Day of Mourning
Joint Proclamation

APRIL 28, 2006

The Day of Mourning offers us the opportunity to stand together with the country’s workers to remember those who have lost their lives or been injured on the job, and to reflect on what needs to be done to prevent further workplace deaths and injuries.

On April 28th:

• We remember all workers who have been stricken with workplace illness, suffered workplace injury, or have lost their lives on the job.
• We remember children left without a parent, and families facing hardship.
• We remember young workers who die and are injured at a higher rate than mature workers.
• We remember women workers whose risks are sometimes ignored or which are slow to be recognized by health studies.
• We remember those, including family and friends, who nurse or care for ill and injured workers.

The Day of Mourning was initiated by the Union movement.  It was created by workers as a result of their efforts to achieve safe working conditions.  Recognizing the ongoing efforts by Unions that help establish laws and protections to make workplaces safe:

• We acknowledge that “an injury to one is an injury to all”.
• We support the continued enforcement of health and safety laws.
• We applaud those who place workers’ health and safety before profits, and denounce those who place profits before workers’ health.
• We proclaim our right to safe workplaces.
• We reassert the right to a safe and healthy workplace, and will engage in the cooperation required  to ensure a continuing safe and healthy workplace.

On April 28th, we mourn for those who have been injured and who have lost their lives, and we reaffirm our commitment to workplace health and safety, and our commitment to continued improvement of healthy working conditions and safe workplaces.