Category Archives: graphics

Tanzania: Enough of work-related deaths!

Fifteen participants, including five women, from three BWI affiliates in Tanzania (TAMICO, TUICO, and TPAWU), as well as representatives from the Association of Tanzania Employers and the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA), attended and participated in a two-day tripartite consultative meeting held in Tanzania on 29-30 April 2024.

Participants highlighted the challenges surrounding occupational health and safety (OHS) in workplaces, including the existence of new hazards and diseases, the lack of employer-provided personal protective equipment, and other contraventions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 5 of 2003 (OHS Act).

The unions also delved into BWI’s “Enough is Enough campaign” to mark this year’s International Workers’ Memorial Day.” The campaign sought to raise awareness on poor OHS standards in various industries and empower affiliates to end negligent deaths and injuries in workplaces. Bonface Nkakatisi,

TUICO General Secretary, stressed the need to have a strong voice in defending workers’ rights and ensuring the safety and health of workers in the BWI sectors, protecting them against workplace hazards. He also underscored the need to enforce the implementation of the OHS Act and encouraged unions to work with TUCTA to ensure that the national law reflects workers’ concerns and needs.

Qatar: Let’s talk hazards – Mastering heat stress – BWI

A joint campaign of the global union federation Building and Wood Worker’s International  (BWI) and Qatar’s Ministry of Labour.

Spain: Mismo riesgo, diferentes consecuencias – USO

Te envío la campaña de USO para el Día Internacional de la Seguridad y la Salud en el Trabajo, la hemos centrado en la necesidad de aplicar la perspectiva de género y edad en la prevención de riesgos laborales y la salud laboral.

El lema de la campaña es “Mismo riesgo, diferentes consecuencias”, porque no afectan igual los ritmos de trabajo, sobreesfuerzos o riesgos químicos, por poner algunos ejemplos, si eres mujer u hombre, persona joven o más mayor.

Los materiales de esta campaña son:

USA: AFL-CIO Releases 2024 Death on the Job report

On 25 April, ahead of  Workers Memorial Day on April 28, the AFL-CIO released their 33rd annual report, Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect. This annual report serves as a national and state-by-state profile of worker safety and health, offering direction to policymakers and regulatory bodies as they strive to address the scourge of working people facing death, injury and illness at work. Among the report’s startling data are the disproportionate rates of Latino and Black workers at risk of dying on the job. Black workers are facing the highest job fatality rates in nearly 15 years and Latino workers continue to face the greatest risk of dying on the job, compared to all other workers.

The report also sheds light on the enormous cost of job injuries and illness on our society—an estimated $174 billion to $348 billion a year—and the flat-funded budget for job safety agencies to fulfill their growing duties, which do not even keep up with inflation. It also outlines key strategies to address this crisis, including a renewed commitment to regulatory oversight agencies, improved data and transparency, stronger deterrents against employer retaliation, and prioritizing standard-setting and enforcement.

“Despite workers’ hard-won safety and health rights, this report shows the fight is far from over,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. “Too many workers face retaliation for reporting unsafe working conditions or injuries, while low penalties fail to deter employers from following the law. The alarming disparities in workplace fatalities among workers of color are unacceptable, symptomatic of deeply ingrained racial inequity and the need to pay increased attention to the dangerous industries that treat workers as disposable. As we honor those who have fallen this Workers Memorial Day, we remain committed to holding corporations accountable so that all jobs are safe jobs—where every worker can return home safely at the end of the day.”

“This report exposes an urgent crisis for workers of color and reaffirms what we’ve long known: When we talk about justice for workers, we must prioritize racial equity,” said AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond. “The fact that Black and Latino workers continue to die on the job at disproportionate rates demands a reckoning with the failure of employers to protect them. We must honor the lives lost on the job with action, as we recommit ourselves to advancing safety, health and equity for all workers.”

This year’s report reveals that in 2022:

  • 344 workers died each day from hazardous working conditions.
  • 5,486 workers were killed on the job in the United States.
  • An estimated 120,000 workers died from occupational diseases.
  • The job fatality rate increased again to 3.7 per 100,000 workers.
  • Workers of color die on the job at a higher rate: Black and Latino worker job fatality rates are disproportionate compared with all other workers and are continuing to increase.
  • Black workers’ job fatality rate was the highest it has been in nearly 15 years—4.2 per 100,000 workers.
  • Latino workers’ job fatality rate increased again to 4.6 per 100,000 workers—meaning they continued to face the greatest risk of dying on the job than all workers, at 24% higher than the national average; the rate marked a 24% increase over the past decade.
  • Employers reported nearly 3.5 million work-related injuries and illnesses, an increase from the previous year.

