National Day of Mourning April 28, 2009
Around the world, one person is killed on the job every 30 seconds
OPSEU members mark April 28 - National Day of Mourning - with a mixture of
sadness and frustration. Sadness, because injuries and death have touched
so many working families and frustration because so many of these deaths and
injuries could be prevented through improved regulation and better
enforcement of health and safety laws.
The National Day of Mourning, held annually on this day, was
officially recognized by the federal government in 1991, eight years after
the day of remembrance was launched by the Canadian Labour Congress, and has
since spread to at least 80 countries around the world.
Canadian workplaces are consistently among the worst
offenders for killing workers compared to most other industrialized
countries. Out of 29 countries that belong to the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD), Canada has the fifth highest incident
rate of worker fatalities. The International Labour Organization (ILO) has
ranked Canada fourth-worst in the world for violence in the workplace.
Indeed, Statistics Canada reports that nearly one in five Canadian violent
incidents happens in the workplace.
In 2008, there were 317,031 reported claims to WSIB for
injuries and occupational disease and 488 reported fatality claims in
Ontario. As appalling as these numbers are, the real picture is even worse,
given the numbers of occupational disease cases which go unreported and
unrecognized by workers compensation. Each year occupational disease
typically comprises 60 to 65% of allowed fatalities. In 2008 this reached
just shy of 70% (69.67%). Much of this human suffering could be averted if
the government would modernize health and safety legislation in Ontario and
provide a stronger system of enforcement to ensure compliance.
OPSEU members face danger every day on the job. Toxic
chemicals, such as asbestos, workplace violence and working alone, traffic
accidents, stress, infectious disease exposures, noise, and crippling
musculoskeletal injuries are just some of the hazards OPSEU members face to
keep Ontario running.
This year, we mourn the death of brother Kent Cousineau, 33,
of Sudbury who passed away on May 14, 2008 from injuries sustained on May 9,
2008 while he was working as a fire crew work operator for the Ministry of
Natural Resources.
Prevention of injuries, fatalities and occupational disease
need to be top priority in every workplace. Work speed-up and
short-staffing are creating frenzied workplaces where meaningful
communication is difficult. Workers, unions and organizations need to
ensure that health and safety remains an active discussion and activity in
all workplaces. We do this by participating in workplace health and safety
committees and activities, by enforcing our rights under health and safety
legislation, and by calling for new health and safety legislation to protect
workers from today’s hazards.
Join us on April 28, as we remember those
killed or injured at work and recommit to the challenge of preventing,
reducing and eliminating workplace deaths and injuries. We must mourn the
dead but we must also fight for the living.
It is a time for health and safety
solidarity among all workers. Our lives depend on it.
For a list of events around Ontario,
click here
St Thomas & District Labour Council invites you to an
early evening event at 530 pm at Pinafore Park, St Thomas, where Jayne
McKenzie, Office of the Worker Advisor will be speaking, light snack to
follow ceremony. For details,
click here.
