Tag Archives: 28 april

2021, 2021 Europe, 2021 UK, Events listing

UK: Len McCluskey and Unite families to ‘walk the wall’ as union backs call for Covid public inquiry

Where: National Covid Memorial Wall, North Wing, Lambeth Palace Rd, South Bank, London SE1 3FT

When: From 11:30 hours, Wednesday 28 April

The general secretary of the UK’s leading union, Unite, is joining Unite families who lost loved ones to Covid-19 to walk the memorial wall this International Workers’ Memorial Day.

Len McCluskey and the families will also join with TUC representatives to observe the minute’s silence for International Workers’ Memorial Day, which will be held at midday.

Unite is throwing its weight behind calls for a statutory public inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic, recently rejected by ministers, and is backing the campaign for the National Covid Memorial Wall in Lambeth, south London, to be made permanent.

The memorial wall is made up of 150,000 individual painted hearts, one for every UK person who lost their life to the disease in the past year. The wall is around half a kilometre long and takes around 10 minutes to walk.

Len McCluskey will join Hannah and Leshie, who both lost their fathers, both key workers, to the disease last year. Hannah’s father caught the virus while travelling to his work in a factory, while Leshie’s father was one of 27 London bus drivers who died of the disease between March and May last year.

Speaking ahead of his visit, Len McCluskey said: “You cannot help but be moved by this campaign. In the past year, 150,000 people lost their lives, leaving 150,000 families and countless loved ones with huge holes in their lives. For all those who have sacrificed and suffered through this terrible time, we owe it to them to walk this wall.

“The scale of loss in the UK is so high relative to other countries that the reasons for this have to be looked at by a public inquiry. The people we lost must be remembered and honoured, and the whole country, including the government, has to learn the lessons of this crisis. 

“Dozens of Unite members died from this dreadful sickness and they will be in my thoughts today. It will be a huge privilege to walk the wall with Unite family members. I am so grateful to them for the work that they are doing on behalf of all those who lost their lives, and the bereaved who remain, to deliver not just a place of national remembrance of this time, but justice.

“Unite offers the bereaved families our full support in securing a permanent home for this incredible wall, and in the continued battle for the full and frank public inquiry the country needs.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Len McCluskey will walk the wall with members of the families of two Unite members who lost their lives to Covid-19:

Leshie Chandrapala, London

Leshie lost her father, Ranjith, to Covid-19 in April 2020.

Ranjith was one of the 27 bus drivers who died of Covid-19 in London between March and May 2020.

According to the Institute of Health Equity, bus drivers were more than twice as likely to die than other Londoners. Leshie wants a public inquiry into the decisions that led to her father’s death.

Hannah Brady, Manchester

Hannah’s father was a key worker in a factory when he contracted coronavirus.

He died at the age of 55 following 42 nights spent in intensive care.

Hannah fears that her dad was exposed to Covid-19 on public transport to and from work.

Hannah has received abuse online for talking about the loss of her father.

For media enquires ONLY contact Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215.

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org

Twitter: @unitetheunion Facebook: unitetheunion1 Instagram: unitetheunion Web: unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Len McCluskey.

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https://www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2021/april/len-mccluskey-and-unite-families-to-walk-the-wall-as-union-backs-call-for-covid-public-inquiry/

2021, 2021 Europe, 2021 UK, Events listing

UK: Workers suffering mental health ‘epidemic’ linked to pandemic stress, Unite survey reveals

Workers are suffering a mental health ‘epidemic’, a UK and Ireland-wide survey of Unite workplace representatives has revealed.

Unite, the UK and Ireland’s largest union, said there is a ‘clear link’ between the increase in stress brought on by the pandemic and called on employers to help prevent the crisis being carried forward as the country opens up.

The health and safety-focused survey of 1,400 Unite reps, from across all sectors of the economy, found that 83 per cent are dealing with an increase in members reporting mental health-related problems.

Mental health issues also came top of workers’ concerns during a similar survey last year. However, there has been a huge 18-point increase from the 65 per cent reported in 2020.

The survey also found that regulators and health authorities carrying out workplace visits are not routinely speaking to union reps. These organisations include the Health and Safety Executive, local authorities, Public Health England/Wales and others.

Only a third of respondents whose workplaces had been visited reported that inspectors had spoken to reps during the visit, despite it being vital to gaining an accurate picture of health and safety on site.

Unite called the finding ‘alarming’ as it had previously raised the ‘potentially dangerous’ issue with regulators, who all insisted that speaking to reps during visits is a matter of course.

The union said regulators need to begin publishing records on whether workplace reps have been spoken to, something they are not currently required to do.

Unite assistant general secretary Gail Cartmail said: “This survey shows there is an epidemic of mental health issues being suffered by workers across all sectors of the economy. 

“April is Stress Awareness Month and employers need to be aware that there is a clear link between the explosion in mental ill-health and the stressors of the pandemic. 