These sobering findings stress the urgent need for immediate action to prioritize worker safety and shed light on the escalating challenges facing workplace protections. Progress has been hindered by growing opposition from big corporations to workers’ rights and protections. Extremist politicians have also unnecessarily politicized critical issues such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, which has created more challenges to longstanding problems of heat and infectious disease exposure in the workplace, and the lack of funding has left our agencies scrambling to keep up.

And in this critical election year, the stakes are even higher for those who need safe working conditions. The stark difference between the Biden and Trump administrations’ worker safety and health records underscore this significant moment for workers. While the Biden administration has issued strong standards and enforcement initiatives and has tirelessly worked to rebuild and fortify job and safety agencies after years of neglect and erosion, the prior administration’s actions led to severe understaffing, the repeal of essential worker safety laws, restrictions on public access to vital information and weak enforcement against employers who violate the law.

In light of these report findings and obstacles we continue to face, the AFL-CIO remains committed to prioritizing the prevention of injury, illness and fatalities at work, advocating for strong standards and organizing for safer working conditions while supporting leaders like President Biden who champion workers’ rights to a safe job. While there is still much work ahead, our advocacy for policies that protect workers and hold employers accountable remains steadfast. Collaboration with lawmakers, activists and allies will continue to advance workplace safety initiatives, ensuring that every worker has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and healthy environment.

Read the full report here. 

https://aflcio.org/press/releases/afl-cio-releases-2024-death-job-report-ahead-workers-memorial-day

England/Wales events map: Remember the dead, fight for the living

TUC has published an interactive map listing 28 April events. It is being continually updated – you can  submit an event yourself or view the map here. 

More on TUC’s 28 April webpages

Global: Working in a bad climate – Hazards magazine 28 April poster

“Hot, cold, wet and wild. Workers are on the front line when the climate crisis hits home.” Hazards magazine has published a print off and use 28 April poster

Global: Working in a bad climate – detailed ITUC briefing

The ITUC has produced a detailed briefing about the health and safety impacts of the climate crisis that is available here.

Australia: ACTU posts a listing of 28 April activities and free to use social media assets

ACTU reminds us that International Workers’ Memorial Day takes place annually around the world on 28 April – it is the international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work.

This year, IWMD falls on a Sunday, but many (although not all)  events being held around the Australia will take place on Monday 29 April.

You can find details of the various TLC events around the country here, and ACTU encourages all to attend.

The ACTU has also prepared freely available social media assets

Global: International Workers’ Memorial Day 2024: Action for climate-related workplace hazards

This International Workers’ Memorial Day, 28 April, trade unions are demanding urgent action to tackle ’Climate Risks for Workers’ – the escalating dangers posed by the climate crisis to workers globally.

There is an urgent need for emergency preparedness to be integrated into workplace safety policies, in democratic consultation with workers’ trade unions.

The World Health Organization’s statement in December 2023 highlighted an alarming surge in climate-related disasters, underlining the grave implications for workers’ health and job security.

Workers in agriculture, construction, postal delivery and other sectors have been particularly affected, with a marked increase in heat-related illnesses and fatalities. The threat is not just from heat; storms, hurricanes, floods, blizzards, lightning, tornadoes, wildfires and strong winds are a growing danger to the workplace.

ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle stated: “The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat; it’s a present danger to workers around the globe. It’s imperative that we demand robust policies and practices to protect our working people from the hazardous impacts of climate change. Our call to action is clear: we must integrate climate risk assessments and emergency preparedness into our occupational safety and health standards.”

Around the world, trade unions are already succeeding in winning protections for climate-related workplace hazards:

  •  In Phoenix, USA, a campaign by the unions Unite Here and the SEIU won a new law requiring contractors to provide heat safety protections for outdoor workers.
  •  Firefighters in Spain won recognition that carcinogenic smoke from wildfires is an occupational health risk and they have the right to protection from it.
  •  In the Democratic Republic of Congo, several unions have united to create a set of demands for workers in the critical mineral mining industry who are exposed to dangerous working conditions inside and outside.
  •  In Australia, the CFMEU is actively winning changes to legislation and regulation to protect workers exposed to heat stress.
  •  In Brazil, SITICOP is working to expand protections to workers affected by environmental disasters.

Luc Triangle concluded: “The work by these trade unions, and many others, is inspiring. We need immediate action from governments, employers and regulatory bodies to address the current and growing threat of climate change to workers’ health and safety.

“This includes consultation with unions, the implementation of comprehensive safety training and enforcement of stringent safety standards to mitigate the risks associated with extreme weather conditions. At the heart of this is democracy, because democracy in the workplace means that workers are listened to, and they can play a part in their own safety. As the ITUC campaign For Democracy says, real democracies deliver for working people, and that includes delivering climate protection for workers.”

