April 28th is the labour movement’s most solemn day, but also one to refocus our commitment to preventing future workplace injuries and deaths. Every year, thousands of workers, friends and families of fallen workers gather at ceremonies across Canada to recognize the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job. This year, we will gather in…
Work shouldn’t hurt: workplace health and safety rights should be fundamental
April 28, 2022
Canada’s unions are calling on the federal government to take swift action on workplace health and safety to ensure that workers in Canada are protected on the job. We are also calling on the ILO to make occupational health and safety a fundamental right. In Canada, over 1,000 workplace deaths are reported every year; hundreds of thousands more are injured…
April 28th is the labour movement’s most solemn day, but also one to refocus our commitment to prevent future workplace injuries and deaths. Every year, thousands of workers, friends and families of fallen workers gather at ceremonies across Canada to recognize the National Day of Mourning for workers killed or injured on the job. This year, we will gather in…
National Day of Mourning: the human cost of COVID-19
April 28, 2021
By Hassan Yussuff as published in The Hamilton Spectator Every year, workers and their families come together on April 28, the National Day of Mourning, to mourn those lost to workplace illness and injuries. This year, Canada’s unions are shining a light on the human cost of the COVID-19 pandemic. The enduring call to “Mourn the Dead; Fight for the…
Canada’s unions are marking the National Day of Mourning by calling attention to the human cost of the COVID-19 pandemic. For over a year, the world has faced unprecedented upheaval due to COVID-19. The virus and its variants have wrought havoc on our society and laid bare a troubling lack of protection for workers. “Every year on the Day of…
Canada’s unions mark National Day of Mourning in solidarity with frontline workers
April 28, 2020
Canada’s unions are asking Canadians to observe this year’s National Day of Mourning in remembrance of workers who have lost their lives as a result of incidents in the workplace. This year, that includes a number of frontline workers who have lost their lives due to COVID-19. “As communities mourn workers we’ve lost this year, including many in recent weeks,…
April 28 is the National Day of Mourning, a day to commemorate those who have died or been injured as a result of their job. This year, Canada’s unions are calling on employers and governments to do more to protect workers. “One workplace death is already too many. Workers deserve to arrive home safely at the end of their workday.…
Canadian workers have the right to refuse unsafe work, the right to be informed about hazards in the workplace, and the right to participate in health and safety discussions. Employers must fulfill their obligations to keep workers safe.
On the afternoon of August 10, 1966, a 160-foot span of a new bridge being built over the Rideau River and Canal gave way, dropping hundreds of tons of half set concrete about 60 feet into the river valley. Nine workers were killed and another 55 injured in the disaster – Ontario’s worst workplace “accident” It’s not listed among the…
On May 9, 1992, just eight months after opening with federal and provincial government support, an underground methane explosion killed all 26 miners working in the Westray coal mine. An official inquiry into the disaster discovered profound “stupidity and neglect” on the part of the owners, but all attempts to prosecute the company and its officials failed. It took 11…