#MakeItHappen Health and safety is a non-negotiable! Unions in India conduct awareness meetings in Delhi (MAMU), Punjab (BMS) and Himachal Pradesh (AHPWDIPHCWU)
Category Archives: 2023 Asia-Pacific
Bangladesh: IUF observes minute’s silence on 28 April – #iwmd23
IUF Food & Beverage Workers Council in Bangladesh observed minute silence to recall tragic death of workers due to unsafe working conditions and resolved to fight for safe workplaces. Remember the dead and flight for the living. Stop the Killing.
Australia: Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living – ACTU – #iwmd23
Every year on April 28, the trade union movement unites around the world to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day. We mourn those who have died at work or because of their work, and we fight like hell for the living.
We welcome the extension of Industrial Manslaughter laws that will hold negligent and reckless employers to account. These new laws mean negligent employers can be punished with substantial fines and imprisonment. With the Federal and South Australian Governments now committed to introducing these laws, it is only in Tasmania that employers will not be held to account.
We also take today to mourn; we mourn the 36 workers who have lost their lives to workplace incidents so far this year and remember the thousands who will lose their life through occupational diseases.
We take time to think of the Australian workers who have been devastated by the impacts of the deadly dust released from working with engineered stone, with the shocking revelations that as many as one in four stonemasons who work with engineered stone products have contracted silicosis.
The threat of asbestos is also still with is. Australia has one of the highest measured incidence rates of mesothelioma in the world: between 700 and 800 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. On average, two people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in Australia each day.
For these reasons, and many more, unions will continue to fight for improved health and safety laws and better enforcement.
Quotes attributable to ACTU Assistant Secretary Liam O’Brien:
“On 28 April 2023 our message is simple: every worker has the right to a safe and healthy working environment and every employer must ensure they eliminate risks at work.
“Employers who cut corners that result in the death of a worker should face serious consequences, including jail. Industrial manslaughter laws must be introduced in every state and territory.
“Silicosis is a debilitating, incurable and sometimes fatal disease. With as many as one in 4 stonemasons working with engineered stone contracting silicosis we must move quickly to ban the use of this deadly product. There are many safe alternatives – no one should die for a fashion item.
Philippines: Remembrance and Resistance: A Workers’ Memorial Day Solidarity Event and Open Mic Night
Remembrance and Resistance: A Workers’ Memorial Day Solidarity Event and Open Mic Night
An evening of performances and solidarity to commemorate the lives of workers who died due to work and call for justice and action for workers’ health, safety, and rights. This event also aims to strengthen our resolve to take part and mobilize our ranks on May 1, International Workers’ Day.
The solidarity night will start off with its annual candle lighting activity to remember all the workers around the world who died due to work-related accidents and diseases. The program will highlight the different forms of cultural art and performance such as poetry reading, one-act play, short films and documentaries that express the long-standing calls of our workers.
Solidarity messages and performances will be shared by Tambisan sa Sining, Justice for Kentex Workers, Makabayan at Makataong Sining Obrero (MASO), Gabriela She Lang and leaders from local unions and federations. Mayday Multimedia and NSTP students from the UP Manila Political Science Program will also screen short videos and films on the labor rights situation in the country.
We invite you to join and share your works and talents as we creatively express our solidarity and resistance through the Open Mic event that will take place after the program. Open Mic will begin at around 8:30 PM onwards.
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This solidarity event is presented by Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development, Mayday Multimedia, and Human Rights and People Empowerment Center, with the help of UP Manila PolSci Program NSTP students, NAFLU KMU, Tambisan sa Sining, Balai Obrero Foundation Inc., Makabayan, Makatao Sining Obrero (MASO), Justice for Kentex Workers Alliance, and support of DAKILA, and Active Vista.
Australia: VTHC – A history of 28 April
Workers Memorial day 28th April. History of the day here
Arab Trade Union Confederation statement for 28 April
President of the Arab Trade Union Confederation, Shaher Sa’ed: “Occupational safety and health at work represents one of the most fundamental rights of workers”
Acting Executive Secretary of the Arab Trade Union Confederation, Hind Benammar: “Implementing national policies of occupational safety and health at work becomes an emergency”
The Arab region celebrates the World Day for Safety and Health at Work [International Workers’ Memorial Day]. This occasion, always, reveals alarming indicators. More than two million male and female workers annually lose their lives and more than 400,000 workers are exposed to injuries due to work accidents, that take place in light of the economic repercussions that represent nearly 4% of the global GDP.