“As the country and the economy come out of the coronavirus freeze, the after effects of the pandemic are still going to be felt, including their impact on people’s mental health. 

“During the week of International Workers’ Memorial Day, we should remember that many workers not only paid a physical price during the fight against Covid-19, but a psychological one too.

“Employers need to be aware of this and in partnership with trade unions implement mental health friendly policies to help prevent the psychological toll of the pandemic being carried forward longer than it needs to be.

“The survey also revealed a worrying trend of regulators not speaking to union reps during workplace safety inspections. This means regulators are not getting a full and accurate picture of the environments they are visiting, which is potentially dangerous.  

“Unite has raised this issue before with all the relevant regulators and health authorities, but it is clear it is not being addressed. Direction requiring them to publish records of speaking to reps during visits is now needed.” 

ENDS

The survey’s full findings are available here.

https://www.unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2021/april/workers-suffering-mental-health-epidemic-linked-to-pandemic-stress-unite-survey-reveals/

2021, 2021 Asia-Pacific, 2021 New Zealand, Events listing

New Zealand: NZCTU backs call for safety as an ILO ‘fundamental right at work’

Tuesday, 27 April 2021, 3:27 pm
Press Release: Council of Trade Unions

 

On April 28th, Workers’ Memorial Day, working people all around the world remember those killed at work.

CTU President Richard Wagstaff wants to see more done to ensure that everyone is able to return home safe and well at the end of their working day. “The facts clearly speak for themselves, too many working Kiwis are being killed at work. We must do more to hold employers to account. Workplace deaths are always avoidable and preventable. Employers who fail to keep working people safe should face serious consequences.”

“From May 2020 – January 2021 37 people were killed at work. 37 people went to work and never returned home. The most dangerous industries are agriculture (8), construction (4) and forestry (4). Employers in these industries need to really examine what they are doing wrong, why their business models are so problematic that people are being killed just by doing their jobs.”

“As well as the 37 people who were killed at work, more than 33,000 New Zealanders have been so seriously injured at work in the last year that they have needed more than a week off work. 33,000 is more people than the entire population of Timaru, we clearly have urgent work to do to ensure people are safe at work.”

“Another huge health and safety issue is occupational deaths. Between 750-900 New Zealanders died in the last year as a direct result of work. Many of these deaths are from long term exposure at work to things like asbestos, silica, and other chemicals/substances which has resulted in death.”

“The problems are clear. The solutions include employers needing to do more to enable working people to speak out. Working people need to demand safe and healthy workplaces and to feel empowered and freely able to speak up when they see things at work which are unsafe.”

“The CTU is a member of the ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) and we support their campaign calling on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to adopt occupational health and safety as a fundamental right at work,” Wagstaff said.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO2104/S00202/workers-memorial-day.htm

2021, 2021 global, Events listing

28 April 2021: Global dialogue on safety and health at work in response to emergencies and crises

 

The 2021 World Day for Safety and Health at Work calls on leveraging the main elements of national OSH systems, highlighting how each element is of equal significance and relevancy when facing these challenges.

Recognizing that a robust national OSH system safeguards lives and livelihoods, it is imperative to have OSH systems well-resourced and robust enough in order to better pre-empt the impacts, tackle the challenges head on, provide resiliency to the world of work, and indirectly positively affecting public health.

The ILO Director General, Guy Ryder and a panel of global leaders and senior representatives from governments, employers and workers’ organizations will provide perspectives and showcase how investing in OSH, both programmatically and financially, contributes to a stronger infrastructure at the national level which is prepared to respond to crises such as COVID-19 and similar events.

Speakers at the Event:

Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General
Owen Tudor, ITUC Deputy General Secretary
Roberto Suarez Santos, Secretary-General, IOE
Marty Walsh, Secretary of Labor, United States
Gisèle Ranampy, Minister of Labour, Employment, Social Services and Social Law, Madagascar
Vedat Bilgin, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Turkey

Jeannette Galanis, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Department of Labor, United States
Silas Sng, Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health, Ministry of Manpower, Singapore
Maria Fernanda Campos, Inspector-General, Authority for Working Conditions, Portugal
Selçuk Yasar, Head of International Collaboration Unit, DGOSH, Turkey
Kris De Meester, Senior Advisor, Belgium Federation of Employers
Maureen Onyia, Head of Occupational Health and Safety, Nigeria Labour Congress, Nigeria
Jerson Razafimanantsoa, Director General of Labour and Social, Madagascar

Joaquim Nunes, Branch Chief, LABADMIN/OSH
Manal Azzi, Senior OSH Specialist and Coordinator of the World Day report and campaign

Closing statement: 
Vera Paquete-Perdigão, Director, GOVERNANCE, ILO

Moderator:
Femi Oke, Journalist and Moderate the Panel Co-Founder

https://www.ilo.org/global/topics/safety-and-health-at-work/events-training/WCMS_780935/lang–en/index.htm

2021, 2021 Europe, 2021 UK, Events listing

UK: Global unity in solidarity to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day (#IWMD21) – NEU

On 28 April each year, the trade union movement around the globe unites in solidarity to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day (#IWMD21)

We remember those who have lost their lives at work, or because of work, and we resolve to fight to prevent more deaths, injuries and disease as a result of work.

