{"id":2253,"date":"2018-04-26T13:38:10","date_gmt":"2018-04-26T12:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/28april.org\/?p=2253"},"modified":"2018-04-26T13:40:06","modified_gmt":"2018-04-26T12:40:06","slug":"europe-international-workers-memorial-day-2018-etuc-statement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/28april.org\/?p=2253","title":{"rendered":"Europe: International Workers Memorial Day 2018 – ETUC Statement"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>28th<\/sup> April is the annual day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled and injured by their work. It serves as a timely reminder to workers across the world that they are not alone, that others have suffered at work and have been engaged in a long struggle to improve conditions in the workplace. It is also a time to reflect on how far we still have to go and the steps we must take to protect the lives of future generations of workers.<\/p>\n

This year the ETUC is focussing on how \u2018Unions make workplaces safer\u2019. The best way to secure the health, safety and wellbeing of all workers is for every workplace to have a dedicated workers\u2019 health and safety committee backed by fully-trained and fully-engaged safety representatives appointed by independent trade unions.<\/p>\n

The need for more trade union safety reps is highlighted by the fact that in the EU, more than 3,700 workers die in occupational accidents each year and there are more than 200,000 deaths as a consequence of work-related diseases.<\/a>[1]<\/a> Behind each of these statistics is a life cut short, a family bereaved.<\/p>\n

Making all EU workplaces safe demands that workers be informed, consulted and allowed to take part in discussions on all questions relating to occupational health and safety. But we know that where worker involvement happens in non-unionised workplaces, it is much more likely to follow the employers\u2019 agenda, whereas unionised safety representatives are more likely to be empowered to set the safety agenda and challenge employers when they put workers at risk for whatever reason.<\/a>[2]<\/a><\/p>\n