Every year, on April 28 – the Day of Mourning, we take time to remember workers who have been killed or injured on the job. In ceremonies around the province, workers, friends, and family gather to pay tribute to those we have lost in work place accidents.
Worker deaths are tragedies, not only for their families, but also for their colleagues, friends and communities. No one should ever die because of their job, yet in Ontario it is still far too common. Public service workers are also experiencing a rise in violence in the workplace that cannot be allowed to continue.
By remembering those who have been killed or injured, we remember why we must continue to fight for the health and safety of workers. We come together to mourn the dead and continue together to fight for the living.
Our Injured Workers and Health and Safety committees are leading the fight against violence in our workplaces. Our union bargains for health and safety rules to prevent these tragedies. We stand up for our workers rights and provide the protection they need to feel secure in reporting incidents and workplace hazards.
Through political action we fight for better laws to protect workers and make sure that those laws are enforced.
This April 28 we ask all CUPE Ontario members to pause and remember our sisters and brothers who have lost their lives at work over the past year, and to continue our fight to make workplaces safe, to prevent injuries, and to make sure workplace fatalities become a thing of the past.
cr/COPE491