This year the theme for the day is A Fundamental Right to Safe and Healthy Work. The call to Remember the Dead and Fight for the Living has never been so relevant and urgent. Over the past year thousands of workers, including in education, have died from Covid-19 and we will never know the true number because many weren’t tested, hospitalised or recorded and reported as work related infections and deaths.

NEU is holding a national zoom rally International Workers’ Memorial Day – Health and Safety: a fundamental right in education – 5.30pm – 6.30pm, Wednesday 28 April,

Speakers include Kevin Courtney – Joint General Secretary, NEU; Deepti Gurdasani – Senior Lecturer in Clinical Epidemiology, Queen Mary University; and Janet Newsham – Hazards Campaign.

Register

How else can we mark the day?

  • The TUC is organising an International WMD, 2pm to 3pm on 28 April.  Speakers include Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC; Sharan Burrows, General Secretary of the ITUC; and Louise Adamson, Families Against Corporate Killers (FACK) campaign.  Click here to register.
  • This TUC page suggests practical ways to get involved including a searchable database of IWMD events taking place around the country – to which you can add your own events – and a range of posters and social media graphics for you to use and share.  You could display posters at home or at school or take a selfie alongside one of the posters and share on social media using the hashtag IWMD21. Or share a photo of yourself and colleagues at work.
  • The Hazards Campaign is marking IWMD21 with online activities which will be taking place across the UK and abroad.  The Hazards Campaign has published a comprehensive briefing document and also  an order form where you can get your IWMD materials including ribbons, stickers, bags and face masks.
  • What better way to mark the day than to appoint a health and safety rep in your school? Health and safety reps are making a real difference in schools which have one, ensuring that members’ needs in relation to ventilation, face coverings, social distancing and mental health are top of the agenda. During the current crisis, bespoke training with a specific focus on Covid-19 is available for new and existing health and safety reps. Contact training@neu.org.uk to sign up.
  • The NEU is supporting calls for a minute’s silence to remember the dead.  Wherever you are please try to observe this and if you are at work, please arrange with your colleagues to observe a collective minute’s silence, involving pupils where appropriate, at 11am on 28th April.
  • Barking, Dagenham and Havering Trades Union Council are organising an event focusing on asbestos in schools, chaired by Susan Aitouaziz, Secretary Barking Dagenham and Havering Trades Union Council, from 7pm – 8pm on 28 April. Register with BDHTUC@hotmail.com to receive the Zoom link to enter the meeting.

 

2021, 2021 Europe, 2021 UK, Events listing

UK: GMB to hold multiple events for 28 April

On 28 April GMB is  running a full day Health and Safety training session for GMB representatives.

In additional GMB is conducting a memorial service starting at 10.45 with a minute silence  11.55am on Zoom – open to anyone.

later in the day there will also be an evening event 6pm – 7pm  aimed at getting members, who are not already reps, interested in becoming health and safety.  This will also be open to anyone and happening on Facebook Live.

For further details contact the GMB via their Facebook page.

 

2021, 2021 Europe, 2021 Ireland, Events listing

Ireland: ICTU is encouraging all union members to add a ‘Twibbon’ on their To mark #IWMD @irishcongress is encouraging all union members to add a ‘Twibbon’ on your profile pic profile pic

To mark #IWMD @irishcongress (ICTU)  is encouraging all union members to add a ‘Twibbon‘ on their profile pic

2021, 2021 Europe, Events listing

Europe: EFFAT remembers all the agri-workers suffering ‘the hardest working conditions’

#IWMD21: 1 yr into the pandemic, we remember all agri-workers living in shacks & enduring the hardest working conditions. Yet, they’re still putting food on our table. Today we renew #EFFAT call for #SocialConditionality in the new #CAP. Health & Safety at Work is your right!

2021, 2021 Europe, 2021 UK, Events listing

UK: FACK urges those bereaved by work-incidents to add their names and stories to the TUC memorial wall

Families Against Corporate Killers urge everyone who has lost a loved one in work-related incident to add their name and story to the TUC #IWMD21 Wall of Remembrance tuc.org.uk/workers-memori And wear Purple Forget-Me-Knot ribbon in remembrance and to fight for end to work deaths

2021, 2021 North America, 2021 USA, Events listing

USA: ADAO joins forces to “Mourn the Dead and Fight Like Hell for the Living”

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) joins individuals, trade unions, and organizations around the world for Workers’ Memorial Day on April 28, 2021, for those who have been injured or killed on the job; and for International Workers Day on May 1, 2021, commemorating the historic struggles and gains made by workers and the labor movement. For decades, unions like AFL-CIO have commemorated these important days with activities and awareness events around the world where people are uniting, taking a stand, and making sure their voices are heard. more

Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living