BWI affiliate – Tanzania Mines and Construction Workers’ Union (TAMICO)
International Workers Memorial Day Campaign to advocate for improvement of Occupational Safety and Health in the World of Work. #Iwmd25 pic.twitter.com/OKquc4n0tT
— Tamico.official (@TamicoOfficial) April 28, 2025
Further details of wide ranging plans for 28 April action from global union federation BWI’s affiliates in India.
NMPS – Nirman Mazdoor Panchayat Sangam (Union of Construction Workers Panchayat) – Delhi – is planning an International Workers’ Memorial Day meeting is planned.
SGEU – Shevaroys’ General Employees Union (Yercaud) An International Workers’ Memorial Day campaign is planned.
AHPWD & IPHCWU – All Himachal PWD & IPH Contractual Workers’ Union (Himachel Pradesh) will hold a rally featuring plays to raise awareness
INCWF – Indian National Cement Workers’ Federation (Mumbai) will be holding a meeting at a cement plant.
TCTU – Tamilnadu Congress Thozhilalar Union (Tamilnadu Congress Workers’ Union) will hold a 28 April awareness meeting for construction workers on the issue of heat stress .
TKTMS – Thamizhaga Kattida Thozhilalargal Madhiya Sangam (Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Central Union) will be holding an International Workers” Memorial Day meeting for construction workers
GFPGFWU – Gujarat Forest Produce Gatherers and Forest Workers’ Union will be issuing “Key Demands”
1. Kendu leaf workers – increment in wages
2.Enrol forestry workers in Board & provide them minimum wages
Global union federation BWI’s affiliated in India have a wide ranging plan for 28 April action.
Karnataka State Construction Workers Central Union (KSCWCU) will hold a district level leaders meeting where they will further the campaign for International Workers’ Memorial Day and hold discussions on heat stress and climate justice.
In Rajasthan state Azad Hind Building Workers Union (AHBWU) will hold an oath taking ceremony. The union will campaign on the safety issues in labour chowks (markets) and in mining. Awareness raising materials developed by BWI and AHBWU on theme of Deadly Dust.
BMS Gujarat will hold “Tripartite dialogue” with a “Half day program with government officials, CSO & TU.”
Construction Labour Union (CLU) will be out campaigning using the BWI posters on the heat stress and deadly dust themes.
Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) affiliate RPKNMS (Rajasthan Patthar Khan Mazdoor Sangh) will also be out campaigning using the BWI posters on the heat stress and deadly dust themes.
Worker members of the unorganised sector workers’ union, Uttar Pradesh Gramin Mazdoor Sangathan (UPGMS), will be making aset of key demands submission to the District Magistrate including:
The widow of Paul Gray, a Bradford stonemason who died of silicosis aged 57, is urging greater worker protections after lawyers secured a settlement over his exposure to deadly silica dust. Paul was never given protective gear during his 20-year career. Legal firm Irwin Mitchell has seen rising numbers added to its Silica Exposure Register and is calling for action ahead of Workers’ Memorial Day, warning silica risks may rival asbestos in future.
Hazards magazine silica webpages
Australian national union federation ACTU has welcomed a 22 March 2024 decision by the country’s Labor government and work health and safety (WHS) ministers to move closer to a full ban on engineered stone and implement new regulations to protect all workers from exposure to silica dust.
ACTU assistant secretary Liam O’Brien: “Next month we mark International Workers’ Memorial Day, a day where we remember those who have lost their lives at work and fight to ensure others don’t have the same fate. The passing of these protections is a fitting tribute and testament to the hard work of unions in keeping us all safe at work.
“Unions will always fight to keep workers safe from harm. Unions thank WHS Ministers for listening to workers and health experts in banning engineered stone. None of this would’ve been possible without the campaign of unions, like the CFMEU, and organisations that demanded strong action to keep workers safe.
“The war on silicosis is not over until these new rules are in place, properly enforced, and employers and workers are aware of them. The best way to protect yourself and your workmates is to join your union.”
