Workers' Memorial Day - 28^th April 2008

This year's Workers' Memorial Day theme is ' GOOD OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH FOR ALL WORKERS'

The purpose behind Workers' Memorial Day has always been to "remember the dead: fight for the living" and unions are asked to focus on both areas, by considering memorials to all those killed through work but at the same time ensuring that such tragedies are not repeated. That can best be done by building trade union organisation, and campaigning for stricter enforcement with higher penalties for breaches of health & safety laws.

• What can you do?
• National events
• London, South and Eastern
• South West
• Midlands
• Yorkshire & Humber
• North West
• Northern
• Scotland
• Wales

What can you do?

• Get your employer to allow some form of recognition of the day, such as one minute's silence to remember anyone who has died at your workplace.
• Ask your local council, or any other public body to fly official flags at half-mast on the day; and/or
• Write a letter to the local press;
• Organising a local meeting on health and safety and the need for more corporate accountability. You could focus on a particular issue of concern where you work, such as violence or lone working;
• Arranging an event such as planting a memorial tree in a public place, putting up a plaque, dedicating a sculpture, a piece of art, or a bench, to remember workers who have been killed at the workplace or in the community;
• Asking local religious centres to include Workers' Memorial Day in their worship during the Week;
• Distribute purple 'forget-me-not' ribbons, the symbol of Workers Memorial Day;
• Finding out what other unions, your local Hazards group, or regional TUC or Trades Council are planning and taking part or organising a joint event

If you are organising an event for Workers Memorial Day and would like it displayed on these pages, then please email through the details to healthandsafety@tuc.org.uk

Links

For resources on Workers Memorial day including ribbons car stickers and posters contact the Greater Manchester Hazards centre http://www.gmhazards.org.uk or e-mail mail@gmhazards.org.uk.

National Events

• UNISON Head Office - will hold its own event at Tavistock Square Gardens, Camden. There will be a short speech by a senior official followed by a minutes silence at 12 noon. UNISON staff in attendance will wear the purple forget me knot ribbons, and distribute ribbons and flyers to members of the public passing by. All UNISON staff across the UK are being supplied with the purple ribbons and WMD car stickers. They have set up a page at http://www.unison.org.uk/safety/pages_view.asp?did=4783
  

London, South and Eastern

• London: A Balloon release will take place at 10am outside the offices of Pattinson and Brewer solicitors at 30 Great James St, WC1N 3HA
• London: March and rally. Gather 10.30 Holland St, London SE1 beside the Tate Modern. March to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) headquarters in Southwark St rally with speakers at HSE, then march to City Hall, London SE1 for rally with speakers. Speakers to include: Trade unions, campaigners and the families of those killed at or by work.
• Chelmsford Trades Council will be holding an event to mark Workers' Memorial Day on April 28th 2008, at the Memorial Tree near the lake & bowling green, Central Park 1pm. Please bring along an article of your trade or place of work which will be laid at the foot of our tree of remembrance. The memorial service will be conducted by Chris Bishop, Chaplain at Stansted Airport. They will also be staging an exhibition in Chelmsford Library from 27 April to 3 May.
• London: SERTUC and Thompsons solicitors are hosting an event in Congress House, Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3LS 6pm – 8pm featuring Paul Mason, author of ‘Live Working or Die Fighting’, Tom Jones, Thompsons Solicitors. A short film: “Mesothelioma: the human face of an asbestos epidemic”. Food and Wine Buffet. Free admission, RSVP: mdykes@tuc.org.uk.
• Waltham Forest: The Unison Local Government Branch will hold a memorial ceremony at 1pm at Walthamstow Town Hall. Guests will  include the Leader of the Council, local MPs, the Mayor, and representatives from both Thompsons Solicitors and the Health and Safety Executive. After speeches and a wreath laying by local campaigners and dignitaries, the ceremony will conclude at 2pm with the provision of refreshments
• Rochester :MEDWAY council staff are to pay tribute to lost colleagues at a service to be held on Monday, April 28, at Rochester Castle Gardens. The service starts at midday and is part of this year's Workers' Memorial Day. Council Ranger Bob Wade will tell the story of the Memorial Tree, planted 10 years ago. There will also be a display of 240 empty boots representing the number of deaths each year from work-related accidents in the UK. Purple ribbons will also be made available to anyone who wants to remember a colleague by tying one on the tree.

