Press Releases
World Day for Health and Safety: Unions Make Work Safer
Every hour of every day, more than 270 workers die around the world as a result of workplace accidents or diseases related to working conditions, and a further 38,000 workers get hurt on the job, according to recent figures.
“Unions have a vital role to play in building safer workplaces”, says ITGLWF General Secretary Patrick Itschert. “That’s why the global trade union movement has chosen ‘unions make work safer’ as the theme for the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers.
“Unions aren’t responsible for health and safety – that duty befalls employers and governments”, says Mr. Itschert. “But because employers often fail to provide a healthy and safe environment, and governments are often lax in enforcing safety laws, unions can make a major difference by doing what they do best: identifying problems, raising awareness among workers and negotiating and enforcing improvements.”
“It’s no coincidence that many of those who die, fall ill or are injured on the job are employed in workplaces or countries where employers deny the right of workers to organise and bargain collectively and where other fundamental rights are violated. Nowhere is this more evident than in Bangladesh’s garment industry, where over 150 workers have died in the past five years in major factory fires and other disasters”.
“The trade union movement globally looks set to make this 28 April the largest workplace health and safety event in history, with events set to take place in over 100 countries. The ITGLWF has encouraged its affiliates to mobilise on 28 April to commemorate workers who have lost their lives or health at work and to fight for better occupational health and safety”.