In this regard, Shaher Sa’ed, President of the Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC), stated that “it is no longer acceptable to continue lightly dealing with the issue of occupational safety and health, that represent one of the most fundamental rights of workers. The concerned parties, ministries of labour, ministries of health, employers and representatives of workers should review occupational safety and health policies within the framework of a social dialogue in accordance with the international labour conventions on occupational safety and health, mainly Conventions 155, 161, and 187.”
In general, the Arab region witnesses many lacunas in the legislations and regulation of occupational safety and health systems.
In this regard, Hind Benammar, the acting executive secretary, mentioned that “although the issue of occupational safety and health is a concern among all social partners, it is required that this consensus be articulated in national legislation and policies based on the inclusion of occupational safety and health in the curricula of education and trainings, reviewing labour inspection systems in both quantity and quality, and funding health and safety programmes.”
As for the lacunas of Arab ratification of international labour agreements related to occupational safety and health, the acting executive secretary stated that “only Algeria and Bahrain have ratified Convention No. 155. Iraq, Morocco, and Tunisia have ratified Convention No. 187. However, no Arab country has ratified Convention No. 161, on the importance of the government’s engagement with occupational safety and health. On our part, as trade unions, we made all the necessary efforts to secure all safety measures for our workers in all our negotiations. Our aim is to encourage all Arab countries to ratify these agreements and implement national policies respecting occupational health and safety agreements.”
Global: ITUC-Asia Pacific infographics for 28 April
Global: No more killings – Fight together for occupational health and safety, a fundamental right
Statement – 27 Apr 2023 – DOWNLOAD
On the occasion of the International Workers Memorial Day, the ITUC-Asia Pacific, on behalf of its 60 million effective members from 34 countries and territories in Asia and the Pacific, remembers workers who have lost their lives, been injured or sick as a result of their work-related accidents and illnesses.
Occupational health and safety (OHS) is a fundamental right, and all industrial accidents and illnesses are preventable. Therefore, industrial accidents and diseases are against humanity and social justice. We should stop more killings on the job.
The 187 ILO member states – their governments, employers and workers, assure it at the 110th International Labour Conference in June 2022 by adopting the resolution to include a safe and healthy working environment in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and right at work.
The United Nations also adopted the resolution (A/76/L.75) of the UN General Assembly to recognise the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environments as a human right in July 2022.
Despite these renewed international commitments, however, a safe and healthy working environment free from industrial accidents and diseases is far from reality. The pandemic-led global health and economy crisis, indisputable evidence of deficiency in OHS across the globe, has put more people into dangerous and poor working conditions as well as discrimination and harassments.
In this regard, as proven by many studies, the strong trade unionism can save lives. The most effective labour market institution to realise a safe and healthy working environment is to make all workers to join or form their trade unions to protect themselves from industrial accidents and diseases. Hence, the ITUC-Asia Pacific continues its struggles to build workers’ power by organising.
Furthermore, considering the fact that among 36 ILO Member countries in Asia and the Pacific, only 9 countries and 8 countries ratified the ILO Fundamental Convention on Occupational Safety and Health (1981, No. 155), and on Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health (2006, No. 187) respectively, the ITUC-Asia Pacific strongly urge all the governments in the region to ratify and implement these Conventions without delay, starting from a national tripartite dialogue to discuss, formulate, implement, monitor and review a national OHS policy with adequate labour inspection as well as heavy publishment for industrial accidents and diseases to ensure a healthy and safe working environment at all levels.
The ITUC-Asia Pacific also solidly demands international organisations, including the inter-governmental organisations and the international as well as regional financial institutions, to work together for coordinated policies and actions to ensure OHS governance in their decisions and projects throughout global supply chains, as well as to improve national capacity on OHS with social dialogue being promoted. We must recognise that OHS is an integral part of sustainable, inclusive and resilient recovery as well.
The ITUC-Asia Pacific, in strong solidarity with all its affiliates, reaffirms its relentless struggles on every frontline for OHS for all workers.
Australia: International Workers Memorial Day 2023 – Victoria event – VTHC
April 28, 2023 • 10:30am – 11:30am
International Workers Memorial Day 2023
Healthy and safe workplaces are a fundamental right.
Every year, Victorian Trades Hall Council hosts a memorial service to remember those Victorians who lost their lives at work.
Please join us on the 28th of April for International Workers Memorial Day 2023 to commemorate the workers we’ve lost in the past year.
The ceremony will include a minute’s silence at 11am and an opportunity to lay wreaths.
The event will be live-streamed through the Victorian Trades Hall Council Facebook page, but all are encouraged to attend the ceremony at Argyle square in Carlton.
Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living.
Kyrgyzstan: Construction industry meeting held by KTUBC
28 April in Kyrgyzstan will see BWI affiliate union KTUBC organise a joint safety meeting for construction industry workers.