Renowned US photojournalist Earl Dotter has a new exhibit which features ID badges of workers employed in industries that mined or used asbestos.
The touring exhibit, sponsored by the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, will be launched at the 28 April commemoration to be held at the headquarters of the national union federation AFL-CIO.
AFL-CIO Worker Memorial Day Exhibit Event [PDF]
“Some of the world’s most profitable companies are not just defending their toxic products, they are defending weak exposure standards that mean they profit and you pay. It is not ethical, it is not healthy and it is not what we bargained for. We make this pledge – if they expose us, we will expose them.”
Sharan Burrow, ITUC General Secretary
Italian construction unions have prepared a poster on accidents, asbestos and occupational diseases for action on 28 April.
A 28 April poster from CCOO Euskadi.
La CTA anunció en lanzamiento de una iniciativa original para este 28 de Abril, que incluye un concurso de expresión escrita, invitando a los trabajadores a compartir sus experiencias sobre la salud en el trabajo. El concurso “Sin presiones” esta siendo coordinado por la Secretaria de salud y medio ambiente de la CTA de Córdoba, la CTA Capital y el CISPREN.
Para mas información sobre el concurso de la CTA, visitar www.islyma.org.ar
The CTA, has launched an original approach to this 28 April, inviting workers to write their experiences with health at work. A writing contest “No pressures” has been launched, jointly coordinated by the CTA Cordoba Health and Safety Union, the CTA Capital and the CISPREN. More information on the contest can be found here: www.islyma.org.ar
For this 28th April, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) will run a highly visible action, focusing on the 100,000 people who die every year in the EU as a result of occupational cancers, as well as the 150,000 people who have died waiting for the EU to approve the Directive on Carcinogens and Mutagens at Work, held up since October 2013 by an EU review of ‘red tape’.
To mark the International Workers’ Memorial Day, the ETUC is planning to meet with Commissioners and MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, and will participate in events in Belgium and Latvia.
ETUC General Secretary Bernadette Ségol will meet European Parliament President Martin Schulz and European Employment Commissioner Thyssen in the European Parliament in Strasbourg .
The artwork below will be used at these events.
With more than 30 registered events already, and counting, the Spanish trade unions Comisiones Obreras (CCOO) and Union General de Trabajadores (UGT) will be joining this 28th April rallying behind their “ten urgent and priority measures for preventing occupational risks”. See the manifesto • Poster
The “Decálogo” (as they have called it) calls among other policies to fight casualization of work, well-funded prevention policies, changes in the occupational diseases registry, focus on social, gender and age determinants of occupational health, quality and independent prevention services, strengthening of labour inspection, a reinforcement of the public character of the “mutuas” system and support for democratizing labour relations.
Both trade union centers will organise hundreds of events, including seminars, rallies, debates, and press conferences across Spain.
A map with planned activities in different Spanish cities can be found in CCOO website
Another ITUC affiliate, USO will organise events under the slogan “Precarious work kills”, and is organising a three day event this week in Madrid, as well as other assemblies in other regions of Spain. Webpage
Bangladeshi unions will mobilise this year with a week of events, which will include meetings on compensation and rehabilitation for Rana Plaza victim workers, a commemoration of the tragedy on April 24th both with OSHE as a lead organiser, a tripartite seminar on the 26th and a joint demonstration of the National Labour Rights and Safety Alliance on the 28th April.
The demo will be calling for immediate ratification of key ILO Conventions on OSH by Bangladesh namely C187 (Promotional Framework for OSH Convention, 2006), C155 (Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981) and C167 (Safety and Health in Construction).
The demo is a joint endeavour by the Bangladesh Free Trade Unions Congress (BFTUC), the National Alliance of Construction Workers Safety, Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation (OSHE), Federation of Garments Workers (FGW), Bangladesh Building and Workers Federation (BBWWF), Labour at Informal Economy (LIE), Rana Plaza Accident Victims Network and Tazreen Fashions Accident Victim Network.
The video “Growth with Tears“ has been produced on the struggle of Rana Plaza victims:
The Bangladesh Labour Federation -BLF will Observe 28 ICD 2015 in Dhaka organising a discussion meeting on 28 April 3.30 PM. BLF President & General Secretary & BLF Members ,activists, organisers, educators as well as the women’s & youth wings will be present in the event.
For more information on BFTUC activities for this 28th April, please contact with AR Chowdhury REPON, Acting General Secretary- BFTUC & Executive Director- OSHE, E-mail: oshe@agni.com
For more information on BLF events, please contact M.Shahadat Hossain shahadatjb@hotmail.com
Finally, we also wanted to remind you of the Rana Plaza countdown for victims’ compensation, which has been organised in social media: http://www.tuac.org/en/public/e-docs/00/00/10/33/document_news.phtml
