VANCOUVER – The following is a statement from Irene Lanzinger, President of the BC Federation of Labour, marking the National Day of Mourning:
The National Day of Mourning, marked every year on April 28, is a very important day for workers.
It is a day to remember all those who have lost their lives or been injured because of their work. It is a day to honour the families, friends and co-workers who are left behind when a worker dies, or who must care for their family members who have been seriously injured.
It is also a day to reflect and renew our commitment to continue the fight for healthier and safer workplaces; for greater accountability of negligent employers; and for full compensation for injured workers and survivors.
Today we will gather with friends, family and co-workers to mourn for the 203 workers who lost their lives in British Columbia in 2014 as a result of their work, and to acknowledge the thousands of workers who were injured or became sick because of work.
In 2014, nearly 4 workers died in BC each week.
Across Canada, more than 3 workers died each day.
Around the world, 1 worker dies every 15 seconds.
These numbers are devastating. One worker death is too many.
We need to do better. The government, the Workers’ Compensation Board, and employers need to do more – and need to be held accountable.
The National Day of Mourning is recognized in over 100 countries. It began with a motion passed in 1984 by the Canadian Labour Congress, and was official adopted by the federal government in 1991.
The BC Federation of Labour encourages everyone to attend a Day of Mourning ceremony in your community to mark this important day, fly your flags at half-mast, and observe a minute of silence at 11:00 am on April 28, 2015.
“Mourn for the dead, fight for the living.” ~ Mother Jones
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For a full list of Day of Mourning events, please visit www.bcfed.ca/events.
Media contact: Jaime Matten, 604-561-2663.