UK: Why we ‘remember the dead and fight for the living’ – Unison

On 28 April each year, International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) is a time to remember those who have died either because of a workplace accident, ill health or diseases as a result of work.

Why we ‘remember the dead and fight for the living’

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) annual statistics show on average that 135 workers are killed in work related accidents each year. They also estimate that there are around 13,000 deaths each year from occupational lung disease and cancer caused by past exposure at work to chemicals and dust (such as asbestos or silica).

However, safety campaigners estimate that the true figure for all work-related deaths is closer to 50,000 each year.

Although it is rare for a UNISON member to die in a workplace incident, unfortunately some do suffer serious injuries and work-related ill health, including musculoskeletal disorders, stress, anxiety and depression. This can significantly affect them, their family, friends and other work colleagues.

UNISON knows that the key to providing safe and healthy workplaces is effective risk management, eliminating or reducing the risk of  harm and having safe systems of work, including training and access to protective equipment.

Additionally, UNISON health safety representatives play a vital role in keeping workplaces safe and healthy by working with employers and raising members’ concerns about working condition, as well as undertaking inspections of workplaces to check all steps are being taking to keep workers safe.

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Resources

Global/UK: 28 April each year provides an opportunity to remember those who have died at work

The International Federation of Journalists recorded killings of 122 journalists in 2024, a figure highlighting the grave danger many journalists working globally continue to face.

At the NUJ’s Delegate Meeting, members heard from Anthony Bellanger, IFJ general secretary, who said “there was much to say about the situation of journalists around the world” and noted the killings of at least 171 journalists killed by the Israeli army since the start of war.

Read more on his address to delegates.

Delegates also stood in remembrance of journalists killed since 2023 globally.

https://www.nuj.org.uk/resource/international-workers-memorial-day.html

Argentina: “Debemos recuperar la dimensión de la salud en el ámbito de trabajo” – CTA capital

ctacapital

Con la llegada de un nuevo Día Internacional de la Seguridad en el Trabajo, desde la Secretaría de Salud Laboral de la CTAA Capital, se elaboró una reflexión -que se publica a continuación- sobre los desafíos que enfrenta la clase trabajadora en ese tema.

Cada 28 de abril conmemoramos el Día Internacional de la Seguridad en el Trabajo como forma de visibilizar la importancia del cuidado y la prevención en los lugares de trabajo, al tiempo que honramos la memoria de las y los compañeros que murieron o sufrieron heridas en el ámbito laboral.

En el contexto actual, para la CTAA Capital esta conmemoración es central por lo que venimos sosteniendo hace ya mucho tiempo: es preciso unir la idea de la prevención y la salud de las y los trabajadores que se evoca en esta fecha, con la lucha por las 8 horas del Día Internacional del Trabajador y la Trabajadora -que conmemoramos cada primero de Mayo- para que un día las y los compañeros puedan comprender que estos dos días son parte del mismo proceso de avance de la clase trabajadora hacia su autogobierno y su felicidad: una dimensión del trabajo que la patronal anula.

En ese sentido y para darle un poco de contexto, cabe señalar que el mayor desarrollo de este modelo autónomo producido por los trabajadores fue el Modelo Obrero Italiano que, en la década de 1970, estuvo en auge gracias a los movimientos revolucionarios alrededor del mundo. En Argentina, por caso, en la Facultad de Medicina de la por entonces Universidad Nacional y Popular de Buenos Aires (hoy UBA), se desarrolló la Medicina del Trabajo : una comunión entre la clase trabajadora y el mundo académico, donde los médicos se ocuparon de la salud de los trabajadores y los empezaron a organizar en ese sentido mediante la convocatoria a los cuerpos de delegados para conocer sus ambientes de trabajo, estudiar y explicarles las medidas de prevención a considerar en cada caso y hasta se editó un manual cuyo objetivo era siempre prevenir en salud antes que tener que reparar.

Hoy, aquella iniciativa aparece manipulada por el poder real, mediante diversas políticas como la super academización de la salud laboral y el exceso normativo, que han desplazado la voz de las y los trabajadores como protagonistas de las decisiones y las políticas sobre este particular.

