In Myanmar, BWI affiliate BWFM is marking Workers’ Memorial Day through a planning workshop involving core leaders, focused on consolidating and expanding membership. The meeting also addressed the importance of occupational safety and health in the workplace, linking union organising with improved protection for workers.
In the Philippines, BWI affiliate unions are marking Workers’ Memorial Day through both media outreach and worker education. FFW raised awareness of heat stress through a national radio discussion on GMA Super Radio. Meanwhile, NUBCW delivered training sessions for construction workers, covering trade union fundamentals, gender awareness, workplace conditions and occupational safety and health. These initiatives aim to strengthen worker understanding, organisation and protection in the face of ongoing workplace risks.
In Malaysia, BWI affiliate unions STIEU and TEUPM are marking Workers’ Memorial Day through workplace discussions, campaigns and organising activities. STIEU is engaging migrant workers across several companies, highlighting workplace conditions and the challenges they face, while building awareness and solidarity. TEUPM is combining its annual general meeting with discussions on occupational safety and health and IWMD, reinforcing union structures and strengthening worker representation.
Across Indonesia and the wider region, unions including HUKATAN, SPPK-FSPMI, SERBUK, TEIUPM and BWI Asia Pacific are marking Workers’ Memorial Day with an extensive programme of meetings, campaigns, training and advocacy. Activities range from workplace discussions and OSH seminars to international “Too Hot To Work” campaigning, climate justice policy work and legal advocacy. Together, these initiatives highlight the growing impact of heat stress and climate change on workers while strengthening organisation, awareness and collective action for safer conditions.
BWI affiliate PROFBUD is observing Workers’ Memorial Day in Ukraine through occupational safety and health (OSH) activities, including a conference for 60 participants and a separate OSH training session for 30 workers. The events focus on strengthening workplace safety awareness and improving prevention of occupational risks.
In Uganda, BWI affiliate UBCCECAWU is marking Workers’ Memorial Day through workplace sensitisation at Zhongmei Engineering Company, reaching over 300 road construction workers. The union is addressing compliance with core labour standards while emphasising occupational safety and health and the risks of heat stress in demanding outdoor working conditions.
Ahead of International Workers’ Memorial Day, Hazards magazine has published an in-depth survey of psychosocial workplace hazards, presenting evidence that unions are the most effective means of keeping workers safe.
Anxiety, depression and heart disease. Even suicide. The occupational diseases of the 21st century workplace are now outstripping the maladies caused by traditional dirty, difficult and dangerous work. Hazards magazine says new evidence proves unions are the best antidote to psychosocial hazards at work and boost the economy.
DEAD END JOBS | How work stress can kill you and how unions can save you
Two BWI affiliates in Ghana have reported 28 April activities.
CBMWU is holding a safety awareness session at S&L Company in Ghana, bringing together 50 participants including union representatives and company management to discuss workplace safety.
GCQMWU is also conducting an awareness activity in Ghana focused on the psychological working environment, involving 60 union representatives from various companies to raise understanding of mental wellbeing at work and related risks.
BWI affiliate GTUCW is conducting workplace visits in Jordan, meeting at least 60 workers aiming to raise awareness and engage workers in the Too Hot To Work Campaign. The activity includes 45 men and 15 women, focusing on direct outreach and worker engagement at site level.
The US national union federation AFL-CIO has launched the 35th edition of the Death on the Job Report. You can find the report and all accompanying resources here: www.aflcio.org/dotj
