Health and Safety
April 28, 2010 – National Day of Mourning
April 28 marks the National Day of Mourning for workers who have been killed or injured on the job. PSAC joins with union activists across Canada and Quebec to remember the fallen and fight for change.
This year, the Canadian Labour Congress asks, “Is today the day you die at work?” If current trends continue, this question could prove to be more than rhetorical.
Last year was the 25th anniversary of the National Day of Mourning, and labour activists revealed that 25,000 workers had died from injuries and work-related diseases in Canada since the day’s inception.
The statistics on workplace fatalities have changed very little over the last decade. In 2007 there were 1,055 workplace fatalities in Canada, and in 2008 there were 1,038.
But we know these numbers are inaccurate, and that’s what is frightening. Many diseases contracted in the workplace are not recognized as workplace injuries.
Most employers do not place a high priority on health and safety. When they do, they often place the blame on workers, establishing “behavioural-based” health and safety programs.
Regulations protect safety
Governments refuse to ensure that there are sufficient resources allocated to enforce existing health and safety laws and regulations.
PSAC and the CLC are embarking on a campaign to push the federal government to make compliance and enforcement of legislated health and safety protections a reality.
The campaign will push provincial and territorial governments to save workers’ lives. We are demanding that they establish special prosecutors in their jurisdictions to enforce the law and launch criminal prosecutions against employers whose violations of health and safety laws lead to workplace deaths and injuries.
Enforcing the rules
PSAC is also focusing on health and safety protections in federal jurisdictions. A major problem that the union has identified is the lack of enforcement of laws and regulations in federally regulated workplaces. We have partnered with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives to release a study detailing the erosion of federal regulations and the lack of enforcement in government workplaces.
According to Success is No Accident, by CCPA Research Associate David Macdonald, federal under funding and understaffing of safety inspectors are putting federal jurisdiction employees in harm’s way.
The rate of disabling injuries in federally regulated workplaces increased by 5 per cent between 2002 and 2007 while the provinces have managed to cut their disabling workplace injuries by an average of 25 per cent over the same time frame.
The struggle continues
Workers and their representatives must continue their concerted efforts to ensure that the health and safety protections that have been fought for over the years are enforced by governments and that negligent employers are held accountable.
On April 28:
- PSAC encourages union locals to ensure that a minute of silence is observed at 11 a.m. in all workplaces.
- Day of Mourning commemorations are being organized by locals and labour council. We encourage you to participate.
Let’s work together – on this Day of Mourning and beyond – to ensure that that no more workers get hurt or die on the job.
Date Modified : 2010/07/13
