On 20th anniversary of the national Day of Mourning, union says injuries continue to plague the workforce
Workers, employers and government officials paused across the country to remember workers killed and injured on the job.
April 28 marked the 20th anniversary of the national Day of Mourning. Here’s a sampling of what government officials and unions had to say about the day:
Federal government
In Ottawa the flag on Parliament Hill was flying at half-mast to pay tribute to the men and women who have been killed or injured on the job.
Claudette Bradshaw, the Minister of Labour, said more than 900 Canadians die each year as a result of work-related accidents or illnesses. In 2004, one out of every 15 workers in Canada will be injured on the job, and many of these accidents are preventable, said Bradshaw.
Bradshaw noted that the rate of accidents for workers of all age groups has dropped since 1998. For younger workers aged 15 to 29, the rate has dropped noticeably from 2.97 per 100 workers in 1998 to 2.47 in 2002.
“Education and preventive measures have begun to have a positive impact on our workers, particularly our younger workers,” said Bradshaw. “However, there are still too many victims who pay dearly for a mistake or an unfortunate accident. We must step up our efforts to make our workplace healthier and safer.”
British Columbia
In Victoria, Labour Minister Graham Bruce commemorated the 20th annual Day of Mourning by talking about friends and former employees he has lost.
“Every year on this day we renew our commitment to fight for the safety of the living as well as mourn for those workers who have died on the job,” said Bruce. “And every year, we need to remind ourselves that, as alarming and shocking as these statistics may be, this is not about statistics, its about people — people in your community and people in my community.
“As a Vancouver Island MLA I come from an area that has seen its share of workplace tragedy this years. A year ago this month, my friend Ted Towe … died when he fell from the back of a semi-trailer at the Jemico Enterprises logging company in Chemainus.
“Last May, Julia James, a former employee of mine from Chemainus, drowned when a company vehicle went into a lake at a remote tree-planting camp near Quesnel. Julia was just 20 years old.”
But he said things are improving, and the injury rate for B.C. workers reached an all-time low in 2003 — a 42 per cent decrease since 1994.
“And the credit for that has to go to the WCB, workers, companies, unions and industry associations,” said Bruce. “All of them have done a lot to make workplaces safer. But still, we saw more than 150 fatalities last year and more than 5,300 permanent injuries.”
Bruce said the forest industry is one sector that has an “unacceptable” rate of death and serious injuries. The government put together a task force on forest safety that has come up with 20 recommendations, and hopes to implement changes soon.
“I look forward to the day when we won’t have to add names to the list of those who have gone from us,” he said. “It’s a day that all of us must work toward and I ask everyone here today to make that commitment himself or herself.”
Saskatchewan
In Regina, the names of 28 Saskatchewan workers who died as a result of workplace injuries or illnesses in the last year were read into the office record of the provincial legislature.
“The toll in suffering, grief and human loss from workplace injury and illness is a terrible thing to contemplate,” said Labour Minister Deb Higgins. “Today, we renew our commitment to doing everything we can to prevent such tragedies in the future.”
Higgins said every workplace must take responsibility for implementing good health and safety work practices.
“Reducing workplace injuries and illnesses requires that health and safety is a part of each and every workplace activity,” said Higgins.
Yukon
Since 1992, 21 workers in the Yukon have lost their lives because of workplace injuries and illnesses. In 2003, one worker was killed and 422 were injured seriously enough to miss work.
“No one should ever have to worry about dying or being hurt at work,” said Peter Jenkins, Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board Minister. “And no family should ever have to worry about their loved ones not coming home from work.It is for that reason we must remember those who have died, and work harder than ever to prevent workplace deaths and injuries.”
Nova Scotia
A solemn ceremony was held at Halifax’s Province House to honour the thousands of Nova Scotians who were injured, and the 23 who died, because of work-related accidents or illnesses in 2003.
“Tragedies in the workplace are sobering and disturbing events for all of us, but most especially for the families, friends and co-workers of the victim,” said Environment and Labour Minister Kerry Morash. “Many lives and communities have changed forever. Everyone involved — employer, employee and government — has a role to play to prevent future injury and death.”
According to Workers’ Compensation Board statistics, during a typical day in Nova Scotia, 92 people will get hurt at work. Twenty-five of them will be unable to return to work the next day. In the next 16 days, someone will die as a result of their work.
Morash called on employers and employees to intensify their health and safety practices and to renew their commitment to reducing workplace injury and illness.
Two years ago, a native Nova Scotia red maple tree and plaque were placed on the grounds of Province House to honour the memory of those who lost their lives on the job.
“Today, the tree is growing stronger and so, too, is the workplace health and safety culture of the province,” said Morash.
Ontario
In Toronto, Labour Minister Chris Bentley called on Ontarians to take time and reflect on the impact that work-related injuries and fatalities have on families and communities.