Otro capítulo merecerian las Aseguradoras de Riesgos de Trabajo (ART), la responsabilidad empresarial y otras mieles del sistema que terminan haciendo que las y los trabajadores corran detrás del proyecto que tiene la clase dominante para la sociedad en su conjunto. Mismo punto donde comienza la confusión entre trabajo, que es un concepto muy amplio, y empleo: un término que pertenece al mundo del proyecto capitalista, en el que un trabajador vende su fuerza de trabajo, intelectual o física, y en caso de accidente o enfermedad, esa fuerza merma o se agota, ese trabajador ya no tiene nada para vender y queda fuera del sistema.

En cambio, cuando hay trabajo hay una organización comunitaria que salva ese tipo de situaciones mediante distintas estrategias que tienen que ver más con el trabajador como sujeto y no como variable administrativa.

Cabe destacar que nuestra Central presentó un proyecto sobre una nueva Ley de Seguridad en el Trabajo como parte de una legislación popular que va por el cuidado de la vida, la prevención y la reparación inmediata en caso de accidente. Mientras que la ley actual es meramente reparatoria, donde hay un precio vil por la vida del trabajador y prima la mirada financiera del negocio patronal.

Pero hoy, lo más importante es ver este proceso de cambio que se está dando en la sociedad, donde hay una serie de tercerizaciones de la economía que lleva a que existan otras tareas a realizar, otros empleos que nosotros queremos que se constituyan en trabajos. Mientras el poder quiere llevar esas tareas al mundo del empleo, nosotros decimos que tienen que formar parte del mundo del trabajo comunitario, solidario, remunerado y obviamente registrado, en el marco de un nuevo modelo que debe estar incluído en el mundo del trabajo y no del empleo, no de las tareas.

Para finalizar, nada de lo antedicho puede estar escindido de los dos grandes ejes transversales a todo que son género y medio ambiente: resulta imprescindible incorporarlos en este modelo de investigación y entendimiento para concebir una forma de autogobierno de las y los trabajadores.
En ese sentido se acaba de aplicar el Convenio 190 de la OIT sobre perspectiva de género aplicada a los lugares de trabajo. A su vez, allí donde la problemática está más presente, debemos bregar por el cuidado del medio ambiente en el lugar del trabajo. Porque si no somos los propios trabajadores y trabajadoras quienes tomamos conciencia de que cuidar el medio ambiente es cuidar nuestra salud y supervivencia, como clase y como especie, lo demás pierde sentido.

* Por Marcelo Fiscina, secretario de Salud Laboral de la CTAA Capital

 

CTA Capital
Central de  Trabajadores de la Argentina  / Capital

Teléfono: 4361-2421
prensa@ctacapital.org

https://www.facebook.com/cta.capital

Tunisia: FGBB is ready for International Workers’ Memorial Day

BWI affiliate FGBB’s final preparations of the General University for Building and Wood on the occasion of the International Occupational Health and Safety Day, which falls on April 28 every year.

Philippines: NUBCW commemorates International Workers Memorial Day: “Health and Safety is Our Right — We Work to Live, Not to Die”

In solidarity with workers across the globe, the National Union of Building and Construction Workers (NUBCW) marked International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) with a powerful gathering centered on the theme: “Health and Safety is Our Right — We Work to Live, Not to Die.”
Held with solemn respect and passionate advocacy, the event featured distinguished guests: Dr. RJ Naguit of AKBAYAN Partylist, a long-time health rights advocate, and Atty. Sonny Matula, National President of the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) and a senatorial candidate known for championing labor rights.
Dr. Naguit delivered an urgent reminder that health and safety are not privileges but basic human rights. Drawing from his experience as a health advocate, he emphasized that no worker should be forced to choose between livelihood and life itself. “Every death due to unsafe workplaces is preventable,” he stressed. “It is a symptom of a system that values profit over people — a system we must change.”
Atty. Matula followed with a rousing call for stronger protections, sharing the ongoing struggles of labor unions nationwide. He reaffirmed the need to pass and enforce laws that ensure safe working conditions, regular employment, and just compensation. “We must fight for a future where workers’ lives are valued more than corporate greed,” Matula said. “NUBCW stands at the frontlines of this battle.”
In a unified statement, NUBCW reaffirmed its commitment to championing safe, healthy, and dignified workplaces for all Filipino workers. These commitments will result in the launching of new Department Order series of 2025 titled “Guidelines for the Standard Design and Specification for Temporary Welfare Facilities for Construction Workers”, a new law that will ensure not just the health and safety of construction workers in their respective accomodation but the said DO will also protect workers from abusive treatment, exploitation, harassment and discrimination of any form through creation of grievance redress mechanism inside the accommodation area.
The event closed with a collective pledge to intensify campaigns for occupational health and safety, union rights, and fair labor practices — echoing the call: “We work to live, not to die.”
The commemoration concluded with the NUBCW National Council Meeting, where council members convened to align their strategies in preparation for the upcoming 3rd Regular Congress scheduled on May 25, 2025. The meeting emphasized the organization’s renewed vigor to strengthen union work, broaden alliances, and advance the fight for workers’ rights nationwide.
As NUBCW Secretary General Santiago Nolla said, “Remembering is not enough. Organizing, mobilizing, and fighting for change — that is the true tribute to our fallen heroes and comrades.”

