No more killings: Fight together for occupational health and safety, a fundamental right
Global: No more killings – Fight together for occupational health and safety, a fundamental right
Statement – 27 Apr 2023 – DOWNLOAD
On the occasion of the International Workers Memorial Day, the ITUC-Asia Pacific, on behalf of its 60 million effective members from 34 countries and territories in Asia and the Pacific, remembers workers who have lost their lives, been injured or sick as a result of their work-related accidents and illnesses.
Occupational health and safety (OHS) is a fundamental right, and all industrial accidents and illnesses are preventable. Therefore, industrial accidents and diseases are against humanity and social justice. We should stop more killings on the job.
The 187 ILO member states – their governments, employers and workers, assure it at the 110th International Labour Conference in June 2022 by adopting the resolution to include a safe and healthy working environment in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and right at work.
The United Nations also adopted the resolution (A/76/L.75) of the UN General Assembly to recognise the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environments as a human right in July 2022.
Despite these renewed international commitments, however, a safe and healthy working environment free from industrial accidents and diseases is far from reality. The pandemic-led global health and economy crisis, indisputable evidence of deficiency in OHS across the globe, has put more people into dangerous and poor working conditions as well as discrimination and harassments.
In this regard, as proven by many studies, the strong trade unionism can save lives. The most effective labour market institution to realise a safe and healthy working environment is to make all workers to join or form their trade unions to protect themselves from industrial accidents and diseases. Hence, the ITUC-Asia Pacific continues its struggles to build workers’ power by organising.
Furthermore, considering the fact that among 36 ILO Member countries in Asia and the Pacific, only 9 countries and 8 countries ratified the ILO Fundamental Convention on Occupational Safety and Health (1981, No. 155), and on Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health (2006, No. 187) respectively, the ITUC-Asia Pacific strongly urge all the governments in the region to ratify and implement these Conventions without delay, starting from a national tripartite dialogue to discuss, formulate, implement, monitor and review a national OHS policy with adequate labour inspection as well as heavy publishment for industrial accidents and diseases to ensure a healthy and safe working environment at all levels.
The ITUC-Asia Pacific also solidly demands international organisations, including the inter-governmental organisations and the international as well as regional financial institutions, to work together for coordinated policies and actions to ensure OHS governance in their decisions and projects throughout global supply chains, as well as to improve national capacity on OHS with social dialogue being promoted. We must recognise that OHS is an integral part of sustainable, inclusive and resilient recovery as well.
The ITUC-Asia Pacific, in strong solidarity with all its affiliates, reaffirms its relentless struggles on every frontline for OHS for all workers.
Britain: Hazards Campaign reveals the tragic price of work hazards
Press Release for International Workers Memorial Day to remember people killed by work
For immediate release
On International Workers Memorial Day, Friday 28th April, workers globally will hold workplace and community events to remember work colleagues, who have died because of their work. Every year the Hazards Campaign produce ‘The Whole Story’ (1) which is an analysis of the occupational injuries, illness and deaths statistics.
In the last 12 months alone, it is estimated by the Hazards Campaign, that more than 53,000 people died because of work and this number doesn’t include the hundreds of workers who have died because of Covid infections they contracted in the workplace, because there is no obligation for employers to report them to the enforcement agency, or for them to be investigated or employers to be prosecuted.(1) and they not recorded.
The Hazards Campaign includes an estimate of the number of workers who have died from work-related suicide, which is estimated to be as high as 10% of all suicides. (2) Again, the employer is under no legal duty to report, or investigate these deaths and this estimate is based on numbers recorded in other countries where suicides are reportable. The Hazards Campaign believes there is a moral obligation to do this, and are campaigning for there to be a legal obligation for work-related suicides to be reportable, investigated and employers prosecuted if they are negligent.(3)
UK Hazards Campaign spokesperson Janet Newsham, said it’s shocking that worldwide, work kills a minimum of 2.9 million people every year.