The ITUC has produced a detailed briefing about the health and safety impacts of the climate crisis that is available here. You can find social media materials here.

https://www.ituc-csi.org/iwmd24 

RESOURCES

ITUC 28 April videos
English https://28april.org/?p=6653
Spanish https://28april.org/?p=6651
French https://28april.org/?p=6649
German https://28april.org/?p=6646

ITUC 28 April graphics

English https://28april.org/?p=6627
Spanish https://28april.org/?p=6587
French https://28april.org/?p=6608

Other resources
https://28april.org/?p=6525

Journée internationale de commémoration des travailleuses et des travailleurs morts ou blessés au travail 2024 : agir contre les risques liés au climat sur le lieu de travail

Le 28 avril 2024, à l’occasion de la Journée internationale de commémoration des travailleuses et des travailleurs morts ou blessés au travail, les syndicats réclament des actions urgentes pour lutter contre les «risques climatiques pour les travailleurs», c’est-à-dire les dangers croissants que la crise climatique fait peser sur la main-d’œuvre partout dans le monde.

Il est nécessaire et urgent d’intégrer la préparation aux situations d’urgence aux politiques de sécurité sur le lieu de travail, en consultant démocratiquement les organisations syndicales.

Dans sa déclaration du 2 décembre 2023, l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) souligne une augmentation très inquiétante des catastrophes liées au climat, pointant du doigt les graves conséquences pour la santé des travailleurs et la sécurité de l’emploi.

Les travailleurs des secteurs de l’agriculture, de la construction, de la distribution du courrier et d’autres encore ont été particulièrement touchés, et on constate dans ces secteurs une hausse marquée du nombre de maladies et de décès liés à la chaleur. La chaleur n’est pas la seule menace; les tempêtes, les ouragans, les inondations, les blizzards, les éclairs, les tornades, les feux de forêt et les vents violents sont autant de dangers croissants pour les lieux de travail.

Pour Luc Triangle, secrétaire général de la CSI, «la crise climatique n’est plus une menace lointaine, c’est un danger actuel pour les travailleurs et les travailleuses du monde entier. Il est impératif que nous exigions des politiques fermes et des pratiques solides pour protéger notre main-d’œuvre des effets dangereux du changement climatique. Notre appel à l’action est clair: nous devons intégrer l’évaluation des risques climatiques et la préparation aux situations d’urgence à nos normes de sécurité et de santé au travail».

Partout dans le monde, des syndicats ont déjà obtenu des protections contre les risques liés au climat sur le lieu de travail:

  •  À Phoenix, aux États-Unis d’Amérique, grâce à une campagne menée par les syndicats Unite Here et SEIU, une nouvelle loi a été adoptée obligeant les entrepreneurs à fournir des protections contre la chaleur aux personnes qui travaillent en plein air.
  •  En Espagne, les pompiers ont fait reconnaître les fumées cancérigènes des incendies de forêt comme un risque pour la santé au travail et ont ainsi obtenu le droit d’en être protégés.
  •  En République démocratique du Congo, plusieurs syndicats se sont unis pour formuler une série de revendications pour les travailleurs de l’industrie stratégique de l’exploitation minière, qui travaillent dans des conditions dangereuses à l’intérieur et à l’extérieur.
  •  En Australie, le syndicat CFMEU s’attèle activement à obtenir des modifications de la législation et de la réglementation pour protéger les travailleurs exposés au stress thermique.
  •  Au Brésil, l’organisation SITICOP tente d’étendre des protections aux travailleurs touchés par des catastrophes environnementales.

Et Luc Triangle de conclure: «Le travail de ces syndicats, et de bien d’autres, est une source d’inspiration. Les gouvernements, les employeurs et les organismes de réglementation doivent agir immédiatement pour faire face à la menace actuelle et croissante que représente le changement climatique pour la sécurité et la santé des travailleurs.

De telles actions incluent de consulter les syndicats, de mettre en place une formation complète sur la sécurité et d’appliquer des normes de sécurité rigoureuses pour atténuer les risques associés aux conditions climatiques extrêmes. La démocratie doit être au cœur de cette démarche, car faire preuve de démocratie sur le lieu de travail suppose que le personnel est écouté et peut jouer un rôle pour sa propre sécurité. Comme l’affirme la CSI dans sa campagne Pour la démocratie, de vraies démocraties prennent soin de leurs travailleurs et travailleuses, et cela inclut de veiller à les protéger contre le climat».

La CSI a publié une note d’information détaillée sur les effets de la crise climatique sur la sécurité et la santé, disponible ici. En outre, vous trouverez ici du matériel pour les médias sociaux.

https://www.ituc-csi.org/iwmd24_fr

RESOURCES

ITUC 28 April videos
English https://28april.org/?p=6653
Spanish https://28april.org/?p=6651
French https://28april.org/?p=6649
German https://28april.org/?p=6646

ITUC 28 April graphics

English https://28april.org/?p=6627
Spanish https://28april.org/?p=6587
French https://28april.org/?p=6608

Other resources
https://28april.org/?p=6525