Tag Archives: 28 April’ #iwmd19

2019, 2019 Brazil, BWI 2019, BWI Brazil 2019, Events listing, News

Brazil: April 28 interview with Sinticom Campinas union safety leader Jucelino

(Video script in English):

Hello, comrades from around the world. My name is Jucelino, I am 29 years old and I am a union leader of Sinticom Campinas in São Paulo – Brazil. I am the coordinator of the Department of Health and Safety at work and I am also part of the Training Department.

I wanted to say that we, the Civil Construction workers, know that we are one of the branches mostly affected by labour accidents in the world. On April 28, which was International Workers’ Memorial Day, union leaders must reinforce responsibilities and actions in order to keep our partners alive. We cannot allow capital to overlap life, so we need to reinforce our actions always preserving life and dignity at work. We remain firm.

(Français)

Bonjour, camarades du monde entier. Je m’appelle Jucelino, j’ai 29 ans et je suis un dirigeant syndical de Sinticom Campinas à São Paulo – Brésil. Je suis le coordonnateur du département de la santé et de la sécurité au travail et je fais également partie du département de la formation.

Je voulais dire que nous, les travailleurs de la construction civile, savons que nous sommes l’une des branches les plus touchées par les accidents du travail et que, le 28 avril, Journée internationale commémorative des travailleurs, les dirigeants syndicaux doivent renforcer leurs responsabilités et leurs actions afin de garder nos partenaires en vie. Nous ne pouvons pas laisser le capital passer avant la vie. Nous devons donc renforcer nos actions en préservant toujours la vie et la dignité au travail. Nous sommes fermes.

(Español)

Hola, compañeras y compañeros de todo el mundo. Me llamo Jucelino, tengo 29 años y soy Dirigente de Sinticom Campinas en San Pablo – Brasil. Soy coordinador del Departamento de Salud y Seguridad del trabajo y también formo parte del departamento de Formación.

Yo quería decir que nosotros, los trabajadores de la Construcción Civil, sabemos que somos una de las ramas más afectadas por los accidentes de trabajo en el mundo y que el próximo día 28 de abril, que es el Día Mundial en memoria las víctimas de accidentes del trabajo, los dirigentes sindicales debemos reforzar nuestras responsabilidades y nuestras acciones con el fin de mantener a nuestros compañeros vivos. No podemos permitir que el capital se superponga a la vida y que necesitamos reforzar nuestras acciones siempre preservando la vida y la dignidad en el trabajo. Seguimos firmes.

(Português)

Ola, companheiras e companheiros de todo o mundo. Eu me chamo Jucelino , tenho 29 anos e sou Dirigente do Sinticom Campinas em São Paulo – Brasil. Sou coordenador da pasta de Saúde e Segurança do trabalho e também atuo na pasta de Formação.

Eu queria dizer que nós da Construção Civil sabemos que somos um dos ramos mais

https://www.bwint.org/cms/news-72/iwmd-sinticom-brazil-1382

 

2019, 2019 Canada, Events listing, News

Canada: On 28 April USW Director Steve Hunt calls for stronger enforcement of the Westray safety law

Message from Director Steve Hunt

APRIL 28TH Day of Mourning

Close to 1,000 workers in Canada die on the job every year.

Case after case shows that many of these deaths are preventable yet they still resulted in no Criminal Code charges, sometimes barely mustering a slap on the wrist or a fine that employers dismiss as the cost of doing business.

The law has been on the books since the United Steelworkers successfully lobbied to make the Westray Law a reality by making employer negligence contributing to a worker’s death or serious injury be treated as a criminal offence. But we have more work to do to make police, prosecutors and health and safety regulators aware and equipped to enforce it.

That is why we need to keep asking questions. Why are some police agencies willing to use the law while others are not? Why are health and safety agencies reluctant to work with police? Why are Crown attorneys avoiding prosecutions?  When asked if we are “looking to put every CEO in jail?” –  the answer is no. However, just like other criminal laws, we know the power of deterrence is critical to see the societal change necessary to keep our members and other workers alive.

We are starting to see progress being made with police protocols in British Columbia, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland- Labrador.  Today we have witnessed the successful prosecution of criminal charges filed under the Westray Law.  The work of USW activists and allies are making change a reality.

More charges are being laid across the country. More regulators and police are co-operating. Employers’ lawyers are warning them they too could face prosecution for failing to respect workers’ health and safety.

In British Columbia Premier John Horgan has pledged to ensure police and prosecutors have the resources they need to enforce the Westray Law.  We are making change. But, as long as too many employers are still getting away with fines, the fight has to continue.

Without pressure from USW members across Canada, we know that workplace deaths will not get the law enforcement attention they deserve and Crown prosecutors will continue to treat this as a regulatory issue and not a criminal one.

It’s far from perfect, and more work remains to be done, but Steelworkers can be proud that they have improved and saved the lives of working Canadians, union and non-union alike. Equally important, we have trained hundreds of health and safety activists who work every day to keep our members safe. We’ve trained even more to lobby and be politically active to ensure workers’ voices are heard by politicians of every stripe. Because if we don’t fight, who will?

We know every day that the laws that protect workers’ health and safety are meaningless unless they are enforced.   That is why we keep fighting.  So this April 28th yes we mourn for the dead, but we will rededicate ourselves to continue to fight for the living and keep our members safe on the job.