Labour Research March 2010

Health & Safety Matters

Workers’ Memorial Day is made official

Unions have welcomed the Labour government’s announcement that it will officially recognise Workers’ Memorial Day in the UK.

The global event takes place on 28 April every year with the slogan “Remember the dead — fight for the living”. It commemorates the thousands of people who have died, been seriously injured or made ill through their work.

The worldwide theme this year is “Unions make work safer”. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is asking UK unions to send information, success stories and resources on the effect they and their safety representatives have had on improving safety, and ultimately saving lives, to the TUC.

To mark the day the TUC is calling for a minute’s silence in workplaces up and down the country at noon on Wednesday 28 April.