is “Organize! Safe Jobs Now.” Attached are AFL-CIO President Shuler’s letter, launching Workers Memorial Day planning this year and English and Spanish versions of this year’s flier.
Please join us this April 28 to honor the victims of workplace injury and illness and the call to organize for safe jobs for all workers. As we do every year, trade unionists around the country and globe will organize our communities and workplaces to observe Workers Memorial Day.
We will highlight the toll of job injuries and deaths; demand that elected officials put workers’ well-being above corporate interests; and demand safe jobs for all. This year, and every year, the labor movement will defend the right of every worker to a safe job and build collective power to make that right a reality.
Please use the resources below when planning for this year’s Workers Memorial Day and reach out to us with any questions, concerns, comments along the way.
Materials and Artwork:
Please scroll down our Workers Memorial Day home page to view and download this year’s materials and artwork: aflcio.org/workersmemorialday. These include posters, stickers, and fliers in English and Spanish. Stickers are available for “Organize! Safe Jobs Now” and for “Mourn for the Dead. Fight for the Living.”
We want to hear about your Workers Memorial Day plans! Please share your event with us so that we can include it on our map of events across the country.
Plan events, actions, activities and observances with suggestions in our flier. If gathering in person, especially indoors, please follow CDC’s guidelines on organizing large events and gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Toolkit Coming Soon: Soon, we will be distributing more materials to help you plan your commemorations and advocacy efforts. These include talking points, sample materials for media outreach, worker safety and health facts, state-by-state safety and health data, fact sheets, digital resources, infographics and other information.
How to reach out to us about Workers Memorial Day: oshmail@aflcio.org or 202-637-5341
Hashtags you can use to build solidarity online around Workers Memorial Day: #IWMD2022 #WorkersMemorialDay #1uSafety
Rebecca L. Reindel, MS, MPH (she/her)
Safety and Health Director, AFL-CIO
815 Black Lives Matter Plaza, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
Workers’ unions worldwide are pressing their demand for health and safety to finally become a globally recognised fundamental principle and right at work. “We demand that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) adopts occupational health and safety as a fundamental right at work.” said ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow, adding: “It’s as important as freedom of association and the elimination of forced labour, child labour and discrimination in employment.”
During Workers’ Memorial Week (WMW), worker leaders, organizers, surviving family members and activists around the world come together to take action. Together, we remember those who have lost their lives, been injured, or suffered illnesses at work. Together, we renew our commitment to fight for safe workplaces.
Join us for this 90 minute webinar to learn about strategies to build worker power and escalate your campaigns leading up to Workers’ Memorial Week. In this webinar you will…
Get inspired with stories and ideas for Workers’ Memorial Week
Brainstorm on how your Workers’ Memorial actions can build worker leadership and escalate your campaigns
Learn and access resources and tools to participate and build for WMW actions, including vigils, rallies, press events, data sources for research reports, and more.
Durante la Semana Conmemorativa de les Trabajadores (WMW por sus siglas en inglés), les trabajadores líderes, les organizadores, les familiares sobrevivientes y los activistas en todo el mundo se unen para tomar acción. Juntos, recordamos a aquellos que perdieron la vida, resultaron heridos o sufrieron enfermedades en el trabajo. Juntos, renovamos nuestro compromiso de luchar por lugares de trabajo seguros.
Únete a nosotros en este seminario web de 90 minutos para conocer estrategias para desarrollar el poder de les trabajadores e intensificar tus campañas antes de la Semana Conmemorativa de les Trabajadores.
En este seminario web…
Inspírate con historias e ideas para la Semana Conmemorativa de les Trabajadores
Únete a la lluvia de ideas sobre cómo sus acciones en la Semana Conmemorativa de les Trabajadores pueden desarrollar el liderazgo de les trabajadores e intensificar tus campañas
Aprende y accede a recursos y herramientas para participar y construir acciones de WMW, incluidas vigilias, acciones, eventos de prensa, fuentes de datos para informes de investigación y más.
You are cordially invited to the BWI Malaysian Liaison Council Webinar Series: Occupational Health and Safety in Our Sectors.
In Malaysia, COVID-19 was successfully considered an occupational disease by the Social Security Organization (SOCSO) in 2020. This improved occupational safety and health standards for workers within the building, woodwork, construction, and forestry sectors. However, occupational hazards and accidents are still widespread within industries, affecting locals and migrants alike.
The Building and Woodworkers International (BWI), together with the Malaysian Liaison Council (BWI-MLC) of affiliate unions are participating in the Global Alliance on Healthy and Safe Workplaces Campaign, that seeks to negotiate with employers in workplaces to sign a declaration jointly recognising the importance of healthy and safe workplaces. These declarations will be collected globally and used to lobby the International Labour Organization (ILO) to include occupational health and safety as a fundamental right for all workers. Affiliate participation in this campaign will ensure that Malaysian employers within BWI sectors are committed towards the improvement of OSH standards beyond the context of the risks posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first of the webinar series will push forward the Global Alliance campaign, by educating trade unionists on the importance of the ILO recognizing occupational health and safety as a fundamental right for workers. Furthermore, the BWI-MLC will discuss common causes of occupational safety and health accidents, injuries, and hazards in the context of Malaysia, within the construction, forestry, and timber with wood processing sectors. This foundation will be the basis upon further strategizing of target companies and bodies, like the Malaysian Department of Safety and Health (DOSH) and the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) to sign the joint declaration, recognizing the immediate need for healthy and safe workplaces in Malaysia.
Date: May 1, 2021
Time: 02:30 PM-04:15PM (Kuala Lumpur)
