With affiliates from more than thirty countries running activities this April 28th, the Building and Woodworkers International (BWI) sets a high bar for other global union federations! From awareness raising actions in worksites to training and debates with Builders’ associations, from candle lighting ceremonies to rallies, this years’ 28th April counts with a strong mobilisation of construction workers.
As the list is growing as we write this post, stay tuned to the website 28april.org for updates. For more information on BWI events, please contact fiona.murie@bwint.org
AFRICA
In Burkina Faso FTBBF union activists will organise an awareness raising activity in an interchange construction site in Ouagadougou.
In Gabon, UTBTPBSP union activists will highlight links between occupational health and safety and greening workplaces.
In Ghana Timber and Woodworkers’ Union (TWU) activists will engage in dialogue and health and safety management and participation training with companies on 27 and 28 April. The Construction and Building Material Workers’ union (CBMWU) activists will raise health and safety issues in the context of an activity on trade unions’ role on development and peacekeeping.
In Malawi, the BCCEAWU will organise a press briefing and a rally on OHS In Mauritius CMWEU plans to organise a public debate and campaign on OHS, including distribution of pamphlets calling for “health before profits”.
In Mozambique SINTICIM plans to raise awareness of occupational safety and health issues in Chinese companies.
In Namibia MANWU plans to raise awareness of occupational safety and health issues in the workplace distributing banners calling for enforcing compliance with OHS standards.
In Nigeria, the CCESSA will run a public conference on OHS in construction and the NUCEFWW will launch an awareness raising campaign on OHS.
In Senegal, the SNTC/BTP will run a seminar on OHS in the construction sector.
In Uganda, the UBCCEAWU will organise a campaign on compliance with OHS standards in Chinese multinationals In Zimbabwe, CLAWUZ and ZCATWU will run awareness raising campaigns on OHS
MIDDLE EAST
A regional OHS campaign is to be launched in Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt, Palestine, Yemen and Bahrain. Details on activities are forthcoming.
ASIA
In Bangladesh, BBWWF will organise a candle light procession on OHS at Dhaka followed by a public meeting at the Press Club.
In India, activities are being run in different States Tamil Nadu: TKTMS will organise a public meeting of construction workers in Villupuram
Gujarat: BMS will run a workshop on health and safety in partnership with the Contractors Association, Builders Association (Gujarat chapter) to be attended by OHS victims and their families. Unions will also file compensation cases for some victims and organise a road show on OHS at Ahmenabad.
Rajasthan: AHBWU will organise a silicosis awareness-medical check up camp for workers in three locations.
Kerala: KKNTC will organise a public meeting for construction workrs and distribute OHS awareness raising materials. The union will also submit a memorandum to the Mayor at Ernakulam.
Uttar Pradesh: CFBWU will run an awareness raising workshop followed by a candle vigil at Allahabad.
Karnataka State: KKNTC will organise a demonstration in front of the Labour Commissioner’s office for better OHS for construction workers, followed by the submission of a memorandum and a press conference.
In Nepal, the BWI Nepal Affiliates Committee will run health and Safety awareness activities and demonstrate protective equipment usage at a construction site of a member-contractor of Federation of Contractors Association of Nepal (FCAN). In addition, CUPPEC will run an OHS awareness rally in five districts and CAWUN will organise a meeting in some construction sites.
In Pakistan, the PFBWW will be holding a health and safety seminar public meeting at the Tarbela Dam Extension Project located in Haripur district. The PCF will run a seminar on OHS for district leadership in Karachi.
In Sri Lanka, the NTUF will organise health and safety awareness sessions in three construction sites in Colombo.
LATIN AMERICA
In Brazil, several BWI affiliates will be mobilised for the day. SITICOMFLORIPA will organise an event with other unions in Brusque, Santa Catarina State, and will distribute flyers on OHS. SINTRAICCCM is running a month-long awareness campaign on OHS, which will conclude on April 28th with flyer distribution in an important square, run in conjunction with SINTECOMP. SINTRACONST-ES will organise a workshop on mental health in working relationships. SITICOM-Chapeco will be running the Fourth edition of the National Seminar on work accidents’ prevention and workers’ health.
In Guatemala, the SINCS-G will release a press statement asking for compliance with national OHS law.
In Panama, SUNTRACS has run a month-long OHS campaign visiting worksites and holding debates with workers on OHS, labour inspectorates, organising picket lines and distributing OHS materials.
In Nicaragua, SNSCAASC will run assemblies in worksites on OHS. FITCM-N will organise a workshop on good practices on OSH.
In Dominican Republic, FENTICOMMC will run a capacity building workshop for leadership on Dominican Republic legislation.
In Honduras , SITRAINCEHSA will organise a minute of silence in the union and show posters of April 28th.
In El Salvador, SOICSCES will do an interview on OHS in Radio Arpas and run an awareness raising workshop for workers in a worksite.
In Costa Rica, a work stoppage will be organised so that workers can attend a presentation on OHS.
On 28th April, all Brazilian trade union confederations will commemorate the victims of occupational diseases and accidents by highlighting the case of the Mariana industrial accident, where more than sixteen workers died and which represents the biggest environmental catastrophe in Brazilian history. In November 2015, the collapse of a mining dam in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais led to the spread of between 40-62m cubic metres of the water and sediment from iron ore extraction at an open-cast mine operated by Samarco, a joint venture between mining giants BHP Billiton and Vale. The health and environmental consequences of this disaster are huge.
Lo and AOF is organising a meeting on this day where we want to focus attention on the challenges for Norwegian workers and also look into the international picture. The program includes posts about work and health, work-related diseases and injuries, and work life/work environment crime seen from both the parties and the Labour Inspectorate. We will also look at the experiences with collocation of the various agencies in the fight against labour crime. 
Every year on 28 April, the trade unions stage an event to condemn deaths caused by work. This year, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) has chosen to focus on the need to adopt new health and safety laws at EU level. “Workers need better protection. New laws are needed now,” said Esther Lynch, the ETUC Confederal Secretary in charge of occupational health and safety issues.