“Workplace injuries are preventable,” said Bentley. “No job is worth a life. No family member should ever have to pick up the phone and be told that a spouse, or parent, or child, or loved one will not be coming home.”
In a statement to the legislature, Bentley said nearly 1,000 Ontarians are injured in workplace accidents every day — more than 300,000 every year. Others will contract occupational disease that will not show up until years later.
“How, then, do we honour the memory of those we remember? We honour them by refusing to forget. We honour them by pledging to do better. We honour them by using the knowledge we already have to make our workplaces safer and healthier. We honour them by standing together, regardless of party or position, regardless of age or occupation, from every corner of this province to say ‘no more.’ We honour them by working together to prevent every accident, injury, illness and death in the workplace,” said Bentley. “By honouring their memory in this way we will be one step closer to the day when we can stand on Day of Mourning and say we remember the fallen, but over the past year there have been no new names to remember.”
The union view
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) — the union that began the campaign to have April 28 recognized as a day of remembrance — said workplace injuries and deaths continue to plague the workforce.
For the sixth year in a row, the number of workers killed on the job has grown, it said. In 2003, 953 workers lost their lives, up from 934 deaths in 2002, according to figures from the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards.
“Over the past decade, governments and employers have made bad choices that are costing workers their health and their lives,” said Ken Georgetti, CLC president. “They chose to relax health and safety regulations. They chose to cut resources needed for monitoring and enforcement. They chose not to invest in research and prevention. Worst of all, they chose to move the cost of injuries away from employers and onto our public medicare system, which means increased costs, longer lineups and more stress on an already overstressed system.”
According to the CLC, 16,804 workers have been killed on the job in Canada since 1984. A further 17.6 million have been injured — and it said those statistics are incomplete.
“It is extremely difficult to prove injuries or deaths due to diseases that have been contracted at work, as anyone who has the misfortune of making a claim through their Workers’ Compensation Board can attest,” the CLC said in a statement. “For this reason, as well as the simple fact that some industries and businesses are not covered by workers’ compensation laws, even the government of Canada believes these injury and fatality rates could be underestimated by as much as 19 per cent.”
April 28 was chosen as the day to remember to coincide with passage of the country’s first comprehensive workers’ compensation legislation — passed on April 28, 1914, in Ontario.
Since then April 28 has been recognized by the Canadian Parliament (1991), adopted in the United States by the AFL-CIO and by the 150-million member International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.
April 28 marked the 20th anniversary of the national Day of Mourning. Here’s a sampling of what government officials and unions had to say about the day:
Federal government
In Ottawa the flag on Parliament Hill was flying at half-mast to pay tribute to the men and women who have been killed or injured on the job.
Claudette Bradshaw, the Minister of Labour, said more than 900 Canadians die each year as a result of work-related accidents or illnesses. In 2004, one out of every 15 workers in Canada will be injured on the job, and many of these accidents are preventable, said Bradshaw.
Bradshaw noted that the rate of accidents for workers of all age groups has dropped since 1998. For younger workers aged 15 to 29, the rate has dropped noticeably from 2.97 per 100 workers in 1998 to 2.47 in 2002.
“Education and preventive measures have begun to have a positive impact on our workers, particularly our younger workers,” said Bradshaw. “However, there are still too many victims who pay dearly for a mistake or an unfortunate accident. We must step up our efforts to make our workplace healthier and safer.”
British Columbia
In Victoria, Labour Minister Graham Bruce commemorated the 20th annual Day of Mourning by talking about friends and former employees he has lost.
“Every year on this day we renew our commitment to fight for the safety of the living as well as mourn for those workers who have died on the job,” said Bruce. “And every year, we need to remind ourselves that, as alarming and shocking as these statistics may be, this is not about statistics, its about people — people in your community and people in my community.
“As a Vancouver Island MLA I come from an area that has seen its share of workplace tragedy this years. A year ago this month, my friend Ted Towe … died when he fell from the back of a semi-trailer at the Jemico Enterprises logging company in Chemainus.
“Last May, Julia James, a former employee of mine from Chemainus, drowned when a company vehicle went into a lake at a remote tree-planting camp near Quesnel. Julia was just 20 years old.”
But he said things are improving, and the injury rate for B.C. workers reached an all-time low in 2003 — a 42 per cent decrease since 1994.
“And the credit for that has to go to the WCB, workers, companies, unions and industry associations,” said Bruce. “All of them have done a lot to make workplaces safer. But still, we saw more than 150 fatalities last year and more than 5,300 permanent injuries.”
Bruce said the forest industry is one sector that has an “unacceptable” rate of death and serious injuries. The government put together a task force on forest safety that has come up with 20 recommendations, and hopes to implement changes soon.
