Italian construction union and BWI affiliate FILCA CISL marked Workers’ Memorial Day with a public statement and the production of campaign materials.
Italy: Construction union FILCA CISL marks International Workers’ Memorial Day
Bulgaria: Construction union PODKREPA calls for ‘Too Hot To Work’ protection
In Bulgaria, BWI affiliate PODKREPA marked Workers’ Memorial Day through online publications and public campaigning, calling for the adoption of “Too Hot To Work” measures in the construction sector in line with EU standards. The initiative highlights the need for stronger protections against heat stress and improved occupational safety for construction workers.
Global: ITUC calls for urgent action to tackle the global crisis of psychosocial risks at work
International Workers’ Memorial Day 2026: Tackling psychosocial risks at work
This International Workers’ Memorial Day, 28 April, the ITUC calls for urgent action to tackle the global crisis of psychosocial risks at work – now one of the leading causes of death, disease and distress for workers worldwide.
Behind the daily reality of work, millions of working people are facing relentless pressure: long hours, job insecurity, impossible targets and toxic workplace cultures.
These are not just bad jobs – they are dangerous jobs. Stress, anxiety and burnout are now causing more harm globally than traditional workplace hazards such as chemicals or dust.
ITUC’s new report shows the scale of the crisis:
- Long working hours alone are responsible for around 745,000 deaths each year.
- There are at least 70,000 work-related suicides annually.
- 12 billion working days are lost every year due to depression and anxiety.
- Burnout affects around one in five workers globally.
- Psychosocial risks are linked to over 10 per cent of cases of heart disease, depression and suicides.
“Bad jobs can break anyone. When workers are pushed beyond their limits by job insecurity, excessive workloads and lack of control, the consequences can be fatal. This is not inevitable – it is a result of choices made in boardrooms and by governments.” ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle
Across the world, unions are proving that change is possible. Evidence shows that a strong, democratic trade union presence in the workplace is the most effective protection against psychosocial risks, improving workers’ health and economic outcomes.
The ITUC is calling for:
- Strong laws to prevent psychosocial risks at work.
- Full involvement of trade unions in workplace health and safety.
- Decent work, including secure jobs, fair pay and manageable workloads.
- Recognition of mental health conditions as occupational diseases.
Luc Triangle concluded: “The solutions to these problems start with democracy in the workplace, with a voice for workers through their trade unions. Employers can ignore the psychosocial health of workers and break them, lose valuable skills and face the financial cost, or they can work with unions to ensure that workers are valued. If employers are struggling to recognise which is the correct choice, unions are ready and available to remind them. The fight for democracy in the workplace is the fight for the wellbeing of all working people.”
This 28 April, we remember the dead – and fight for the living. Work should not cost lives. It must protect lives, dignity and mental health.
Global: la CSI appelle à une action urgente visant à lutter contre la crise mondiale des risques psychosociaux au travail
Journée internationale de commémoration des travailleurs morts ou blessés au travail 2026: prendre en compte les risques psychosociaux au travail
Le 28 avril, à l’occasion de la Journée internationale de commémorations des travailleurs morts ou blessés au travail, la CSI appelle à une action urgente visant à lutter contre la crise mondiale des risques psychosociaux au travail, désormais l’une des principales causes de décès, de maladie et de souffrance pour les travailleurs et les travailleuses à travers le monde.
Derrière la réalité quotidienne du travail, des millions de personnes sont soumises à une pression incessante: longues heures de travail, insécurité de l’emploi, objectifs impossibles à atteindre et environnements de travail toxiques.
Il ne s’agit pas seulement d’emplois de mauvaise qualité, mais d’emplois dangereux. Le stress, l’anxiété et l’épuisement provoquent aujourd’hui plus de préjudice à l’échelle planétaire que les risques traditionnels sur les lieux de travail, tels que les produits chimiques ou la poussière.
Le nouveau rapport de la CSI (bientôt disponible en français) révèle l’ampleur de la crise:
- La durée excessive des heures de travail est responsable à elle seule d’environ 745 000 décès chaque année.