Australia: Unions Tasmania to host International Workers’ Memorial Day service, opens completed Workers’ Commemorative Park

Media Release and alert: Unions Tasmania hosts International Workers’ Memorial Day service, opens completed Workers’ Commemorative Park

 Unions, workers, families, community members, and political leaders will gather early tomorrow morning to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day, a day of remembrance observed across the globe on the 28th of April each year.

Unions lead services, vigils, and other observances to remember those workers killed or injured because of their work, and to renew our commitment to fight for healthy and safe workplaces.

 Monday’s service will take place at the Workers’ Commemorative Park (often referred to as the Workers’ Memorial Park) in Launceston. This years’ service will be particularly meaningful with the park having recently undergone significant works to complete it to its original design. After many years of campaigning for government funding, Unions Tasmania was proud to finally secure funding from the Federal and State Governments to allow this development to occur.

“IWMD is deeply important to unions because it is a day that reflects the very heart of what we stand for: protecting workers so they can make it home safely. The day is a solemn reminder that for every safety campaign we run, there is a worker who did not make it home,” said Unions Tasmania Secretary, Jessica Munday.

“This year, we are pleased to be holding the service in the Workers Commemorative Park which sees most elements of the original design complete. Alongside Guy and Karen Hudson, who conceived of this park after their son Matthew’s tragic death at work, we have worked together to see this park made into an important space for reflection, remembrance, and as a powerful reminder to the broader community to put safety at work first.”

Tragically, over the last five years Australia has recorded on average 191 workers killed each year on the job.

When it comes to progress, Ms Munday said, “We have come a long way in improving safety on the job, including winning industrial manslaughter in Tasmania last year. But we’ve not come far enough. In Tasmania, serious workplace injuries are rising – especially from psychological injury and body strain. Behind every statistic is a person, a family, a community affected. Today is an important day to not just remember workers, but to act for safer workplaces.”

Memorial service details

When:                   8:00AM Monday 28 April 2025

Where:                 Workers’ Commemorative Park, Elizabeth Gardens Invermay (near UTAS Stadium)

Speakers:            Jessica Munday, Secretary, Unions Tasmania

                                Guy Hudson, Workers’ Commemorative Park founder

                                Senator Helen Polley

                                The Honourable Felix Ellis MP

Pakistan: ACEEU hold a rally to mark 28 April – Lahore

BWI global union federation affiliate ACEEU will  hold a rally in Lahore to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day-  28 April.  Union officials will participate in the rally using materials produced by BWI including theme posters.

BWI 28 April pages

Canada: CUPE mourns workers’ killed on the job

Day of Mourning

On April 28 of each year, CUPE members across the country organize events to honour all workers who were killed or injured at work. This year, we mourn the loss of four members of our CUPE family:

  • Micheal Adams, CUPE 4705, Ontario
  • Dennis Lo, CUPE 718-05, British Columbia
  • Sara Sarabosing, CUPE 561-01, British Columbia
  • Jean-Eudes Doiron, CUPE 1190, New Brunswick

We are pleased to provide materials for this important day, including the annual poster, workers’ statement, and checklist. Day of Mourning flags, pins, and t-shirts can be ordered online at cupe.ca/store. Please order your materials early to ensure we can fulfill your order.

