April 26, 2019 - April 28 is the National Day of Mourning. On this day, we dedicate a moment to honour the workers killed, injured or made ill by their job. As some Canadians’ governments are currently rolling back workers’ protections, the National Day of Mourning is a reminder that many of these occupational accidents are the direct consequence of employers putting profit-before-people.

Your Union fights for your safety at work 

Local 1944’s Worker’s Compensation and Health and Safety Committee advocates for better health and safety conditions and regulations. Don’t hesitate to reach out to the Committee at safety@usw1944.ca and to follow their Facebook page.

The United Steelworkers are constantly pushing for changes to build safer workplaces through its different campaigns:

• The “Stop the killing, Enforce the law” campaign aims at holding employers accountable for workplace deaths where the employer is at fault. You can participate in this campaign by lobbying your municipal government.
• The Emergency Response Team offers caring and compassionate support to members, families and co-workers dealing with a workplace tragedy.
• The New Worker Awareness Program helps new and young workers by sharing knowledge and experience.

Know your rights

Every worker in Canada has three basic rights that apply directly to safety. Please take a minute to learn more about them, as they can save your life:

• The Right to Know about all hazards and dangers in your workplace and how these can affect you. Most occupational injuries and illnesses occur because workers are unaware of the hazards. Did you know: The most common causes of injury are slipping and falling, over-exertion, being struck by an object, suffering toxic effects from chemicals, and burns.
• Workers have the Right to Participate by being represented at a joint health and safety committee, that is entitled to inspect the workplace, identify hazards and make recommendations to the employer.
• The most important tool to ensure your health and safety is your worker’s Right to Refuse any unsafe work. You cannot legally be fired for refusing unsafe work, but specific procedures must be followed. 

By law, employers are responsible for their workers’ health and safety and must prevent hazards, eliminate dangerous conditions, and provide safety training.

Campaign for safety on the National Day of Mourning

USW Local 1944 invites our members to attend one of the ceremonies taking place across Canada. To find an event near you, visit the Canadian Labour Congress calendar of ceremonies 2019, or check your Province’s dedicated web sites:
Alberta: www.wcb.ab.ca
British Columbia: www.dayofmourning.bc.ca
Ontario: www.whsc.on.ca/Events
Québec: www.jourdedeuil.com

Write to your Labour Minister and pressure elected officials to support stronger regulations and enforce existing laws that keep workers safe. 

Always remember: “The demands of the service or the importance of the job are never so great that we cannot do the job safely.”

In Solidarity,

USW Local 1944