- Au moins 70 000 suicides liés au travail sont à déplorer annuellement.
- Tous les ans, 12 milliards de jours de travail sont perdus en raison de la dépression et de l’anxiété.
- L’épuisement au travail touche environ un travailleur sur cinq dans le monde.
- Les risques psychosociaux sont associés, dans plus de 10 pour cent des cas, aux maladies cardiaques, à la dépression et aux suicides.
Luc Triangle, le secrétaire général de la CSI, a déclaré: «Les emplois de mauvaise qualité peuvent briser n’importe qui. Lorsque les travailleurs subissent des pressions au-delà des limites supportables, à cause de l’insécurité de l’emploi, de charges de travail excessives et d’un manque de contrôle, les conséquences peuvent être fatales. Cette situation n’est pas inévitable: elle résulte de décisions prises dans des salles de réunions et par les gouvernements.»
Sur l’ensemble du globe, les syndicats montrent qu’un changement est possible. Les faits indiquent qu’une présence syndicale forte et démocratique sur le lieu de travail constitue la plus efficace des protections contre les risques psychosociaux, en contribuant à améliorer la santé et les performances économiques des travailleurs et des travailleuses.
La CSI réclame:
- Des lois rigoureuses destinées à prévenir les risques psychosociaux au travail.
- La participation pleine et entière des syndicats aux questions de santé et de sécurité au travail.
- Des emplois décents, c’est-à-dire des emplois sûrs, une rémunération équitable et des charges de travail supportables.
- La reconnaissance des troubles de santé mentale comme maladies professionnelles.
Luc Triangle a conclu: «Les solutions à ces problèmes commencent par la démocratie au travail, pour permettre aux travailleurs de faire entendre leur voix par l’intermédiaire de leur syndicat. Les employeurs peuvent choisir d’ignorer la santé psychosociale de leurs employés et de les pousser à bout, de perdre leurs précieuses compétences et d’en payer le coût financier, ou choisir de collaborer avec les syndicats pour veiller à ce que les travailleurs soient valorisés. Si les employeurs peinent à savoir quel est le bon choix, les syndicats se tiennent prêts à le leur rappeler. La lutte pour la démocratie au travail est la lutte pour le bien-être de tous les travailleurs et travailleuses.»
Ce 28 avril, nous rendons hommage aux personnes décédées au travail, et nous nous battons pour les vivants. Le travail ne devrait pas coûter des vies. Il doit protéger la vie, la dignité et la santé mentale.
Global: la CSI hace un llamamiento a la acción urgente para abordar la crisis mundial de los riesgos psicosociales en el trabajo
Jornada Internacional de Conmemoración de los Trabajadores Fallecidos y Lesionados 2026: abordar los riesgos psicosociales en el trabajo
Con motivo de la Jornada Internacional de Conmemoración de los Trabajadores y Trabajadoras Fallecidos y Lesionados, el 28 de abril, la CSI hace un llamamiento a la acción urgente para abordar la crisis mundial de los riesgos psicosociales en el trabajo, la cual se ha convertido en una de las principales causas de muerte, enfermedad y sufrimiento entre los trabajadores y las trabajadoras de todo el mundo.
Detrás de la realidad cotidiana del trabajo, millones de personas trabajadoras se enfrentan a una presión continua: largas jornadas de trabajo, inseguridad laboral, objetivos imposibles de alcanzar y culturas empresariales tóxicas.
No solamente son malos empleos, son empleos peligrosos. El estrés, la ansiedad y el agotamiento ocupacional causan ahora más daños a escala mundial que los riesgos laborales tradicionales, como los inducidos por productos químicos o el polvo.
El nuevo informe de la CSI (disponible próximamente en español) muestra la magnitud de la crisis:
- Solo las largas jornadas laborales son responsables de aproximadamente 745 000 muertes cada año.
- Se registran al menos 70 000 suicidios anuales relacionados con el trabajo.
- Se pierden 12 000 millones de días de trabajo cada año debido a la depresión y la ansiedad.
- El agotamiento profesional afecta a aproximadamente uno de cada cinco trabajadores en todo el mundo.