She said: “Last year safe and healthy work was adopted as a fundamental right by the ILO. This means that occupational health and safety must be central to all work. This should also mean that our Government, employers and enforcement authorities must double their efforts to eradicate unsafe and unhealthy work activities. It should be no longer acceptable that work drives people to take their own life, or that workers are subjected to air pollution and other airborne viruses, toxic chemicals and hazardous substances, that will eventually kill them. It should mean that these are not an optional extra but are fundamental to safe and healthy work.’
‘No-one should lose their life for just going out to work to earn a living. Too many people die because of their work activities. On International Workers Memorial Day we will remember all those who have died because of work, we will wear purple ribbons in their memory, we will tell their stories(2), and try to hold those responsible for their deaths are held to account. We don’t want to hear about lessons learnt, that means that someone else has died. We need all work to be safe and healthy, preventing deaths, diseases and injuries and on April 28th we will ‘Remember the dead and Fight for the Living!’’
Note to editors:
More details on the theme can be found here:
- The whole story: https://sway.office.com/0SEVenHS9yTFFJqs?ref=Link
- Families against corporate killers 2023 statement: https://www.hazardscampaign.org.uk/blog/uk-fack-statement-international-workers-memorial-day-28-april-2023
- Suicide:
- Further information:
For more details please contact Janet Newsham on 07734 317158.
Australia: International Workers Memorial Day 2023 – Victoria event – VTHC
April 28, 2023 • 10:30am – 11:30am
International Workers Memorial Day 2023
Healthy and safe workplaces are a fundamental right.
Every year, Victorian Trades Hall Council hosts a memorial service to remember those Victorians who lost their lives at work.
Please join us on the 28th of April for International Workers Memorial Day 2023 to commemorate the workers we’ve lost in the past year.
The ceremony will include a minute’s silence at 11am and an opportunity to lay wreaths.
The event will be live-streamed through the Victorian Trades Hall Council Facebook page, but all are encouraged to attend the ceremony at Argyle square in Carlton.
Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living.
Kyrgyzstan: Construction industry meeting held by KTUBC
28 April in Kyrgyzstan will see BWI affiliate union KTUBC organise a joint safety meeting for construction industry workers.
Azerbaijan: Forestry workers organise on 28 April
International Workers’ Memorial Day will be marked in Azerbaijan by the BWI affiliate TSEI HIRK which is organising an occupational health and safety workshop for forestry workers.
Kazakhstan: STUWBCHCRK to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day
BWI affiliate in Kazakhstan. STUWBCHCRK, is organising a set of five union meetings with workshops, videos an safety quizzes dedicated to marking 28 April.
Global: Watch Q&A with Manal Azzi – Implementing the fundamental right to a safe and healthy working environment
In June 2022, the International Labour Conference included “a safe and healthy working environment” as a fundamental principle and right at work. Continue reading Global: Watch Q&A with Manal Azzi – Implementing the fundamental right to a safe and healthy working environment
USA: Safety is a fundamental right
The 2023 edition of Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect marks the 32nd year the US national union center AFL-CIO has produced a report on the state of safety and health protections for America’s workers. The publication is a key resource for US union representatives on 28 April, International Workers’ Memorial Day. This year US unions are highlighting the lifesaving role of organizing for safe work, stressing this is now a fundamental right. It notes racial and other social inequalities in occupational safety and health are a major problem.
AFL-CIO says the US Occupational Safety and Health Act, “promising every worker the right to a safe job, has been in effect for more than 50 years, and more than 668,000 workers now can say their lives have been saved since the passage of the OSH Act.
“Over the last 50 years, there has been significant progress toward improving working conditions and protecting workers from job injuries, illnesses and deaths. Federal job safety agencies have issued many important regulations on safety hazards and health hazards like silica and coal dust, strengthened enforcement and expanded worker rights. These initiatives have undoubtedly made workplaces safer and saved lives. But much more progress is needed.”
Brazil: Public statement and worker training on International Workers’ Memorial Day
The SINTRACON General Secretary will issue a public statement defending the implementation of OSH as a fundamental right to their social media network. As part of SINTRACON’s permanent workers’ training program the topic OSH will be discussed with 300 construction workers.