National Union of Building, Engineering and General Workers (NUBEGW) will conduct actions at five organised workplaces. Activities include a meeting with an employer, march on an employer’s premises, and awareness campaigns at two other workplaces.
Tag Archives: BWI
Zimbabwe: Meetings and site visit to mark 28 April – ZCATWU
In Zimbabwe, ZCATWU (Zimbabwe Construction and Allied Trades Union) has reported that: “Employer and members will attend a short site visit and convene a meeting on the importance and adherence to OHS regulations at the workplace. The union will educate attendees on mitigation and control measures, legal requirements, and seek to negotiate priority OHS proposals with the employer.”
ZCATWU webpages https://zcatwu.org.zw/
Pakistan: BWI affiliate activities for 28 April
A number of Pakistani affiliates of Building and Wood Workers International – the federation that groups unions from the building, building materials, wood, forestry and allied sectors – are holding a range of activities to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day. Below are details of the various activities in a listing that will be continually updated as we hear of more:
ACE Employees Union (ACEEU) is organising a plant-level meeting with employees.
Pakistan Federation of Building and Wood Workers (PFBWW) is organising a meeting at Tarbela Dam to mark 28 April. The PFBWW will also convene a bigger event on May Day that will involve messaging on International Workers’ Memorial Day.
India: BWI affiliates to host multiple 28 April activities countrywide
A large number of Indian affiliates of Building and Wood Workers International – the federation that groups unions from the building, building materials, wood, forestry and allied sectors – are holding a very wide range of activities to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day. Below are details of the various activities in a listing that will be continually updated as we hear of more:
Bandhkam Mazdoor Sangathan (BMS) – Safety awareness meeting – Awareness generation followed by a seminar on OHS on 1 May in cooperation with employers.
Rajasthan Patthar Khan evam Nirman Mazdoor Sangathan (RPKNMS) – OHS awareness campaign and stone quarry workers meeting.
Gujarat Forest Produce Gatherers and Forest Workers Union (GFPGFWU) – OHS awareness meeting, minor forestry workers meeting.
Akila India Kattida Thozhilalargal Madhya Sangam (AIKTMS) – Union executive committee meeting including OHS discussions
Thamizhaga Kattida Thozhilalargal Mathiya Sangam (TKTMS) – Mass meeting on occupational health and safety and a trade union awareness program.
Delhi Asangathit Nirman Mazdoor Union (DANMU) – Two worksite meetings on occupational health and safety awareness for construction workers.
Delhi Nirman Mazdoor Sangathan (DNMS) – Consultation on work safety awareness and a consultation meeting with workers and key stakeholders.
Mahanagar Asangathit Mazdoor Union (MAMU) will hold a meeting to promote occupational health and safety awareness for workers.
Indian National Cement Workers Federation (INCWF) – will hold a plant level activity raising worker safety awareness at ACC Adani, Amethi District, Uttar Pradesh.
All India Cement Employees Federation (AICEF) – will will hold a plant level activity raising worker safety awareness.
Azad Hind Building Workers Union (AHBWU) is holding a workers safety awareness meeting for construction and stone quarry workers.
Africa: BWI affiliates declare war on workplace hazards, unite for a safer future #iwmd24
BWI trade union affiliates across Mozambique, Namibia, and Zambia are forging a formidable front in the fight for safer workplaces, sounding the alarm against growing hazards and championing worker protection.
In a recent project evaluation and planning meeting attended by representatives from three unions, BWI, and SASK, crucial insights were gleaned on the progress and challenges of the 2023 initiative. Emphasising the urgent need for action, discussions centred on navigating potential obstacles looming over the SASK/BWI project in 2024. With an unwavering commitment to bolstering membership and safeguarding workers, affiliates like MANWU are seizing opportunities, such as the forthcoming USD 9.4 billion Green Hydrogen plant project. The project is expected to create approximately 15,000 direct jobs during the first four years of construction and 3,000 permanent jobs thereafter, with 90 percent of the workforce being drawn from the locals. Recognising the pivotal role of organized labour, MANWU plans to leverage this project to expand its ranks and enhance worker protection.