- Los riesgos psicosociales están relacionados con más del 10% de los casos de enfermedades cardíacas, depresión y suicidios.
Luc Triangle, secretario general de la CSI, afirmó en este sentido: “Los malos empleos pueden destrozar a cualquiera. Cuando la inseguridad laboral, las cargas de trabajo excesivas y la falta de control sobre el trabajo llevan a las personas trabajadoras más allá de sus límites, las consecuencias pueden ser fatales. No es algo inevitable: es el resultado de decisiones tomadas en las salas de juntas y por los gobiernos”.
En todo el mundo, los sindicatos demuestran que el cambio es posible. Los datos indican que una presencia sindical fuerte y democrática en el lugar de trabajo constituye la protección más eficaz contra los riesgos psicosociales, mejorando así la salud de las personas trabajadoras y los resultados económicos.
La CSI reclama:
- Leyes estrictas para prevenir los riesgos psicosociales en el trabajo.
- La plena implicación de los sindicatos en la salud y la seguridad en el trabajo.
- Un trabajo decente, que incluya seguridad laboral, una remuneración justa, niveles de dotación de personal adecuados y cargas de trabajo asumibles.
- El reconocimiento de los trastornos de salud mental como enfermedades profesionales.
Luc Triangle concluyó a este respecto: “Las soluciones a estos problemas comienzan por la democracia en el lugar de trabajo, con una voz para los trabajadores y trabajadoras a través de sus sindicatos. Los empleadores pueden pasar por alto la salud psicosocial de las personas trabajadoras y agotarlas, perder valiosas competencias y sufrir las consecuencias económicas, o bien pueden colaborar con los sindicatos para garantizar que se valore a las personas trabajadoras. Si los empleadores tienen dificultades para reconocer cuál es la opción correcta, los sindicatos están preparados y dispuestos para recordárselo. La lucha por la democracia en el lugar de trabajo es la lucha por el bienestar de todos los trabajadores y trabajadoras”.
Este 28 de abril, conmemoramos a los fallecidos y luchamos por los vivos. El trabajo no debería costar vidas. Debe proteger las vidas, la dignidad y la salud mental.
Greece: 28 April action program of OSETEE
Colleagues,
We send you the so far formulated program of actions of OSETEE and comrade Andreas Stoimenidis, for the three-day period 27-29/04 on the occasion of April 28, World Day for Safety and Health at Work and Day of Remembrance for Workers who lost their lives.
This year, the World Day coincides with the maintenance of the escalation of human losses in our country and is dedicated to Mental Health and Psychosocial Risks at Work. At the same time, the European Trade Unions and their European Confederation (ETUC) are intensifying their struggle for the inclusion of a legislative framework for heat stress in the European Framework of Quality Jobs.
At the same time, Trade Unions around the world have designated April 28 as the Day of Remembrance for Workers who lost their lives in work accidents or from occupational diseases, to whom they pay tribute and promise to fight.
· Press Conference
Tuesday 28/04, 11.00 am. Press Conference by Andreas Stoimenidis at the Municipal Council Hall of the Municipality of Athens. New data will be provided on human losses in the workplace.
· Meetings
– Tuesday 28/04, 14.30, meeting with the President of GSEVEE, Mr. Giorgos Kavvathas
– Wednesday 29/04, 10.30, meeting with the Rector of the Agricultural University of Athens, Mr. Spyros Kintzios
· Speeches
– Tuesday 28/04, 12.30, POE-OTA event
– Tuesday 28/04, 16.30 zoom at event of Latvian Trade Unions
- Wednesday 29/04, 12.00, Event of the Health and Safety at Work Committee of Employees at ERT
· Interviews
– Monday 27/04, 9.00 am, with Angela Doulgeraki on Radio 98.4 Crete
– Monday 27/04, 12.30 pm, with Lazaros Theodorakidis on Thessaloniki Municipal Radio FM 100
– Monday 27/04, 13.45 pm, with Elias Koutseris on Radio ENA, Volos
– Tuesday 28/04, 15.30 pm, with Panagiotis Krinis on Thessaloniki Municipal Television
– Tuesday 28/04, 20.15 pm, with Maria Arabatzi on Blue Sky Television Station
– Wednesday 29/04, 07.15 am, with Giorgos Psaltis, on SKAI Radio Station 100.3
– Wednesday 29/04, 08.00 am, with Manos Niflis and Yiannis Kolokythas, on OPEN TV
– Wednesday 29/04, 10.00 pm, with Giorgos Chondropoulos on Alexandroupolis Municipal Radio
Today, Tuesday 28/04 at 10.15 am, a wreath will be laid at Klafthmonos Square, by a delegation from OSETEE, in memory of the workers who lost their lives at work.
