World Day for Safety and Health at Work: 28 April 2008

The following was submitted as a comment to a previous posting but Voice agrees with the sentiments included and so we are posting it on its own so that it might be viewed by more bloggers. We would like to thank WillMaar for taking the time to write in and for reminding us of this important information.

"On April 28, we remember. We mourn the dead. And we continue to fight for the living.
Some think the labour movement fights only to better workers’ standard of living. Just as often, our struggle is more basic - we’re fighting for our members’ lives. Legislation, regulations and occupational disease prevention would be relegated to the back burner but for the struggle and vigilance of union members.
Occupational health and safety legislation has been in place since the early 70s, but it has failed to check Canada’s dismal record of injuring and killing workers.
As many workers have died at work since that first legislation was passed in Canada in 1972 as the number of Canadians who fought and died during World War II. Is it any wonder workers are asking why the current health and safety system is failing them?
Workers that died in BC in 2007= 139
• 23 in vehicle accidents
• 71 occupational diseases (59 asbestos related)
• 45 traumatic fatalities
• 6 young workers between the ages of 15 – 24
30 Canadian soldiers killed in Afghanistan in the year 2007
We are in a war zone and we have far too many casualties.
On April 28, we remember. We mourn the dead. And we continue to fight for the living."