President’s Day of Mourning Message
For more than 30 years, on April 28, Canadian flags have flown at half-mast, and workers have gathered together, across the country, to bear witness to those who have been needlessly killed at work, and to participate in Day or Mourning ceremonies. These ceremonies help us re-energize our efforts, in conjunction with our employers and governments, to achieve our common goal of eliminating all of these unacceptable accidents, injuries and deaths.
We all know that all workplace injuries and fatalities are preventable and avoidable, and we all know too well the terrible suffering of workers, family members, friends and co-workers that follows workplace tragedies.
Every year in Canada approximately 1000 working people die from workplace accidents and illnesses and hundreds of thousands more are injured and exposed to hazardous substances, leaving many of them disabled or suffering from chronic health problems. Approximately 229,000 accident claims were filed with the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board in 2015 that is up almost 15 percent from the year before.
Regrettably, we still have a long way to go to eliminate workplace deaths and injuries but we know we can get there. At Day of Mourning ceremonies, we renew our commitments to achieve our common goal –the elimination of all workplace accidents, injuries and deaths.
Don MacKinnon
PWU President
