Before royal-wedding street parties begin to take over Britain, commemorative services and wreath-laying events are being held all over the country today (28 April) to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD).
This year marks the first anniversary of the UK’s official recognition of the Day, which is held each year on 28 April. The day commemorates the thousands of people who have died, been injured, or made ill through their work.
However, with this year’s IWMD taking place against the backdrop of deep cuts to the HSE’s budget, the TUC is encouraging unions to use the Day to campaign against reductions in both funding and regulatory enforcement activity.
Supporters of The Hazards Campaign are marking the Day with a call to arms to fight for the protection of workers’ right to a safe and healthy workplace.
The movement’s Hilda Palmer said: “The path the ConDem government is taking, with Chris Grayling at the helm as employment minister, will kill, disable and injure more workers, not fewer.”
She continued: “[The Government’s] absolute failure to take into account the burden on the families and friends, as well as the state, who pick up the bill of billions when workers are killed or injured, or the enormous benefits to society that safe workplaces provide, exposes its lack of concern for workers’ health.
“On Workers Memorial Day, we will all be saying ‘Oi, Grayling! We aren’t going to let you send us back to the dark ages!’”
TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, said: “Today will see services, rallies or wreath-laying in most major towns and cities up and down the country. The most common way of marking the day is the holding of a simple minute’s silence in the workplace.
“This year, the TUC is aware of more events than ever before, owing partly to increasing awareness of the day – which was officially recognised by the government for the first time last year – but also because of growing concern of the impact that cuts in inspection and enforcement activity will have on the number of deaths caused through work.”
IOSH also sees the Day as an opportunity to push home the message that robust standards of health and safety are paramount. Its chief executive, Rob Strange, said: “Most accidents that take place in the workplace are preventable. Bosses need to take a serious look at health and safety and continue to protect their staff’s health, safety and well-being in the workplace – especially at this time when we are all feeling the pinch.
“The UK has one of the best health and safety records, but with the government review of legislation looming and continued economic uncertainty, we need to ensure standards don’t slip.”
The DWP is promoting the event on the Government’s Directgov website. A DWP spokesperson said: “Following the UK’s official recognition of Workers’ Memorial Day in 2010, we will ensure that the day is appropriately publicised on the Government’s Directgov website.
“But official recognition is only one side of the story. The main responsibility for controlling work-related health and safety risks rests with those who create the risks. Workers’ Memorial Day is a stark reminder of why that responsibility is so important. The Government extends its deepest sympathies to all those for whom the day is especially poignant.”
Other events scheduled to take place up and down the country include:
For information about IWMD events all around the UK, visit the TUC website.
