Countries, Global, Resources

À dix pas de la catastrophe

À une époque où l’atterrissage d’une sonde spatiale sur un astéroïde nous étonne à peine, comment est-il possible que les grandes industries puissent continuer de tuer les travailleurs comme jadis ?

Le professeur Michael Quinlan a étudié les causes des tragédies qui se produisent sur les lieux de travail. Il est parvenu à une conclusion claire : c’est un manque de volonté, et non un manque de savoir-faire, qui est à l’origine des « dix chemins qui mènent à la mort et à la catastrophe ».

« Les chaînes d’approvisionnement mondiales contribuent de plus en plus à la dégradation des normes de sécurité en déplaçant le travail vers des pays dont les normes de sécurité sont minimes et qui ne suivent pas de protocoles pour améliorer les modalités des programmes de libre-échange. C’est exactement ce qu’illustre l’effondrement du Rana Plaza en 2013 au Bangladesh, où plus de 1100 personnes avaient été tuées, principalement des ouvriers du prêt-à-porter qui fabriquaient des vêtements destinés en grande partie aux pays occidentaux ».

« Ces faits parlent d’eux-mêmes et révèlent que, contrairement à ce qui est annoncé dans les beaux discours, la sécurité au travail n’occupe pas la première place, ni même la deuxième ou la troisième, en ce qui concerne les priorités des gouvernements ou de la plupart des entreprises ».

Ten pathways to death and disaster, Michael Quinlan, The Federation Press, ISBN 9781862879775, décembre 2014.

http://www.ituc-csi.org/a-dix-pas-de-la-catastrophe?lang=fr

Countries, Global, Resources

Los diez pasos que conducen al desastre

En una era en la que apenas parpadeamos cuando una sonda espacial aterriza en un asteroide, ¿cómo es posible que las grandes industrias sigan matando con los mismos métodos de siempre?

El Profesor Michael Quinlan ha estudiado las causas de los siniestros en los lugares de trabajo y ha llegado a una conclusión clara. La falta de voluntad y no la falta de conocimientos propician los “diez pasos hacia la muerte y el desastre”.

“Las cadenas de suministro mundiales están favoreciendo la erosión de las normas de seguridad al transferir el trabajo hacia países con normas mínimas de seguridad y sin ningún protocolo para elevar el nivel de las normas, como parte de las políticas a favor del libre comercio. El derrumbamiento del edificio Rana Plaza en 2013 en Bangladesh que se cobró la vida de más de 1.100 trabajadores, principalmente del sector de la confección y que producían ropa para occidente – es un ejemplo de esto”, dice.

“Estos datos demuestran de forma elocuente que, independientemente de la retórica, la seguridad en el lugar de trabajo no es lo primero, ni siquiera lo segundo ni lo tercero, frente a las prioridades de los Gobiernos o de la mayoría de las empresas”.

Ten pathways to death and disaster, Michael Quinlan, The Federation Press, ISBN 9781862879775, diciembre de 2014.

http://www.ituc-csi.org/los-diez-pasos-que-conducen-al?lang=es

Countries, Global, Resources

Global: Ten steps from disaster

In an era where we scarcely blink when a probe lands on an asteroid, why do major industries continue to kill in the same old ways? Professor Michael Quinlan has studied the causes of workplace tragedies. He has reached a clear conclusion. A lack of will and not a lack of know-how is behind ‘ten pathways to death and disaster’.

“Global supply chains are increasingly facilitating the erosion of safety standards by moving work to countries with minimal safety standards and no protocols for raising standards as part a free trade agenda. The 2013 Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh which killed over 1,100 – mainly garment factory workers, many producing clothing for the West – exemplifies this,” he says.

“These facts are eloquent testament to the point that irrespective of the rhetoric, workplace safety doesn’t come first, or even second or third when it comes to the priorities of governments or most corporations.”

Ten pathways to death and disaster, Michael Quinlan, The Federation Press, ISBN 9781862879775, December 2014.

http://www.ituc-csi.org/ten-steps-from-disaster

Canada, Countries, Events listing

Canada: 2015 Day of Mourning Candlelight Memorial Service – Winnipeg

Tuesday, April 28, 2015 – 10:45am –11:30am
Location:

2nd Floor Auditorium
Union Centre
275 Broadway
Winnipeg

Event Details:

April 28 has been designated by Parliament as the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job.

Please join us for a candlelight memorial service to remember these workers and to reaffirm our resolve to work for safe and healthy workplaces.

A reception with refreshments will take place before the service at 10:45 AM.

For more information, contact Tara Peel (204-953-2563)

USA, Videos

“A Day’s Work” (Documentary, 2015) on Vimeo

Video

"A Day's Work" (Documentary, 2015) from A Day's Work on Vimeo.

