This Tuesday 28th April is International Workers' Memorial Day (IWMD), and today should have seen the annual Salford commemoration at the Agecroft miners' memorial on Agecroft Road, plus, on Tuesday, a big event in Manchester town centre.
Obviously these cannot go ahead but the day will have many symbolic events including a minute's silence at 11am on Tuesday called for by the TUC, a Zoom event at noon organised by Greater Manchester Hazards Centre (click here for access details and more info) and a live gathering at 11am in Prestwich at the entrance to Tesco and TGI Fridays with strict social distancing.
The key theme at all past International Workers' Memorial Day events has been to 'remember the dead and fight for the living', and this year this holds significance like never before as front line public facing workers and health workers are dying through lack of protection during the coronavirus pandemic.
"On International Workers Memorial Day, we will remember all those who have died because of work, whoever they are, because they are someone's parent, spouse, sibling, child, they are someone's loved one" says Janet Newsham, Coordinator of Greater Manchester Hazards Centre.
"Each and every work-related death needs to be recognised, counted and therefore made to count" she adds "International Workers' Memorial Day is more than just a remembrance, it's a day of action too. This year is even more poignant as we
hold our events during the 'lock-down'. A most devastating and life-challenging time for us all.
"The truth of workplace harm is made crystal clear from the Covid-19 deaths - the more vulnerable you are, the more exploited or discriminated against, then your health, safety and welfare are more at risk" she explains "So this year, as always, we say to negligent employers and Government, 'We will hold you to account, we will challenge you every way we can, to ensure the safety and health of your workers and your citizens'. We also record our thanks and appreciation to all those trade union safety reps who are working tirelessly to protect workers from the effects of coronavirus and the bad working conditions which have allowed it to spread."
In Britain, around 1,500 people are killed in work-related incidents and up to 50,000 from work illness pre COVID19. That's around 140 people per day killed by indecent working conditions. In the North West at least 5,000 people die per year due to work. There is no official record so far of workers dying of COVID19 but public reports suggest around 200 deaths so far of health, social care, transport, education, prison, postal, border, cleaners and other workers.
"Worker deaths from COVID are alarming, workers should not be made ill by work" Janet adds "It is only workers who will get us through and if their health and safety is not protected, then public health cannot be protected. We support the 11am one minutes silence to Remember the Dead – those dying from Covid19 and all work hazards."
This year, Workers' Memorial Day will launch a series of demands to 'Stop the pandemic at work' by...
Closing all non-essential workplaces
Paying every worker living wage to #StayHomeSaveNHSSaveLives
Providing correct PPE for all essential workers- with good health and safety there should be no work-related Covid infections or deaths
No release from lockdown or return to work unless based on precaution, prevention and protection of all workers.
For more information see the Hazards Campaign website – click here
Meanwhile, there are 14 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Salford, taking the total to 528, up from 514.
Manchester still has the highest number of cases in Greater Manchester with 976, followed by Stockport on 729, Bolton 659, Oldham 549, Wigan 549, Trafford 534, Tameside 417, Bury 396 and Rochdale 395.
Sadly, three more deaths have been announced by Salford Royal Hospital.
* Greater Manchester Hazards Centre working with Families Against Corporate Killers and the national Hazards Campaign has produced two new #IWMD20 films:
Lean on Me – Families against corporate killers supporting families of those killed at work – click here to view it on YouTube
Hazards Campaigner talking about what IWMD means to them – click here to view it on YouTube
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