South West

• Taunton : UNISON South-West Regional Health and Safety Committee -have commissioned an illuminated stained glass window from a local glass artist. It will be unveiled at the Taunton UNISON Regional Office at midday on 28 April. Local MPs, the Mayor, and other dignitaries will be invited.
• Gloucester : UNISON Severn Health Branch - will be planting a memorial tree or bush at Wotton Lawn in Gloucester, a hospital belonging to the Partnership NHS Trust, with an invite going out to the local press

Midlands

• Wolverhampton: 12:30 at the Workers' Memorial Day Tree, next to the Cenotaph, St.Peter's Sq. outside Civic Centre/St Peter's church. Trade union speakers, local MPs, wreath laying ceremony. Industrial Chaplain,  Rev.Benson Headley. Civic flags will fly at half mast. Organised by Wolverhampton, Bilston & District Trades Union Council & the Black Country Urban Industrial Mission
• Birmingham: Workers Memorial Day event at St Phillips Church organised by Birmingham Trades Union Council.Guest Speakers from Trade Unions, including UNISON, UNITE, and others. Remembrance Service & ceremony in memory of workers lives lost at work & 2 Minutes Silence led by Rev Neil Richards from Carrs Lane Church, Birmingham.
• Nottingham.: A joint trade union event will be held at the venue for the new stained glass window, St. Peters Church, St. Peters Square, Nottingham. A service of remembrance and vigil to those workers killed or injured at work will take place from 1pm. Those attending the vigil will place a purple ribbon on a white sash - one ribbon for each person they know who was been killed, injured, or made sick through work related illness. All are welcome to attend
• UNISON Staffordshire Local Government Branch - is presenting a bench to Staffordshire County Council at the Forest of Mercia Innovation Centre, Chasewater, near Cannock at 10.00am on 28 April 2008.

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Bradford - Meet outside Bradford City Hall at the Workers Memorial Tree (on the grassed area near the big screen). 12:00 noon
• Immingham - service will take place at 10-30am at the Workers Memorial in the Grounds of the War Memorial Pelham Road Immingham.
• Grimsby - service will take place at 1-00pm at the Workers Memorial in the grounds of the War Memorial Nun's Corner Grimsby.
• Cleethorpes - service will take place at 3-00pm at the Workers Memorial in the Pier Gardens Alexander Road Cleethorpes
• Rotherham - The Workers Memorial Day Service & Wreath laying ceremony organised by Rotherham Trade Union Council, will be held on Sunday 27th April, 10.30 am, at Rotherham Minster, Rotherham, followed by wreath laying and a minute's silence outside the church at 12.15 pm
• Sheffield - At 12.30 P.M. on Monday, 28th April Sheffield Trades Union Council is organizing  a Ceremony at the Workers` Memorial Tree which is situated in front of the Sheffield Town Hall. Councillor Dunworth, the Lord Mayor of Sheffield, has been invited to open the Ceremony and he will be followed by a number of  Speakers from the Trade Union Movement. Trade Union Branches, Shop Stewards, and Joint Shop Stewards Committees, are requested to encourage trade unionists to attend this important  Ceremony and, if possible, to bring along with them wreaths and flowers to be placed around the Sheffield Workers` Memorial Tree.