“I look forward to the day when we won’t have to add names to the list of those who have gone from us,” he said. “It’s a day that all of us must work toward and I ask everyone here today to make that commitment himself or herself.”
Saskatchewan
In Regina, the names of 28 Saskatchewan workers who died as a result of workplace injuries or illnesses in the last year were read into the office record of the provincial legislature.
“The toll in suffering, grief and human loss from workplace injury and illness is a terrible thing to contemplate,” said Labour Minister Deb Higgins. “Today, we renew our commitment to doing everything we can to prevent such tragedies in the future.”
Higgins said every workplace must take responsibility for implementing good health and safety work practices.
“Reducing workplace injuries and illnesses requires that health and safety is a part of each and every workplace activity,” said Higgins.
Yukon
Since 1992, 21 workers in the Yukon have lost their lives because of workplace injuries and illnesses. In 2003, one worker was killed and 422 were injured seriously enough to miss work.
“No one should ever have to worry about dying or being hurt at work,” said Peter Jenkins, Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health and Safety Board Minister. “And no family should ever have to worry about their loved ones not coming home from work.It is for that reason we must remember those who have died, and work harder than ever to prevent workplace deaths and injuries.”
Nova Scotia
A solemn ceremony was held at Halifax’s Province House to honour the thousands of Nova Scotians who were injured, and the 23 who died, because of work-related accidents or illnesses in 2003.
“Tragedies in the workplace are sobering and disturbing events for all of us, but most especially for the families, friends and co-workers of the victim,” said Environment and Labour Minister Kerry Morash. “Many lives and communities have changed forever. Everyone involved — employer, employee and government — has a role to play to prevent future injury and death.”
According to Workers’ Compensation Board statistics, during a typical day in Nova Scotia, 92 people will get hurt at work. Twenty-five of them will be unable to return to work the next day. In the next 16 days, someone will die as a result of their work.
Morash called on employers and employees to intensify their health and safety practices and to renew their commitment to reducing workplace injury and illness.
Two years ago, a native Nova Scotia red maple tree and plaque were placed on the grounds of Province House to honour the memory of those who lost their lives on the job.
“Today, the tree is growing stronger and so, too, is the workplace health and safety culture of the province,” said Morash.
Ontario
In Toronto, Labour Minister Chris Bentley called on Ontarians to take time and reflect on the impact that work-related injuries and fatalities have on families and communities.
“Workplace injuries are preventable,” said Bentley. “No job is worth a life. No family member should ever have to pick up the phone and be told that a spouse, or parent, or child, or loved one will not be coming home.”
In a statement to the legislature, Bentley said nearly 1,000 Ontarians are injured in workplace accidents every day — more than 300,000 every year. Others will contract occupational disease that will not show up until years later.
“How, then, do we honour the memory of those we remember? We honour them by refusing to forget. We honour them by pledging to do better. We honour them by using the knowledge we already have to make our workplaces safer and healthier. We honour them by standing together, regardless of party or position, regardless of age or occupation, from every corner of this province to say ‘no more.’ We honour them by working together to prevent every accident, injury, illness and death in the workplace,” said Bentley. “By honouring their memory in this way we will be one step closer to the day when we can stand on Day of Mourning and say we remember the fallen, but over the past year there have been no new names to remember.”
The union view
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) — the union that began the campaign to have April 28 recognized as a day of remembrance — said workplace injuries and deaths continue to plague the workforce.
For the sixth year in a row, the number of workers killed on the job has grown, it said. In 2003, 953 workers lost their lives, up from 934 deaths in 2002, according to figures from the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards.
“Over the past decade, governments and employers have made bad choices that are costing workers their health and their lives,” said Ken Georgetti, CLC president. “They chose to relax health and safety regulations. They chose to cut resources needed for monitoring and enforcement. They chose not to invest in research and prevention. Worst of all, they chose to move the cost of injuries away from employers and onto our public medicare system, which means increased costs, longer lineups and more stress on an already overstressed system.”
According to the CLC, 16,804 workers have been killed on the job in Canada since 1984. A further 17.6 million have been injured — and it said those statistics are incomplete.
“It is extremely difficult to prove injuries or deaths due to diseases that have been contracted at work, as anyone who has the misfortune of making a claim through their Workers’ Compensation Board can attest,” the CLC said in a statement. “For this reason, as well as the simple fact that some industries and businesses are not covered by workers’ compensation laws, even the government of Canada believes these injury and fatality rates could be underestimated by as much as 19 per cent.”
April 28 was chosen as the day to remember to coincide with passage of the country’s first comprehensive workers’ compensation legislation — passed on April 28, 1914, in Ontario.
Since then April 28 has been recognized by the Canadian Parliament (1991), adopted in the United States by the AFL-CIO and by the 150-million member International Confederation of Free Trade Unions.