We all have a duty to be proactive in Occupational Health and Safety issues on a daily basis.
We are at the disposal of our colleagues to support any initiative.
We call on our colleagues in the unions to highlight the Awareness and Remembrance Day.
The Press Office of the OSETEE
Sweden: Work-related stress kills – and it’s not an individual problem
On April 28, World Day of Work Environment or as it is also called Workers’ Memorial Day. The day when we pay special attention to those who unfortunately have had to put to life because of their work.
Ahead of this year’s 28 April, ILO releases a new global report on psychosocial work environment, or as we call it in Sweden: organizational and social work environment. It’s heavy reading, but nothing that surprises, unfortunately. We have long discussed the impact of the increased workload; when structural risks are taken to achieve the greatest possible economic gain, without regard to the health of workers. When workers are stressed by the high workload, it is not individuals’ “stress management” that is the problem. It’s a systemfelsystem failure.
In its report, the ILO estimates that over 840 000 people die every year – mainly through cardiovascular diseases and mental illness – due to stress, unhealthy workload and major shortcomings in how work is organized. Nearly 45 million healthy years of life are lost each year, and costs represent 1.37 percent of global GDP. Long working days are a central risk factor – globally, 35 percent of all workers work more than 48 hours a week. Work-related violence and harassment is another area where the scale is high: almost one in four workers globally state that they have been subjected to violence and harassment at some point during their working life.
Also ITUC releases a very useful report, with global examples: Tackling psyhosocial risks at work. Among other things, work-related suicides are lifted, with terrible figures of at least 70 000 per year. Again, these are deaths that have all been avoided. This is not the case of workers’ “sensitivity”, lack of coping strategies or individual shortcomings. It is about how the work is organized, how requirements and resources are distributed and about power, i.e. influence over working conditions. The ability for the individual employee to influence their work situation varies greatly between countries, as deficiencies in democratic rights are increasing and compliance with fundamental human rights is reduced, such as the right to freely organise and negotiate their working conditions.
From a trade union perspective, the conclusion is self-evident: psychosocial work environment is a collective issue that requires collective solutions – through legislation, supervision, influence from employee representatives such as safety representatives and through improved working conditions through collective agreements. In Sweden we have our OSA (AFS 2023:2), but globally there is a lack of protection and influence for workers.
Swedish work environment statistics confirm the picture presented by the ILO in its report. According to the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s latest work environment survey, many employees state that the work is characterized by high workload, lack of opportunity for recovery and requirements that are not proportional to the resources.
Particularly vulnerable are female-dominated professions in health care, school and care – where stress-related mental illness is the most common cause of long-term sick leave. The Swedish Social Insurance Agency’s data shows that women are more than double the risk compared to men to be on sick leave due to stress-related mental illness. It should be clarified that it is not a women-related problem, but the problem lies in the fact that female-dominated professions often suffer cuts by staff, which in turn lead to excessive workload. An example of trying to counteract this is what Kommunal is now fighting for, removing minute control in elderly care. This leads to both a better working environment for employees and safer and more secure care for the elderly.
From individual focus to organizing work
A central point in ILO’s report is the need to shift focus: from treating mental illness as an individual problem to preventing psychosocial risks where they arise – in the organization of work.