Putting up the posters, lowering flags to half-mast, and reading the workers’ statement at Workers’ Day of Mourning ceremonies are ways to promote awareness of CUPE’s role in fighting for health and safety improvements in the workplace.We hope that on April 28, you will join us and other workers around the world in reaffirming our commitment to demanding healthier and safer workplaces. For additional information or copies of materials, please contact your national representative or the Health and Safety Branch at National Office.

Global – International Workers’ Memorial Day 2025: Protecting workers’ rights in the age of digitalisation and artificial intelligence – ITUC

The ITUC is using this year’s International Workers’ Memorial Day, 28 April, to call for urgent action to safeguard workers’ lives and rights in the age of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI).

AI is transforming the world of work at unprecedented speed. But behind the promise of innovation lies a darker reality: algorithmic management, constant surveillance, impossible productivity targets, and dangerous working conditions. Technology is being used not to improve working conditions and safety, but to exploit them — putting lives and health at risk.

  • AI-driven management is already intensifying pressure on 427 million workers worldwide.
  • 80% of large employers use AI to track individual worker productivity.
  • Workers are facing burnout, injuries and unbearable stress from non-stop monitoring, unrealistic targets and zero input on how technology is used.

“Too often artificial intelligence is being deployed not as a tool for progress but as a weapon against workers.” ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle

“From warehouses to hospitals, delivery bikes to data labs, workers are under pressure like never before. The deployment of new technologies must respect the norms of any other changes in the workplace: workers have a right be consulted and included. This basic, democratic, workplace right will ensure the use of AI is designed with safety, fairness and dignity at is core. Workers and their unions must have a seat at the table for the benefit of all.”

Deployment of new technologies, such as AI, without proper consultation with workers and their unions is already causing serious problems around the world:

  • In the Philippines, 19-year-old delivery rider Jasper Dalman died while working for Foodpanda. His union, RIDERS-SENTRO, won recognition and insurance rights after his death highlighted the deadly consequences of algorithmic exploitation that set impossible productivity targets.
  • In Turkey, TikTok content moderators employed by Telus were sacked after organising against inhumane AI-managed workloads and trauma-inducing content.
  • In the US, nurses working through platforms face AI-controlled shift apps that bypass worker protections that create dangerous conditions for them and their patients.

The ITUC is calling for:

  • Full involvement of unions in the design and deployment of workplace AI.
  • Transparent, human-centred technology that upholds rights and safety.
  • A binding ILO Convention on platform work to protect all workers in the digital economy.

This 28 April, we remember the dead – and fight for the living. Technology should work for us, not against us.

The new ITUC report, ‘Artificial intelligence and digitalisation: A matter of life and death for workers’, identifies the physical and psychosocial harms at work when these technologies are introduced without consulting workers. Check out the campaign materials.

IWMD 2025 – English graphicsIWMD 2025
IWMD 2025 – Gráficos en españolIWMD 2025
IWMD 2025 – Graphiques en françaisIWMD 2025
IWMD 2025 – Gráficos em portuguêsIWMD 2025

https://www.ituc-csi.org/International-Workers-Memorial-Day-2025 

Australia: Opening of new Workers’ Memorial Park, Launceston – Unions Tasmania

Unions Tasmania invites community members to attend this year’s International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) service in Launceston.
IWMD is observed annually on the 28th of April. It serves as a global day of remembrance and action for workers who have been killed or injured on the job, as well as an opportunity to renew our commitment to workplace health and safety.
May be an image of Stone Henge
This year is a particularly special IWMD as we will be unveiling the completion of the Workers’ Commemorative Park (also commonly referred to as the Workers’ Memorial Park) in Invermay
(outside UTAS Stadium).
The Park, which was first opened in 2011 but only partially complete, has been a long project of Unions Tasmania and Guy and Karen Hudson whose son Matthew was killed at work 20 years ago.
It has now been completed to its original design, made possible by Federal and State government funding and contributions from Unions Tasmania and affiliates.
It will live as a poignant reminder of the human impact of a death at work.
There will be a short service and provide a free BBQ breakfast. We encourage people to spend time wandering the park and contemplating its importance. We will also unveil details of how families who lost a loved one at work can have them recognised at the Park.
Please share this important event with your friends and family, and if you haven’t attended a service before, consider making this your first one.

Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living