Every year on April 28 we pay our respects to, and remember, the thousands of workers who have been killed, injured or suffered illness as a result of work-related incidents.
We also honour the many families and friends who have been deeply affected by these tragedies.  We especially remember Tara today and her family. Next week, yellow flowers will be placed in the reception area in memory of a past colleague, who was tragically taken from us during working hours, Tara Veri.  Tara was a dedicated family service worker at the Society who passed away four years ago…….. due to a traffic fatality.

Every worker has the right to return home safe and sound at the end of each work day.
By working together – with employers, workers and our health and safety partners – we can prevent worker injuries and deaths before they occur.

https://cupe.ca/april-28-day-mourning-remember-westray-and-press-justice-all-workers-killed-or-injured-job

In Solidarity

Union Executive

CUPE Local 1766

http://cupe.ca/help-guelph-wellington-cas-workers-reach-fair-contract-and-avert-strike-or-lockout

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Every year, around the world, unions mark the International Day of Mourning on April 28 to honour workers killed or injured on the job. It’s an important date for the labour movement: we remember those workers we’ve lost, and fight for better standards for today’s workers.

Please take a few minutes out of your day to remember Tara Veri.  Tara died March 6, 2013 while on her way to an appointment. On behalf of all union members, we have sent a small monetary token to her daughter in remembrance of her life and her work with families.

Find a Day of Mourning event in your area.

In seven of the 11 incidents listed, working alone was a contributing hazard. Working alone means a worker does not receive immediate assistance if they’re incapacitated in some way, leaving the worker susceptible to graver injury. CUPE recently conducted a survey showing that 94 per cent of members who work alone face at least one other hazard during that period.

“Working alone is a serious problem in our workplaces. It’s a hazard that’s only getting worse with cutbacks and an aging workforce,” said Moist. “Employers need to acknowledge the risk our members face, and make efforts to reduce the hazard.”

• For tips on addressing the hazard, check out our working alone fact sheet.

Sadly, the health and safety challenges workers face often go beyond the workplace. The federal government and many provincial governments continue to undermine the health and safety of workers by weakening occupational health and safety laws. For instance, the federal government has modified the definition of danger for federally regulated workers. The definition now specifies that hazards must be “an imminent or serious threat” implying that workers are not entitled to protection from conditions that could cause them illness in the future.

CUPE opposes the change. If you believe you’re in danger at work, for any reason, you still have the right to refuse unsafe work.

It’s been more than 30 years since CUPE’s National Health and Safety Committee first proposed the idea for the Day of Mourning. Since then it has become an international event, marked by workers, governments and other organizations the world over. Unfortunately, it seems the need to raise awareness about workplace health and safety is as important as ever.

For more health and safety information:

• Check out CUPE’s health and safety publication Canary for more info on changes to legislation both provincially and federally.
• Check out these health and safety resources produced by CUPE.