ILO divides the psychosocial work environment into three levels:
- Requirements and content of the work
- How the work is led and organized
- the overall systems: working time, governance, digitisation and influence
These three levels are clearly recognised from the fundamental rights of a safe working environment globally (Convention 155) and in our OSA regulations. Both the ILO report and the evaluation of OSA conducted in 2022 show that implementation often shortages, both globally and nationally. Risk assessments are made – but are not always followed by actual changes in how the work is organized. The fact that measures taken actually make a difference are also lacking.
Social dialogue – still a blind spot
Although mental illness, due to work is one of the greatest work environment risks, the issue is still surprisingly stepmotherly treated in many contexts. The ILO review of 338 cross-border collective agreements shows that only 18 percent explicitly address psychosocial factors or mental health in work environment management.
It shows how much the lack of knowledge about these issues is. There is a need for a substantial knowledge boost on how to prevent mental illness caused by work, both globally and nationally. The focus needs to be shifted to the organization of the work from what the employer so often focuses on: the individual’s private possible problems. Our now 10-year OSA regulation is precisely raising the requirement for knowledge in section 4 (AFS 2023:2):
The employer shall ensure that managers and supervisors have knowledge of how to prevent and handle unhealthy workload, and victimisation.
The employer must ensure that there are conditions to put these knowledge into practice.
From a trade union perspective, the way forward is clear:
- Strengthen supervision and compliance with OSA Regulations nationally.
- Move the focus from individual to organization – employers are and should be held responsible for how work is organized.
- Strengthen the mandates and resources of safety representatives on issues of organisational and social work environment.
- Integrate psychosocial risks more clearly into collective agreements and in systematic work environment management.
- At a global level, collaboration between workers and employers needs to be strengthened.
The ILO’s message is clear: psychosocial risks are not an inevitable feature of a modern working life. They are the result of political choices, corporate strategies and power relations – and can therefore be changed. Together we can change the terms – the conclusion will therefore be as usual: don’t mourn – organize!
Cyrene Martinsson Waern – När arbetet dödar – LO Bloggen (When work kills…)
Regeringen måste göra mer för att stoppa hot och våld i arbetslivet – Altinget
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1968326160439577
Sweden: När arbetet dödar (When work kills) – Landsorganisationen i Sverige
Arbetsrelaterad stress dödar – och det är inte ett individuellt problem
Den 28 april uppmärksammas Världsdagen för arbetsmiljö eller som den också kallas Workers’ Memorial Day. Den dag då vi särskilt uppmärksammar de som tyvärr har fått sätta livet till pga. sitt arbete.
Inför årets 28 april släpper ILO en ny global rapport om psykosocial arbetsmiljö, eller som vi benämner det i Sverige: organisatorisk och social arbetsmiljö. Det är tung läsning, men inget som förvånar, tyvärr. Vi har länge diskuterat den ökade arbetsbelastningens konsekvenser; när strukturella risker tas för att nå största möjliga ekonomiska vinst, utan hänsyn till arbetstagares hälsa. När arbetstagare stressas av den höga arbetsbelastningen är det inte individers ”stresshantering” som är problemet. Det är ett systemfel.
ILO uppskattar i sin rapport att över 840 000 människor dör varje år – främst genom hjärt‑kärlsjukdomar och psykisk ohälsa – till följd av stress, ohälsosam arbetsbelastning och stora brister i hur arbetet organiseras. Nästan 45 miljoner friska levnadsår går förlorade varje år, och kostnaderna motsvarar 1,37 procent av den globala BNP. Långa arbetsdagar är en central riskfaktor – globalt arbetar 35 procent av alla arbetstagare mer än 48 timmar i veckan. Arbetsrelaterat våld och trakasserier är ett annat område där omfattningen är stor: nästan var fjärde arbetstagare globalt uppger att de utsatts för våld och trakasserier någon gång under sitt arbetsliv.