North West

• Manchester - Rally at Peace Gardens 11.30am on Monday 28th April - music by Claire Mooney; theatre; Speakers - Families Against Corporate Killers, TU safety reps.  Refreshments at Mechanics Institute afterwards.
• Liverpool - UCATT will be holding an event at the Memorial in Hunter Street, 28th April; assemble 11.45 a.m.  with General Secretary Allan Ritchie
• Preston - March and rally on Saturday 26th April  11.30 am at Preston Flag Market for more information about it, please contact: WMD c/o Trade Union Education, 5th Floor, Buckingham House, Preston PR1 3LS, Chair: Andy Birchall, 01772 223112  www.lancashiretradeunions.org.uk
• Chorley - Chorley Branch of Unite the Union are holding a memorial service at the Unite Workers Memorial Tree in Astley Park, Chorley, on Friday 25th, April  at 6pm. Meet at the Park gates (Park Road) at 5:50pm, all welcome. For More information Steve Turner (Branch Secretary) Mob- 07859369492
• Oldham Trades Council award of the Andrew Herbertson Memorial Award on Monday 28th in St George Gardens

Northern

• Darlington -Darlington Borough Council and Darlington Unison have organized a tree planting ceremony for 28 April. The Mayor of Darlington will be in attendance and will plant the memorial tree in South Park, Darlington at 12:30pm. If attending, go to the south-west corner of the park adjacent to the Parkside and Grange Road junction.
• Hartlepool - The Workers Memorial Day Service & Wreath Laying Ceremony organised by Hartlepool Trades Union Council will be held on Monday 28th April 2008, 12.30pm, Christchurch, Church Square, Hartlepool (with wreaths being laid at the Workers Memorial in Church Square, Hartlepool). Download a flyer (PDF)
• Gateshead - The Northern TUC are hosting a seminar to continue the asbestos campaign from 10am to 1pm at The Springfield Hotel, Gateshead, followed by a wreath laying service in Saltwell Park. Download a flyer for more information.(PDF)
  

Scotland

• Greenock: The local trades council, unions, Inverclyde council, local politicians, and others will lay wreaths at the workers statue in Clyde Square, outside the council buildings on Monday 28th of April at 11-00 am when a minutes silence will be observed and a short service by local clergy will be held for those killed at work, or by diseases contracted at work
• Bathgate: West Lothian Trades Council and West Lothian Council have organised a Workers Memorial Day Seminar which will be held 9.30am for 10am start on Monday 28th April 2008 in the Bathgate Sports Centre. The seminar ends at 12pm and participants join with others at the International Workers Memorial for a short service.
• Clydebank: Saturday 26 April, 12:00. Clydebank TUC, International Workers Memorial Day Commemoration. Clydebank Plaza, Speakers include Ian Tasker, STUC Assistant Secretary
• Dundee: Friday 25 April, City Chambers, Annual Memorial Day lecture on the theme, Equality for All, Creating and Inclusive Scotland will be delivered by Mary Senior, STUC Assistant Secretary 12:30. Monday 28 April, Service at the memorial tree adjacent to Discovery Quay, no further details as yet.
• Edinburgh: Monday, 28 March, 12:00 – 13:00. West Princes Street Gardens, near to Ross Band Stand, Speakers include Louise Adamson, Families Against Corporate Killers, songs from Protest in Harmony.
• Fife: Memorial Service in Beveridge Park, Kirkcaldy, 10:00. Health and Safety seminar on Health and Safety and the Corporate Manslaughter Bill, 12:00-14:00
• Glasgow: Commemoration in George Square, 13:00. Speakers to be confirmed
• North Lanarkshire: Unveiling of North Lanarkshire Workers Memorial, Summerlee Heritage Park, Coatbridge. 12:00. Speakers include Elaine Smith MSP and Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary
• Mid Lothian: Commemoration at the commemorative memorial in George V Park, Bonnyrigg ,Midlothian, 12:30
• Dumfries Trade Council are planting a redwood tree to mark International Workers Memorial Day in Castledykes Park, Dumfries at 2.00 p.m
  

Wales

• Hazards Campaign Wales  launch a   telephone support line  for families who have  been bereaved  through a workplace fatality & co-workers,  who have experienced a  work-related death.

Briefing document (400 words) issued 10 Mar 2006