Workers’ Memorial Day 2021
Congress has taken the lead for many years in marking International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) which is on April 28th. The day aims to:
- Commemorate all those who have been killed, injured, or made ill at work
- Recommit to safer workplaces
For 2021, Congress has adopted the European Trade Union Confederation slogan for IWMD: ‘Workplace health & safety – it’s your right’.
With Covid-19 restrictions continuing, the Health & Safety Committee has organised a number of online elements to occur on the lead-up to the day, and for an online broadcast at noon on April 28th. This broadcast, via the Congress website and social media, will include a wreath-laying at the Garden of Remembrance, an emotional poem about loss recited by front-line healthcare workers, and a message from Dr Mike Ryan of WHO.
A key part of our actions is to have a coordinated social media campaign commencing next Sunday, 25th April. Facebook Frames and Twibbons (overlays that can be used on social media profile pictures) are available at the following links:
We are asking all unions and partner organisations (DETE, HSA, Ibec, CIF) to activate these overlays from Sunday 25th April on social media accounts (Twitter/Facebook) and also to encourage members, companies and other organisations to adopt them. It is very simple to activate these, and we are hoping to build some momentum so that there are a significant number of social media accounts using the images by and on April 28th.
The online event at noon on 28th April will include a pause for reflection and we encourage all workplaces to hold a Minute’s Silence (including those working remotely) to remember those who have died or become ill.
Workers’ Memorial Day represents an opportunity to remember those we have lost, and to celebrate the contribution of those who continue to work to make us all safer. We ask all to support these efforts over the next few days, including using your own tweets and Facebook and other social media postings, using the hashtags
#IWMD21 and
#workersmemorialday
ICTU is organising an online ceremony which will include a contribution from Dr Mike Ryan of WHO, Executive Director of the World Health Organisation’s Health Emergencies Programme. ICTU will stream this meeting from www.ictu.ie at noon (Irish time) on April 28th.
ICTU has also designed some Facebook Frames and Twitter Twibbons and is encouraging its unions and supporters to use them on their social media accounts from 25 April. It is happy for others to use these resources.