Även ITUC släpper en mycket matnyttig rapport, med globala exempel: Tackling psyhosocial risks at work. Bland annat lyfts arbetsrelaterade suicid, med fruktansvärda siffror på minst 70 000 per år. Återigen, det här är dödsfall som alla har kunnat undvikas. Det handlar nämligen inte om arbetstagares ”känslighet”, bristande copingstrategier eller individuella tillkortakommanden. Det handlar om hur arbetet är organiserat, hur krav och resurser fördelas och om makt, dvs inflytande över arbetsvillkoren. Möjligheten för den enskilde arbetstagaren att påverka sin arbetssituation varierar stort mellan olika länder, i takt med att brister i demokratiska rättigheter ökar och efterlevnaden av grundläggande mänskliga rättigheter minskar, exempelvis rätten att fritt organisera sig och förhandla om sina arbetsvillkor.
Ur ett fackligt perspektiv är slutsatsen självklar: psykosocial arbetsmiljö är en kollektiv fråga som kräver kollektiva lösningar – via lagstiftning, tillsyn, inflytande från arbetstagarrepresentanter såsom skyddsombud och genom förbättrade arbetsvillkor genom kollektivavtal. I Sverige har vi vår OSA (AFS 2023:2), men globalt saknas det både skydd och inflytande för arbetstagare.
Svensk arbetsmiljöstatistik bekräftar bilden som ILO presenterar i sin rapport. Enligt Arbetsmiljöverkets senaste arbetsmiljöundersökning uppger många anställda att arbetet präglas av hög arbetsbelastning, bristande möjlighet till återhämtning och krav som inte står i proportion till resurserna.
Särskilt utsatta är kvinnodominerade yrken inom vård, skola och omsorg – där stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa är den vanligaste orsaken till långtidssjukskrivning. Försäkringskassans data visar att kvinnor löper mer än dubbel risk jämfört med män att sjukskrivas på grund av stressrelaterad psykisk ohälsa. Det bör förtydligas att det är inte ett kvinnorelaterat problem, utan problemet ligger i att just kvinnodominerade yrken ofta drabbas av nedskärningar av personal, vilken i sin tur leder till alltför hög arbetsbelastning. Ett exempel i att försöka motverka detta är det som Kommunal nu kämpar för, att ta bort minutstyrningen inom äldreomsorgen. Något som leder till både bättre arbetsmiljö för de anställda och tryggare och säkrare omsorg för de äldre.
Från individfokus till organisering av arbete
En central poäng i ILOs rapport är behovet av att flytta fokus: från att behandla psykisk ohälsa som ett individuellt problem till att förebygga psykosociala risker där de uppstår – i organiseringen av arbetet.
ILO delar in den psykosociala arbetsmiljön i tre nivåer:
- arbetets krav och innehåll
- hur arbetet leds och organiseras
- de övergripande systemen: arbetstid, styrning, digitalisering och inflytande
Dessa tre nivåer känns tydligt igen från de grundläggande rättigheterna för en säker arbetsmiljö globalt (konvention 155) och i våra OSA‑föreskrifter. Både ILOs rapport och den utvärdering av OSA som genomfördes 2022 visar att implementeringen ofta brister, både globalt och nationellt. Riskbedömningar görs – men följs inte alltid av faktiska förändringar i hur arbetet organiseras. Även kontroll på att vidtagna åtgärder faktiskt gör skillnad saknas ofta.
Social dialog – fortfarande en blind fläck
Trots att psykisk ohälsa, p g a arbetet är en av de största arbetsmiljöriskerna, behandlas frågan fortfarande förvånansvärt styvmoderligt i många sammanhang. ILO:s genomgång av 338 gränsöverskridande kollektivavtal visar att endast 18 procent explicit tar upp psykosociala faktorer eller mental hälsa inom arbetsmiljöarbetet.
Det visar på hur stor bristen på kunskap om dessa frågor är. Det behövs ett rejält kunskapslyft om hur man förebygger psykisk ohälsa orsakat av arbetet, både globalt och nationellt. Fokuset behövs flyttas till arbetets organisering från det som arbetsgivaren så ofta fokuserar på: individens privata eventuella problem. Vår nu 10-åriga OSA-föreskrift lyfter just kravet på kunskap i 4 § (AFS 2023:2):
Arbetsgivaren ska se till att chefer och arbetsledare har kunskaper om hur man förebygger och hanterar ohälsosam arbetsbelastning, och kränkande särbehandling.
