The UK safety campaign group the Hazards Campaign has issued the following 28 April briefing which includes some valuable resources and information for safety reps, campaigners and organisers of International Workers’ Memorial Day activities:
International Workers’ Memorial Day, 28 April 2020: ‘Fighting for hearts and minds’
Let’s make this the biggest and best yet, get planning and organising now! Tell everyone about it – our day to Remember the dead (how and why they died) and to Fight for the Living – demand the action that will stop preventable work deaths
Please circulate the theme to relevant networks in your union, officers, reps and activists, local councillors or your MP.
Use #IWMD20 in all social media communication for global solidarity
The global union confederation, ITUC, has announced the theme for 28 April 2020: ‘Tackling psychosocial hazards at work – taking the stress out of the job’.
In UK we are using Fighting for hearts and minds
This year’s International Workers’ Memorial Day activities will highlight the harm caused by occupational stress and related conditions, including depression, anxiety, burnout, work-related alcohol and drug misuse and work-related suicides. The world’s largest health and safety event will draw together campaign targets including the harm resulting from low pay, high workloads an unacceptable working hours and work patterns. It will also highlight the real-life pressures that lead to work stress, including inadequate staffing, job insecurity, downsizing and precarious work. Bad management practices that contribute to the explosion in work-related psychosocial problems will also be highlighted, including punitive sickness absence policies and disciplinary procedures, oppressive performance management, targets and appraisal systems and a lack of control at work.
THEME in UK
Unions fighting for hearts and minds
RESOURCES – Please order resources early
Hazards Campaign resources ribbons, stickers, posters here : http://www.hazardscampaign.org.uk/blog/hazards-campaign-28-april-2020-resources-order-form
Hazards Magazine is designing a brilliant new poster to capture the theme – preview soon…
New resources and updates on the ‘union fight for hearts and minds’ will be made available on the dedicated ITUC/Hazards 28 April website. The dedicated ITUC/Hazards 28 April 2020 International Workers’ Memorial Day website will be updated soon. https://28april.org/
Briefing and more info ASAP.
EVENTS- tell the TUC !
Events are being organised and advertised across UK – tell the details : info@gmhazards.org.uk and TUC at: healthandsafety@tuc.org.uk and see TUC Workers’ Memorial Day pages. https://www.tuc.org.uk/WMD
MAPPING #IWMD20 – Tell us what you are doing info@hazardscampaign.org.uk
Please tell Hazards Campaign what you are doing to we can publicise and make a MAP!
With help from our friends in Scottish Hazards we hope to follow their and the Hazards Magazine ITUC idea of mapping events and deaths, so let us know the details of your event/activity
If you need ideas and support e-mail us.
Some TUC Resources for reps, activists and campaigners and more will be produced- watch out for Hazards Magazine #IWMD20 issue
See www.hazards.org for past posters and graphics and heartbroken poster in last Hazards magazine – get it on noticeboard to advertise #IWMD20 http://www.hazards.org/gallery/heartbroken.htm
TUC guide to responding to harmful work-related stress. https://www.tuc.org.uk/resource/responding-harmful-work-related-stress
Tackling workplace stress using the HSE Stress Management Standards, TUC and HSE guidance for health and safety representatives. https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/tacking%20workplace%20stress%20without%20edits.pdf
TUC workbook on mental health in the workplace. https://www.unionlearn.org.uk/publications/mental-health-and-workplace
TUC mental health awareness training. https://www.tuceducation.org.uk/findacourse/courses/52
TUC health, safety and wellbeing guide. https://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace-guidance/health-safety-and-wellbeing
Hazards magazine stress and mental health webpages http://www.hazards.org/stress/ and work-related suicide http://www.hazards.org/suicide/ webpages.
Hazards magazine’s ‘heartbroken’ poster (left) can be used on a workplace union noticeboard. http://www.hazards.org/gallery/heartbroken.htm
HSE ‘reporting a concern’ https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/reporting-concern.htm
HSE advice on How to report a work related stress concern, https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/concerns.htm
HSE ‘Tackling Stress Workbook’ that can be downloaded for free https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wbk01.htm
HSE stress management standards https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/
Other HSE workplace stress resources https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/resources.htm
#PCS is encouraging branches to organise and support activities in their workplaces and communities to celebrate International Workers’ Memorial Day (28 April) and focus on health and safety. ????http://www.pcs.org.uk/iwmd19 #IWMD19
Safe work is a right not a privilege. International Workers’ Memorial Day, held on 28 April every year, brings together workers and their representatives from all over the world to remember the dead and fight for the living. Unite the union has published a Facebook album containing photos from several of their numerous 28 April activities across the UK.
Unite Workers’ Memorial Day webpage
Workers’ Memorial Day is held on 28 April every year, all over the world workers and their representatives conduct events, demonstrations, vigils and a whole host of other activities to mark the day.
Workers’ Memorial Day is the day when the International Labour Movement remembers those who have been killed or injured in workplace accidents and those who have died from occupational diseases. The event started in North America in 1986 and has been supported by Usdaw since 1995. The Day is now a global event and is officially recognised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and by the International Trade Union Movement (ITUC).
What can you do for Workers’ Memorial Day?
Dangerous substances – get them out of the workplace
For more information on Workers’ Memorial Day, see the TUC website.
UK national trade union federation TUC has published a regularly updated listing of Workers’ Memorial Day events across Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Over 20,000 people die in the UK every year because of their work. Most of these because of exposure to dangerous substances. This year the theme for the day is “removing exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace“ Hazardous substances are found in almost every workplace in the UK and many workers have no protection against the possible effects, despite the fact that tens of thousands of workers have their health destroyed by asthma, dermatitis, lung disorders and cancers because of exposures. They range from cleaning fluids in almost every workplace, silica dust in construction, tobacco smoke in prisons right through to blood and faeces in health and social care.
In addition to hazardous substances many unions and trades councils will be campaigning on the general theme of demanding better regulation, greater inspections and an end to the anti-health and safety rhetoric from the government and their allies in the press.
https://www.tuc.org.uk/WMD2015
