THOSE KILLED AT WORK REMEMBERED

Events were held across Britain on Workers' Memorial Day on 28 April to commemorate the many workers who have died or been injured because of their work. The number of activities taking place on this day has grown enormously since the day was first taken up by the Hazards movement in this country in 1989.

The focus of much of the activity this year was asbestos and this was the subject of a national rally in London held by the TUC. The TUC also published a report, Mapping the misery of asbestos, detailing the killer facts region by region and town by town, on the number of workers who have died because of asbestos since the last general election. The total number is 18,000.

Many other events took place in towns and cities across the UK including demonstrations and marches, the unveiling of sculptures and commemorative plaques, the dedication of a bench, wreath laying and candle-lighting ceremonies. Trees were planted and balloons let off. Many of the activities took place where workers' memorial trees had been planted in previous years.

Mapping the misery of asbestos is available free from the TUC; tel 020 7636 4030.