Arbetsgivaren ska se till att det finns förutsättningar att omsätta dessa kunskaper i praktiken.
Ur ett fackligt perspektiv är vägen framåt tydlig:
- Stärk tillsynen och efterlevnaden av OSA‑föreskrifterna nationellt.
- Flytta fokus från individ till organisation – arbetsgivare är och ska hållas ansvariga för hur arbete organiseras.
- Stärk skyddsombudens mandat och resurser i frågor om organisatorisk och social arbetsmiljö.
- Integrera psykosociala risker tydligare i kollektivavtal och i det systematiska arbetsmiljöarbetet.
- På global nivå behöver samverkan mellan arbetstagare och arbetsgivare stärkas.
ILO:s budskap är tydligt: psykosociala risker är inte ett oundvikligt inslag i ett modernt arbetsliv. De är ett resultat av politiska val, företagsstrategier och maktförhållanden – och kan därför förändras. Tillsammans kan vi ändra på villkoren – slutsatsen blir därför som vanligt: don’t mourn – organize!
Cyrene Martinsson Waern – När arbetet dödar – LO Bloggen (When work kills…)
Regeringen måste göra mer för att stoppa hot och våld i arbetslivet – Altinget
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1968326160439577
Tasmania: Unions commemorate 28 April around the global theme ‘Fighting psychosocial hazards at work’
Unions, workers, families, community members, and political leaders will gather today to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD), a day of remembrance observed across the globe on the 28th of April each year.
Today’s service will take place at the Workers’ Commemorative Park in Invermay. After unveiling the significant works at the Park last year, this year’s service will see seven additional commemorative plaques laid to recognise Tasmanian workers who died because of their work. Each plaque represents a person who should have come home.
“IWMD is deeply important to unions because it is a day that reflects the 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.
The theme for IWMD in 2026 is ‘Fighting psychosocial hazards at work.’ Ms Munday says this is particularly relevant here in Tasmania.
“Psychological injuries are rising faster – and costing more – in Australia than any other type of workplace harm. The same is true here. Mental health related workers compensation claims have tripled from 5% in 2015/6 to 14.7% of all Tasmanian claims last year,” said Ms Munday.
“Because work doesn’t just break bodies anymore – it breaks minds. Workplace violence, work overload, burnout – they may not make the headlines but their impact on a worker can be catastrophic. Workplaces absolutely need to be doing more to support the mental health of their people.”
“A safe workplace is not just one where you survive the day – it’s one where you are not destroyed by it. Sometimes we hear a death at work called an ‘accident’. But most workplace deaths are predictable, preventable, and repeated. When the same hazards keep killing people, that’s not a coincidence – it’s a systemic failure to act and we all have a responsibility to prevent that harm,” Ms Munday said.
Ms Munday hopes that attendees, particularly political representatives, leave the service with a renewed commitment to act to making Tasmanian workplaces safer.
Belgium: ACV-CSC initiatives for 28 April
Dear colleagues,
With this email, we would like to inform you about the initiatives of ACV‑CSC around 28 April 2026, Workers’ Memorial Day. In Belgium, workers are confronted with a government that is strongly committed to far‑reaching labour market flexibilisation. This has led, among other things, to a significant increase in the number of workers employed under various atypical short‑term contracts. These workers receive little or no information, training or guidance in the field of occupational safety and health. As a result, we see an increase in the number of occupational accidents and work‑related diseases among these workers. Increasingly, workers are no longer covered by occupational accident insurance because of their employment status, or they are unable to have a work-related disease recognised as an occupational disease.
As the government plans are now being fully rolled out, we have decided to dedicate 28 April 2026 to a better protection for these atypical workers. All information can be found on our website (available only in French and Dutch).
FR: La santé et la sécurité au travail ne sont pas un jeu!
NL: Veiligheid en gezondheid op het werk is geen spel! | ACV
We would also like to thank the ITUC for annually promoting Workers’ Memorial Day and for fighting alongside us for safer and healthier workplaces for all workers.
Best regards,
Kris Van Eyck
Head industrial relations department ACV-CSC