Remembering those lost at work
Ceremony also a call to action to protect workers
Councillor Nester Pidwerbecki, centre, prepares to lay a black rose at the foot of the Worker’s Memorial outside city hall for the National Day of Mourning. The day, marked on April 28, has been set aside since 1991 in order to honour those workers who have been killed, injured or fallen ill on the job.
By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express
A mass of citizens, politicians and workers advocates gathered outside city hall in order to honour and remember all of those lost while on the job.
The National Day of Mourning honours those who have been killed, injured or suffered illness due to workplace hazards and accidents.
Mayor John Henry and several union representatives took their turns at the microphone sharing their messages of hope for the elimination of workplace accidents, and pushing that employers who put their employees at risk need to be punished, repeating the mantra, “kill a worker, go to jail” to rounds of applause from those in attendance.
In a statement released ahead of April 28, Ontario Labour Minister Kevin Flynn notes that workplace incidents have decreased over the last decade, with injuries per worker in Ontario dropping by more than 50 per cent since 2003, attributing much of that decline to the work of businesses getting the message about employee safety.
“Much of that has to do with the hard work responsible businesses have done in putting a priority on creating a strong health and safety culture in their workplaces,” he states. “That means that thousands of Ontario families have been spared the heartbreak of having a loved one involved in a workplace accident.”
With that said, he states the work is far from over.
“We cannot be complacent,” he states. “Despite this progress, too many people continue to lose their lives, or suffer an injury or illness because they showed up to work to try to make a living. So, we have a duty and a responsibility to lead by example and make safety a priority in our everyday lives.”
And that is exactly what Mayor Henry saw during the ceremony on April 28.
“You here in this group are making a difference,” he said, taking a minute to remember Councillor Nancy Diamond who passed away suddenly earlier this year, along with labour activist Jim Freeman, who passed away last year.
First held in 1991, the National Day of Mourning sees ceremonies held across the country to remember those lost on the job. According to the Association of Worker’s Compensation Boards of Canada, 852 people lost their lives while on the job in Canada in 2015.