International Workers’ Memorial Day – unionised workplaces are safer workplaces!

International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) on 28 April is our day to remember the dead and fight for the living.

Up to 50,000 people die each year in the UK from work-related ill health and accidents.  Although few UNISON members die in workplace incidents, many suffer injuries and work-related ill health.

But it’s no secret – workplaces where there are active trade union safety reps are twice as safe as those without.  Where health and safety isn’t taken seriously, staff:

• get injured,
• become ill,
• are left with a permanent disability,
• have their working lives cut short, or
• sometimes die.

IWMD on 28 April each year, is our day to remember the dead and fight for the living.

UNISON makes a real difference.  Our campaigning for better conditions and your safety reps hard work, make your work safer and healthier.  Together we challenge bad employers and work with good ones.

So join our ongoing campaign for safe and healthy work!

• Find out what is happening locally in your region, speak with your UNISON regional organising staff or have a look at the listings on the TUC website, and support an event.
• Consider organising your own local event if there isn’t one already, perhaps at work, and possibly jointly with your employer or other unions.
• Use the day to support this year’s focus that “unionised workplaces are safer workplaces.”
• Discuss workplace health and safety concerns with members, non-members, and the employer.
• Many UNISON branches have successfully organised and recruited around local health and safety concerns – what are the concerns at your workplace?
• Order and use UNISON’s topical materials from the online catalogue and health and safety knowledge pages.
• Order or download and use UNISON’s new IWMD poster (stock no. 2996) and IWMD leaflet (stock no. 2997) for 2018, to promote the upcoming day.
• Order the purple-forget-me-knot purple ribbons, stickers, and more for your local event, workplace, or to use and wear on the 28 April.
• Join the minute’s silence at 12 noon on the day itself or whenever else your workplace or branch marks it.
• Make your own IWMD flag, download our design.

Let us know what you have planned

Email: healthandsafety@unison.co.uk and we’ll publicise the details on the UNISON H&S Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Email healthandsafety@tuc.org.uk and the TUC will place it on its national listings.

Follow us on social media

Follow our ongoing campaign for International Workers’ Memorial Day on the UNISON website, on our Facebook page and via Twitter. You can tweet using #IWMD18.