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April 28 - National Day of Mourning |
"Mourn for the dead, fight for the living"
Work shouldn’t kill, maim, or cause injury or disease. But it does.
In Canada, more than 900 workers die from occupational illnesses and workplace accidents each year. In Ontario in 2002, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) reported that almost 600 claims were made for workplace fatalities, although to date only 351 of those claims have been allowed by the Board and will be compensated. On
average the WSIB allows only about 68% of claims made for workplace fatalities. The number of allowed claims, almost one workplace death a day, is in itself unacceptable. However, this number does not reflect the number of claims denied nor the claims never made because workers and their doctors often do not recognize that their illnesses are caused by work.
A recent study by the Centre for the Study of Living Standards using 1999 statistics found that Canada has one of the worst workplace safety records in the industrialized world. The odds of being killed in Canada at work are greater than in any of the other 16 OECD countries, except Italy.
In 1984, the Canadian Labour Congress established April 28 as a day to “mourn for the dead and fight for the living.” In 1991, the day was recognized by the federal government. The Day of Mourning has since been recognized by over 100 countries. On this day, workers and their unions take the opportunity to remember the dead and injured
and resolve to improve health and safety in the workplace.
Every day, OPSEU members face danger on the job. Whether it’s debilitating repetitive strain injuries, each day facing the threat of physical attack, suffering from poor air quality, mould, asbestos or other toxins in the workplace, working alone or in the wilderness, in the air, in health care facilities, or on Ontario’s highways, OPSEU
members face every type of hazard. OPSEU would like to pay tribute to all OPSEU members who have suffered injuries and occupational diseases, and especially those who have paid the ultimate price—their life—because of unsafe conditions at their workplaces.
This year, OPSEU would like to make special mention of all those—including OPSEU members who worked during the SARS crisis—and risked their lives to control the SARS outbreak in Ontario’s health care facilities. Thank you for the dangerous work you do.
A brief snapshot of last year shows that WSIB allowed entitlement to a retired OPSEU member diagnosed with mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. This member worked as an inspector where he was exposed to asbestos fibres used in truck brake pads until the 1980s. WSIB is also considering the case of another OPSEU member
who has developed thyroid cancer that may be a result of years of exposure as a health care worker to radiation from x-ray machines in the workplace. The families of the three OPSEU members who were killed in the 2002 helicopter crash still grieve as they await the final report from the Canadian Transportation Safety Board to help them understand what went wrong, and
how future tragedies can be prevented.
Please join us for a minute of silence at 12 noon to pay tribute to these workers, and all workers and families who mourn a loved one lost or suffering from illness or injury caused by work. OPSEU members resolve to continue to vigorously demand safer workplaces, and work towards legislative improvements to bring change. We hope the
recent change in Ontario’s government brings an opportunity to make progress toward these goals.
All workers and locals are encouraged to attend or plan “Day of Mourning” events. The Toronto & York Labour Council and the Workers Health and Safety Centre invites workers and locals to gather this year in Toronto at the Ontario Nurses’ Association (85 Grenville St., 12 noon on April 28th), as a tribute to those health care providers
who died as a result of SARS.
For a list of Day of Mourning events across Ontario on April 28, click here.
Health and Safety Index
