Category Archives: Events listing

2018, 2018 Philippines, Events listing

Philippines: IOHSAD candle lighting ceremony on 28 April

Dear Friends, 

We will mark this year’s Workers’ Memorial Day in the Philippines together with Hanjin shipyard workers. On April 28, a candle lighting program will be held in a workers’ community in Zambales located near the Hanjin shipyard to remember the workers who died due to work. 

We will post photos in our social media accounts on the actual day of the WMD activity. 

Thank you! Warm regards, IOHSAD Team in the Philippines

WORKERS’ MEMORIAL DAY (Philippines)

We remember, organize and fight for safe workplaces!

On April 28,  Filipino workers will commemorate Workers’ Memorial Day by amplifying their call for safe workplaces and the enactment of a pro-worker occupational safety and health (OSH) bill. For the first time, IOHSAD, a workplace safety NGO will hold its WMD activity together with Hanjin shipyard workers in Zambales.

WE REMEMBER.

We remember the more than 40 Hanjin shipyard workers who have died due to work since 2006.  They were victims of grave violations of OSH standards committed by Hanjin and its neglect of workers’ safety.  On April 28, we remember their names and pledge to fight for safe workplaces for all workers.

WE FIGHT.

Countless workers all over the country confront various workplace hazards that put their lives at risk.  On April 28, we demand for the immediate passage of a pro-worker occupational safety and health (OSH) bill that will help prevent workplace accidents and deaths.  We reiterate our call for an OSH Bill that pushes for the criminalization of OSH standards violations and government’s mandatory inspection of all types of workplaces in the country.

WE UNIONIZE.

We will unionize and consolidate our organizations to fight for our right to safe workplaces!  Unions serve as the workers’ most reliable shields against employers who disregard workers’ safety and put workers’ lives in constant danger at work.  On April 28, we will pledge to build  strong and militant unions to fight for our occupational safety and health rights.

Safe Workplaces Now!

Criminalize OSH Violations!

Pass a Pro-Workers Occupational Safety and Health Bill NOW! 

Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development 406 Ramagi Building, 1081 Pedro Gil Avenue Paco 1007, Manila, Philippines + 63 2 521 1216
Web: http://www.iohsad.org/ 

2018, 2018 Europe, Events listing

#IWMD18 Les syndicats améliorent la sécurité au travail – CES

#IWMD18 Les syndicats améliorent la sécurité au travail – CES

Journée internationale de commémoration des victimes du travail.

Les syndicats améliorent la sécurité au travail

#IWMD18

Déclaration de la CES (Uniquement en anglais)

Regardez la vidéo

https://www.etuc.org/fr

2018, 2018 Europe, Events listing

Europe: International Workers Memorial Day 2018 – ETUC Statement

28th April is the annual day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled and injured by their work. It serves as a timely reminder to workers across the world that they are not alone, that others have suffered at work and have been engaged in a long struggle to improve conditions in the workplace. It is also a time to reflect on how far we still have to go and the steps we must take to protect the lives of future generations of workers.

This year the ETUC is focussing on how ‘Unions make workplaces safer’. The best way to secure the health, safety and wellbeing of all workers is for every workplace to have a dedicated workers’ health and safety committee backed by fully-trained and fully-engaged safety representatives appointed by independent trade unions.

The need for more trade union safety reps is highlighted by the fact that in the EU, more than 3,700 workers die in occupational accidents each year and there are more than 200,000 deaths as a consequence of work-related diseases.[1] Behind each of these statistics is a life cut short, a family bereaved.

Making all EU workplaces safe demands that workers be informed, consulted and allowed to take part in discussions on all questions relating to occupational health and safety. But we know that where worker involvement happens in non-unionised workplaces, it is much more likely to follow the employers’ agenda, whereas unionised safety representatives are more likely to be empowered to set the safety agenda and challenge employers when they put workers at risk for whatever reason.[2]

Union safety representatives know the workplace realities. They are better informed and more aware of what really goes on at a day-to-day basis and they identify risks long before management. There have been many examples of this, from highlighting risks of dangerous substances, concerns about stress, violence and harassment in the workplace, RSI, and the effects of passive smoking. Union safety reps can also function as a channel for individual workers to raise their concerns. Not only do workers become more aware of safety issues but the presence of union safety reps also gives workers confidence to speak up and raise health and safety concerns.

Yet, this critical role that we play continues to be overlooked by both policymakers and employers. It’s clear we need more tools at our disposal to make workplaces as safe as they can possibly be. On the occasion of International Workers Memorial Day 2018, the ETUC stresses that unions – and union safety representatives – really do make workplaces safer. And we call on EU to improve the recognition rights that trade union safety representatives are entitled to and to renew the commitment to genuinely empower them to act decisively in all workplaces.

Today we remember those killed by work and rededicate ourselves to fight for safer workplaces.

 

In solidarity

Esther Lynch

[1] https://osha.europa.eu/en/themes/work-related-diseases

[2] E.g. Fidderman, McDonnell, Worker involvement in health and safety: what works?, HSE, 2010.