Countries, USA

USA: LA raises one voice calling for dignity, respect, and justice

Workers’ Memorial and May Day Mobilizations Join to Highlight
Disproportionate Injuries and Fatalities to Latino and Immigrant
Workers, Immigration Relief, and Fair Wages

Los Angeles – The Los Angeles Workers Memorial and Los Angeles May Day Coalition, two strong and diverse networks led by workers, labor, community organizations, immigrant rights and health and safety advocates, and allies gather in Los Angeles Tuesday, April 28, 2015 to: a) highlight occupational health and safety trends
disproportionately afflicting immigrant and Latino communities, and
b) issue a call to action on May 1, International Worker’s Day, in
Los Angeles during back-to-back press conferences.

The 10 a.m. dual program at the West Steps of Los Angeles City Hall
commemorates fallen and injured workers and kicks off efforts to
engage thousands in the historic May Day gathering of people downtown Los Angeles.

Injured workers, community, faith, labor, economic justice, and human rights organizations, along with immigrant families, will provide testimonies and urge Angelinos and other stakeholders to do more to create injury-free and fatality-free workplaces, and to join the May Day march, rally, and, new to 2015, an immigration resource fair at Grand Park.

WHAT:  Press conference to observe Workers Memorial Day and announce May Day mobilizations, including an Immigrant Families Resources Fair, in Los Angeles May 1.

WHEN:  Tuesday, April 28, 2015, 10 AM.

WHERE:  West Stairs, Los Angeles City Hall, N. Spring Street

WHO:  Workers, including a nurse, garment worker, port truck driver, airport worker.  Families eligible for DAPA.  LA City Councilmember Gil Cedillo; Linda Lopez, Office of the Mayor, Immigrant Affairs (invited); Pilar Marrero, Office of Supervisor Hilda Solis (invited); Angelica Salas, CHIRLA; Dan Barnhart, UTLA; Steve Zimmer, LAUSD Board; Jim Manguia, St. John’s Well Child and Family Center; Becky Ronquillo, KIWA.

The Los Angeles Workers Memorial and the Los Angeles May Day
Coalition are led by the following organizations:  Asian Americans
Advancing Justice, CARECEN, CHIRLA, KIWA- Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance, CLEAN Carwash Campaign UCLA Labor Center LA County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, SEIU 121RN, SEIU USWW, SEIU ULTCW, SEIU 721, Fight for 15, NDLON, St. John’s Well child and Family Center, CD Tech, CLUE-LA  ,Miguel Contreras Foundation , UTLA , SoCal COSH, SEIU 99, ELACC , ROC-LA  ,CCED , UFCW 770, MLK Coalition of greater Los
Angeles , PWC , UTLA, Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement, LA Brown Berrets, Unite Here, Sierra Club, ELACC, SoCal 350, Roofers Local 36, ICE Out of LA Coalition, LA Coalition Against Wage Theft, CIYJA, Garment Worker Center, IDEPSCA, UCLA-LOSH, IDEPSCA, LAANE, Cal – State Dominguez Hills Labor & Social Justice Club, Cal – StateDominguez Hills Labor Studies Program.

News

ITUC Pledge on Toxics : “If you expose us, we’ll expose you”

Occupational cancers kill at a rate of more than once a minute worldwide, according to a comprehensive review of the available evidence by the ITUC.  The global union body, speaking out ahead of the 28 April International Workers’ Memorial Day, says this preventable waste of life must end and has a stern warning for rogue employers : “If you expose us, we’ll expose you.” More

Countries, Events listing, Moldova

Moldova: CNSM actions on 28 April

Since 2010, upon trade unions’ initiative, the 28th of April has been officially recognized as the World Day for Safety and Health at Work in the Republic of Moldova. Confederation together with its affiliates organizes a large activity on the occasion of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. At this activity were present more than 800 people.

The objective of this activity was calling and mobilization of the trade union members to act for the prevention of the occupational risks, decrease of the accident risk and disease factors. This call consists in avoiding and diminishing the risk factors on the human organism.

At the meeting participated CNSM representatives, State Labour Inspection, and ILO. The trade unionists from Moldova advocate for the development of the workplace accidents prevention mechanisms, prevention of the professional diseases, improvement of the work conditions in the national enterprises, compliance with the international and national standards.

The situation in the Republic of Moldova is as follows: annually, there are about 500 people with get injured and 40 people who die because of the accidents at the workplace. The indexes of the professional diseases are quiet low and decrease each year.

This activity has been reflected in mass media (national newspapers, radio, TV) as well as in the trade union newspaper “Vocea Poporului” (people’s voice) and on CNSM website.

Videos

UK: FACE THE FACKS – The Human Face Of Workplace Killing (Part One)

Video

Resources, Videos

USA: Our Loved Ones Died At Unsafe Workplaces

Video

Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living