After the two-day evaluation and planning meeting, participants had a site visit to a road construction project managed by the Zhong Mei Engineering Group, a Chinese multinational company. The participants identified hazards and labour rights violations, reinforcing the pressing need for improved occupational health and safety standards. They also echoed BWI’s rallying cry: “Enough is enough—Let’s Talk Hazards,” to mark this year’s International Workers’ Memorial Day 2024.
Patrick Sakala of NUBEGW concluded by affirming their united stand to ensure that workplaces are not only productive but safe havens for all workers. “Although we have achieved many OHS gains, we must continue doing so especially when new developments continue to expose ‘new’ OHS hazards. As activists, it is our collective duty to stop the impassive violation of human and labour rights in our lifetime and advance the workers’ OHS agenda. Through the BWI and SASK project, all three project unions can fulfil their respective mandates,” he said.
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.
Global: BWI launches series of comprehensive hazard briefers to ensure workplace safety
As part of its commemoration of this year’s International Workers’ Memorial Day, the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) has launched a comprehensive series of Hazards briefers to raise awareness among workers on how to protect themselves while on the job and to advocate for healthy and safe workplaces across the globe. This is part of BWI’s continuing proactive initiative to prioritise the health and safety of workers worldwide.
This is part of BWI’s continuing proactive initiative to prioritise the health and safety of workers worldwide.
First in its series of hazard briefers is on Biological Hazards such as infections, allergies, or poisoning caused by biological agents like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and toxins.
BWI stresses that the construction and woodworking industries carry significant risks and hazards, spanning from falls and exposure to hazardous substances to incidents involving heavy machinery. Consequently, BWI aims for its hazard briefings to be utilised by trade unionists and workers at large to disseminate critical safety information, empower them to advocate for their own safety, and advocate for improved working conditions. These briefings, directed at both workers and employers, underscore the substantial responsibility employers bear in maintaining safe workplaces. They serve to facilitate more constructive dialogues between trade unions, worker representatives, employers, government entities, and policymakers to establish more robust safety regulations.
BWI’s hazard briefers cover a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:
- Fall Prevention: Providing guidelines and best practices to minimise the risk of falls from heights, a common hazard in construction sites.
- Safety Equipment Usage: Educating workers on the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as helmets, gloves, and harnesses to ensure maximum protection on the job.
- Chemical Safety: Informing workers about the potential hazards of exposure to harmful chemicals commonly used in construction and woodworking, along with measures to safely handle and store these substances.
- Machinery Safety: Offering guidance on the safe operation of heavy machinery and power tools to prevent accidents and injuries.
- Emergency Preparedness: Equipping workers with the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to emergencies such as fires, collapses, or medical incidents on construction sites.
As the construction and woodworking industries continue to evolve and expand, it is imperative that safety remains a top priority.
Through initiatives like the hazard briefers launched by BWI and the commitment of employers to implement in internationally-sanctioned safety measures, trade unions can strive towards a future where every worker returns home safely at the end of each working day.
https://www.bwint.org/cms/bwi-launches-series-of-hazard-briefers-to-ensure-workplace-safety-3110
France: CFDT calls for the right to walk out of overheated workplaces – #iwmd23
Construction confederation BWI member, CFDT, made a 28 April call to have heat recognised as ‘bad weather’ and thus allow workers to stop their work.
Belgium: On 28 April unions commemorated workplace victims and warned of the dangers of atypical working – #iwmd23
BWI affiliate ACV conducted a ceremony with invited Italian unions to commemorate the Italian workers who worked in the mines in Belgium.
FTGB, another BWI affiliate, reported the results of a survey investigating the impact of atypical working hours on workers’ well-being (weekends, nights, etc.). The headline finding is that ninety per cent of workers on atypical hours will not “be able to last until 65 years old!”
France: Meetings, protests and tributes to mark 28 April – #iwmd23
In France, BWI member CGT conducted several activities to mark 28 April including a meeting at the Ministry of Labour, a protest
at a construction site of Grand Paris and the installation of a plaque in tribute to victims of occupational accidents and diseases.