24.04.2018

https://www.etuc.org/documents/international-workers-memorial-day-2018-etuc-statement#.WuGL9pch3IU

2018, 2018 Kenya, Events listing

Kenya: National conference and procession to mark 28 April

National Workers’ Memorial Day in KENYA started on 26 April in Kenya, with a conference on the theme ‘’ improving the safety and health at work: Do you know your role?’’ The event was opened by the Principle Secretary of Ministry of Labour and Social Protection Dr K. Kassachoon, CBS.  Trade unions, the employers’ federation, the Ministry of Labour, Educational Institution and private sector organisations attended.

One 28 April, 2018 national union federation COTU has organised  a procession in Machakos Country. It will be  followed by a gathering at a technological development center in Athi River, Machakos County  where awards will be given to oganisations encouraging more institutions to observe occupations safety and health standards in workplaces.

COTU reports that the numbers participating in a competition showcasing good workplace practices is higher than in 2017.

Rebecca Okello Abongo
Office of the Secretary General
Central Organisation of Trade Unions, (KENYA)
Website: www.cotu-kenya.org
Email: info@cotu-kenya.org

2018, 2018 Croatia, Events listing

Croatia: Union events and agreement recognise ‘Organised workplaces are safer workplaces’

On 25 April, union federation UATUC and its occupational health and safety coordinating group organised a public debate on the theme ‘Organized Workplaces are Safer Workplaces’ in a fertilizer factory Petrokemija, based in Kutina, Croatia.Petrokemija factory was chosen as a host of the debate as a positve example of implementation of occupational safety and health measures, and also as there is a special collective agreement signed there related to occupational health and safety issues.

The panelists included UATUC President Mladen Novosel, members of UATUC OSH Coordination, Petrokemija CEO Đuro Popijač, senior advisor of the Ministry of Labour and Pension System Branimir Mutnjaković, and Vitomir Begović, director of OSH improvement Institute. We shared the experience and best practices in OSH – by OSH reps coordinator, OSH Deparment director, OSH specialist and EKN Trade Union chief shop steward: Zdravko Mašala, Tomislav Cesar, Mario Klaus and Davor Rakić.
A visit to factory plants was also organized.

2018, 2018 Macedonia, Events listing

Macedonia: Workers’ Memorial Day will be marked with a national safety conference

The Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia regarding the International Day for Occupational Health and Safety at Work shall organise a Conference on the topic: “Promoting OHS activities”, which will be held on April 27, 2018, (Friday), in the premises of CCM, starting at 11 am.

The Conference shall be attended by representatives of the social partners, the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, the State Labor Inspectorate, representatives of employers’ organizations, trade unions, as well as relevant international and domestic organizations and institutions that target the issues of safety and health at work in the Republic of Macedonia.

Also, on this Conference, the activities of the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia in the direction of providing health and safe working conditions shall be presented, as well as the activities of trade unions affiliated in CCM.

2018, 2018 New Zealand, BWI New Zealand 2018, Events listing

New Zealand: Unions rally and raise concerns about safety in forestry

Unions Christchurch and BWI affiliates E tū and FIRST Union will commemorate International Workers’ Memorial Day on 28 April. FIRST will write privately to the Labour Minister raising concerns about  forestry safety. The union wants to ensure planned ‘fair pay agreements’ for forestry have a strong focus on occupational health and safety.  Union events are planned for Napier on 27 April and  Christchurch , Otago  (Dunedin), West Coast (Blackball) and Manawatu (Palmerston North) on 28 April.

2018, 2018 Finland, BWI Finland 2018, Events listing

Finland: Work stoppages will mark International Workers’ Memorial Day

Finnish construction union and BWI affiliate Rakennusliitto will be conducting  a moment of silence across construction sites in Finland. Work will stop for couple of minutes and in some places the horns will blow.  The event is organised together with PRO and employer union RT.

Tiina Nurmi-Kokko
sosiaalisihteeri – socialsekreterare – social secretary, YVTS
Rakennusliitto ry – Byggnadsförbundet rf – Construction Trade Union
Email: tiina.nurmi-kokko@rakennusliitto.fi
Web: https://rakennusliitto.fi/

2018, 2018 Austria, BWI Austria 2018, Events listing

Austria: Public wreath laying ceremony and meeting in memory of deceased workers

Gewerkschaft Bau-Holz will hold a public wreath laying ceremony and meeting in Vienna on 27 April in memory of deceased workers.

 

Further information
Roman Krenn
Fachexperte – Interessenvertretung, Kollektivvertrag, Recht und Europa
Gewerkschaft Bau-Holz
A – 1020 Wien, Johann-Böhm-Platz 1
Österreich
roman.krenn@gbh.at
www.gbh.at

2018, 2018 Malaysia, BWI Malaysia 2018, Events listing

Malaysia: Union commemoration and protest to mark 28 April

Two separate Building and Wood Worker’s International – BWI  – affiliates are planning activities for International Workers’ Memorial Day.

BWI-MLC Malaysian affiliates will attend the MTUC-organised commemoration event on 27 April in Kuala Lumpur, which will focus on the health and safety of young workers.

UECI The Union of Employees in the Construction Industry will send a protest letter to the Minister of Human Resources demanding action on health and safety for tower crane operators.