Powell River’s unionized city workers have extended an invitation to the community to recognize those killed and injured on the job.
Martha Higgins, Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 798, co-chair of City of Powell River’s joint occupational health and safety committee, told city council, Thursday, April 2, about the National Day of Mourning.
“I come today to talk to you about April 28, which is the National Day of Mourning,” Higgins said. “It is the day that honours workers who have been killed, hurt or lost their lives to occupational disease.
“The phrase ‘remember the canaries,’ is often used to reference this day. It was the tiny canary that once was the only safeguard for mine workers against the dangers in the workplace. If the canary died it was a signal to get out of the mine.”
The Canadian Labour Congress first recognized the Day of Mourning in 1984. In 1991 Canada was the first country to formally recognize the day with the passing of the Workers Mourning Day Act. The day of mourning is now observed throughout the world.
Higgins said the annual Day of Mourning pays respect to those who have gone before and suffered so that workers can enjoy the right to go to work and come home in the same condition they left in.
“The laws and regulations we have today are written in their blood,” she said. “We must never forget that we can honour them by continuing to make workplaces safer by ensuring we are doing all we can to prevent injury and death.”
Higgins said according to WorkSafeBC, in 2014, 175 workers lost their lives. These are workers who were accepted to have survivor benefits paid out. There are probably more than that but they are not reported or approved, she said.
In 2013 there were 128 deaths so the number is up “quite a bit.” During that year, of the 128 that were accepted, 67 of those were as a result of occupational disease and most of them were from asbestos, according to Higgins.
Six workers younger than 24 years old also died of their injuries in 2013.
In 2013, 145,126 claims were reported but 103,672 were accepted. Workplace injuries and illnesses resulted in 2.8 million lost days of work, Higgins said.
“Even though those numbers are down from 2012, in comparison to 2013, 2014 is up so far from what I can tell,” she said. “Although we have come a long way from the days of the canary in the mine there is still a long way to go.”
As in past years, CUPE Local 798 will host Powell River’s Day of Mourning ceremony on Tuesday, April 28, at the workers’ memorial in the Powell River Cemetery. The assembly will begin at 11 am with a moment of silence.
Higgins welcomed city representatives as well as the general public to attend.
Later in the council meeting, Acting Mayor Karen Skadsheim proclaimed April 28 as the National Day of Mourning in the city.
