Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

The observance this year of the International Day of Mourning on April 28 marks the 25th anniversary of this solemn day, marked annually to commemorate workers who have been killed, injured or made ill because of their work.

• Day of Mourning events are scheduled throughout BC, watch for posters or check back here for details.

Established first in Canada by the Canadian Labour Congress in 1984, the April 28 date was chosen to commemorate the passage of Ontario’s Workers’ Compensation Act in 1914 � the first such legislation in the country.

In December 1990, the Canadian Parliament passed the Workers Mourning Day Act and observance of the Day of Mourning became a national event. Across the country flags are flown at half-mast and a moment of silence is observed at 11 a.m. as part of the many ceremonies and observances that are conducted.

In 1996, April 28 was adopted as the International Day of Mourning and now workers from more than 100 countries join Canadians in marking the day.

The annual observance of the Day of Mourning serves to strengthen everyone’s resolve not only to establish safe conditions in the workplace for all but to demand an end to the suffering caused by hazardous working conditions.

We have lots of photos this month! Many from May Day in Vancouver where a good contingent of the PSAC BC members and staff joined migrants, immigrants, undocumented, indigenous and Canadian workers for the May Day Organizing Committee’s annual International Workers’ Day march & rally on May 1st. This years’ theme was “Reclaim May 1st, International Workers’ Day! March for Workers Rights!”. Megan Adam, Alternate-REVP and First Vice-President for the PSAC Vancouver & District Area Council (VAC), spoke as a member organization of the May Day Organizing Committee at Grandview Park in Vancouver.

As well as some from the 2008 BC Regional Triennial Convention (a full convention report and all the photos are coming soon) and from the May Day celebrations in Terrace where Be Gomes, RC Geographic Coordinator for Northwestern BC, distributed “Think Public!” materials with the Kitimat-Terrace and District Labour Council.

Cheers to Jack Seto and the GSU 20008 Executive for sending in some We Support Our Bargaining team photos (the posters have been signed and sent to the TB Bargaining Team) and to Rosemary MacKenzie, James Little and Cindy Little (RC Coordinator for the South Island) who attended the April 28th Day of Mourning event in Victoria.

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Sisters and Brothers:

April 28, 2008 will mark the 24^th anniversary of the National Day of Mourning for workers killed and injured on the job. The National Day of Mourning was started in 1984 as an initiative of the Canadian Labour movement and this day of reflection is now established around the world.

• More Day of Mourning information, including a list of events in BC
• Read more Heath & Safety related posts

In 1984, according to the official figures listed by the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada (AWCBC), 744 workers were listed as having died from workplace injuries. But instead of seeing and improvement is this tragic situation, the past two decades has actually seen an increase in the number of workplace fatalities. In 2006, the last year that the AWCBC has released statistics for, 976 workers were killed on the job due to workplace injuries.

However, we know that these statistics are grossly underestimated and that the real number of deaths resulting from occupational illness and disease, and other workerplace factors are never included in these official statistics, as it is extremely difficult to prove that deaths that are caused by occupational disease, such as cancer, are caused by exposure to hazards in the workplace.

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April 28, 2008 marks the 24th anniversary of the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or hurt by workplace injuries or disease.

The Canadian Labour Congress, who were the authors of this initiative in 1984, have marked this special day with the theme of “Mourn for the Dead, Fight for the Living – Now more than ever!” It is very encouraging to see that this special day is now celebrated around the world from Azerbaijan to Zambia with more involvement being seen each and every year.

The PSAC continues to struggle to create stronger laws and regulations in support of Health & Safety and Hazard Prevention. We hope that the annual observance of this day will strengthen the resolve to establish safer conditions in the workplace for all.

Please join with the PSAC and other labour organizations at Day of Mourning events scheduled in your community.

Resources (all .pdf)

• List of 2008 events in BC, provided by the BC Fed
• Day of Mourning Event poster – Victoria
• Resource Information for 2008 Day of Mourning
• Labour Council Notes for April 28th
• PSAC BC Day of Mourning poster (1.32 MB .pdf)

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