Health & Safety

Wolverhampton Workers' Memorial Day

Over a dozen trades union councils organised Workers Memorial day events in the Midlands this weekend.

60 attended Wolverhampton's 22^nd annual commemoration event; wreaths were laid by FBU, UNISON General, UNISON University, UCATT, PCS, CWU & WB&DTUC

Ivan Monkton UNITE NEC spoke on Agricultural Workers' safety and the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board and it's affect on rural poverty.

Warinder Juss (GMB/Thompsons) called for the defeat of the government in order to re-establish the basic health and safety rights that the Tories and Liberals have already cut or still plan to.

Marie Taylor (CYW-UNITE & President WB&DTUC) remembered the 350 so far found dead at the Bangladesh garment factory that had been producing for Primark, Matalan and Mango UK stores.

Rob Marris (NUT) lambasted the governmemnt's announced threat to the Health & Safety Executive and delivered a speech by Steve Witton (UCATT) highlighting the high level of construction industry deaths

Rev.Bill Mash of the Black Country Urban Industrial Mission gave a sermon particularly remembering those affected by industrial disease.

Remember the Dead,   Fight for the Living 

WORKERS' MEMORIAL DAY events in the Midlands:

Halesowen GMB

Thursday 25th April 11am outside the front entrance of St John's church in Halesowen.

Chesterfield & District TUC

Friday 26th April, 11am Rykneld Sq

Corby GMB

Saturday 27th April 11am at the Steelworkers Statue outside The Cube, Corby, followed by a light buffet and a youth band to entertain, all welcome

Dudley TUC

Sunday 28th April

10-45am Dudley Coronation Gardens opposite Dudley Council House. Minute’s silence at 11am speakers until 11.30am

Walsall TUC

Sunday 28th April 12noon on Green outside St Matthew’s church top of market with union speakers and Rev Kareen Lowther

Birmingham TUC

Sunday 28th April at 12.30pm in the grounds of St Philips Cathedral, Colmore Row,Birmingham, B3 2QB

Speakers: Revd Peter Sellick, Kathy Gaffney, West Midlands Hazards Trust, Neil Vernon, UCATT

Solihull

Sunday 28th April at 12.30pm Brueton Gardens (opp Barley Mow Pub)

Speakers Include: Lord Mayor of Solihull, Councillor Irene Chamberlain, Yvonne Washbourne, West Midlands Hazards Trust

Coventry TUC

Sunday 28th April 12 noon to 1pm in the garden between St Mary’s Street and Bayley Lane, Coventry.

Speaker Shaun Lee, Regional Organiser UCATT,  Lord Mayor and Trade Union and political leaders

Stoke TUC

Sunday 28th April at the Communication Worker’s Union, Lindsay Street at 11.15 to march to the Workers’ Memorial Tree outside the Potteries Museum where there will be a minute of silence at 12noon followed by speakers

Leicester and District TUC

Sunday 28th April 11 am in the Town Hall Square, Leicester for leafleting, followed by a rally in the Square at 12 noon

Lincoln TUC

Sunday 28th April 1pm Speakers' Corner, march to City Square for 1.30pm

speakers include Joe Simpson Asst Gen Sec POA; plaque unveiling and tree planting

Wolverhampton TUC's 22nd annual event

Sunday 28th April 12.30pm Cenotaph, St Peter's Sq Wolverhampton WV1 1TS

speakers: Ivan Monkton UNITE NEC - Agricultural Workers' safety, Steve Witton UCATT - Construction industry safety, Warinder Juss GMB/Thompsons -Tory attacks on H&S laws, Rev. Bill Mash, Industrial Chaplain, and wreath laying

TUC guide on the importance of H&S reps

International Workers' Memorial Day originated in Canada. 28 April was chosen for International Workers Memorial Day as it is the anniversary of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in the USA and also commemorates the day that 28 people were killed in a construction incident in Connecticut.
Since 1989 trade unions in the USA, UK, Asia, Europe and Africa have organised events on and around 28 April.
IWMD was adopted by Wolverhampton TUC in 1991, by the Scottish TUC in 1993, followed by the TUC in 1999 and UK government in 2010

The Labour council lowers the Civic flags to half mast, something the Tory/Liberal coalition failed to do when in charge of the council.

Click HERE for details of other events in Britain and background to Workers' Memorial Day from the TUC.

What's Workers Memorial Day? 

Every year more people are killed at work than in wars. Most don't die of mystery ailments, or in tragic "accidents". They die because an    employer decided their safety just wasn't that important a priority.

Workers' Memorial Day takes place every April 28th - as an international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled, injured or made unwell by their work.

The slogan for the day is:   "Remember the Dead,  Fight for the Living"

The trade union movement "remembers the dead", by organising memorial events all over Britain.  It is supported by both the TUC and the government's Health & Safety Commission.  Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council and the Black Country Urban Industrial Mission have held events since 1992.

We must also "fight for the living" by ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated:

• highlight the preventable nature of most workplace accidents and ill health.
• promote campaigns and union organisation in the fight for improvements in workplace safety.

It is a FACT that you are less likely to get injured or killed in a workplace covered by one of Britain's 200,000 trade union H&S reps.

Greater Manchester Hazards has produced a number of resources see them here