Category Archives: News

Ireland: Remembering those workers we have lost – ICTU

ICTU General Secretary Owen Reidy will be joined by Conor O’Brien CEO of the Health & Safety Authority and Minister Neale Richmond TD who will lay a wreath on behalf of the State to remember those workers we have lost.

Please join us to mark this important occasion:

Date:    Monday 29th April 2024
Venue:    Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Time:        Gather from 09.20, event starts at 09.30-10.30

ICTU 28 April page

WMD 2023

New Zealand: NZCTU announces a wide range of actions for 28 April

NZCTU has published information on its activities to mark 28 April that include a listing of 28 April events, a poster, an NZCTU Health and Safety starter pack, a corporate manslaughter law ‘Stand with Pike’ campaign plus information on engineered stone and more.

Further details from the NZCTU 28 April webpages

Hungary: 28 April actions from MASZSZ

Hungarian Trade Union Confederation MASZSZ has published  details of an International Workers’ Memorial Day action taking place on 29 April. Further details below:

MASZSZ actions – April 28

1st Workers’ Health and Safety Symposium – afternoon April 29.

On the occasion of the Workers Memorial Day the Hungarian Trade Union Confederation invites all OSH community members, interested colleagues to be part of the OSH Symposium to discuss

 

  • the presence and future of OSH
  • state of play of social dialogue
  • what is presently at stake regarding OSH?

Discussants are: chair of employers’ group of the tripartite National OSH Committee / vice president of the Chemical Workers Union / OSH experts of several confederations.

We aim at open, forward-looking exchange of opinions how to revive a meaningful and full social dialogue for improving the OSH situation and assess the manifold challenges ahead of trade unions, workers’ representation, safety reps. We can not let the continuation of weakening the OSH regulations and the increasing of workers’ exposure to unhealthy, unsafe working conditions.

Commemorative act at the Memorial of those died and injured in work accident – evening April 29.

Wreath laying, candle lighting, addresses by OSH tripartite representatives

April 28: Remembering the unknown workers [IUF Asia/Pacific]

IUF Asia/Pacific remembers and speaks powerfully for those workers who die in silence – whose deaths go unreported and unrecognised. Workers who die without justice for themselves or their families:

“For every worker who dies of a long term illness caused by or exacerbated by work – sometimes years after retirement – her or his death is not recorded as work-related. An unknown death of an unknown worker, unrecorded. Every worker who dies in an unreported industrial “accident” is another unknown death. For every worker not considered a worker by legal definition and excluded in employment statistics, she or he dies in silence.

“In our continued call to stop the killing on International Workers’ Memorial Day, April 28, we must also remember the workers whose injuries and deaths are not recognized or recorded as they fall through the gaps.”

Read the full article

Global: ILO – Ensuring safe and healthy work now in a changing climate

Climate change related hazards, such as excessive heat, UV radiation, extreme weather events, air pollution, vector-borne diseases and increased use of agrochemicals have serious impacts on the safety and health of workers.

This April, join the International Labour Organization in commemorating the World Day for Safety and Health at Work.

More info: ilo.org/safeday • Click here for  Social media downloads

Global: BWI call to action IWMD 2024: Enough is enough! Let’s talk about hazards

The 28th of April marks International Workers’ Memorial Day 2024. Despite the success of establishing Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) as a fundamental right, the harsh reality persists: we witness a rise in fatalities each year due to work-related accidents and diseases. This year, BWI will put the spotlight on the risks leading to the loss of workers’ lives in our sectors daily, under the theme: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH—LET’S TALK HAZARDS.

Trade unions worldwide will collaborate with employers to conduct joint activities, and/or organise rallies to underscore the critical hazards in our sectors and strategize on preventing future workplace fatalities. These activities will take place from the 22nd to the 28th of April.

According to the November 2023 report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the latest estimate for work-related accidents and diseases nears 3 million, with 2.6 million deaths attributed to work-related diseases and 330,000 to fatal accidents. This represents a more than 5 percent increase compared to 2015. The trend is clear, alarming and unacceptable! Each of these fatalities could and should have been preventable.

In memory of those we’ve lost, we call for a collective effort to ensure that all workers are aware of their rights, and that all employers understand their obligations in identifying, assessing, and controlling hazards in the workplace.

We pursue this through coordinated collective actions and other initiatives leading up to the International Workers’ Memorial Day on the 28th of April.

What can affiliates, partners, and allies do?

BWI regional offices will encourage and assist all affiliates in engaging in one or more of the following activities:

 Facilitate toolbox safety and health training sessions on hazards at worksites.

  • Conduct joint activities with employers at workplaces, demonstrating a shared commitment to addressing workplace risks.
  • Distribute BWI posters and hazard briefings.
  • Conduct safety and health worksite visits and inspections.
  • Organise mass rallies and demonstrations in front of companies to protest unsafe working conditions and poor safety records.
  • Arrange candlelight vigils or other commemorations for those who lost their lives or were injured at work.

Please share your plans with your regional coordinator, and we will include them on the dedicated website www.28april.org, where confirmed materials, activities, and events are shared.

During the Week of Action, document your activities by:  

  • Take photos and videos.
  • Issue press releases.
  • Share our activities through social media using the hashtag #IWMD2024.

Download our campaign materials.

Share all your content with the BWI communication team.

ITUC 28 April video: Climate change is bringing hazardous conditions for workers

ITUC 28 April video: El cambio climático genera condiciones peligrosas para los trabajadores

ITUC 28 April video: Le changement climatique crée des conditions dangereuses pour les travailleurs

ITUC 28 April video: Der klimawandel schafft gefährliche bedingungen für beschäftigte