Bulletin
Day of Mourning for Workers Killed, Injured or Made Ill on the Job
April 23, 2025
To: All MoveUP Members
April 28 is the National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed, Injured or Made Ill on the Job. All over the world, public ceremonies are held at 11 a.m. to mourn these workers, and those suffering from occupational disease.
On this day across Canada, many labour councils will be hosting public events to honour the memories of those who lost their lives at work. This year, Day of Mourning coincides with general voting day in the federal election. We strongly encourage our members to vote in advance to avoid any potential conflicts, especially if you are planning to attend a local event in your community to commemorate workers who have been lost on the job.
For our members in BC, you can find a list of events in your area by visiting dayofmourning.bc.ca. For our members outside of BC, you can find events listed across Canada on the Canadian Labour Congress website.
April 28 is an important opportunity for workers and employers to remember the dead, but it is critical for all of us to express our continued commitment to protecting workers and preventing further tragedies and making every workplace safe and healthy for everyone. No one should ever have to go to work and not be able to safely return home.
In 2024, 146 BC workers died from a workplace injury or disease. 68 fatalities were due to traumatic injury and 78 fatalities were due to occupational disease. We know there are many more workers whose injuries, illnesses or deaths have not been accepted by WorkSafe BC, but they have nonetheless suffered losses due to their work.
We also recognize that there have been increased instances of violence in workplaces and communities particularly targeting people of colour since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, targeting those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and particularly towards the transgender community. We have also seen increased hate speech and violence driven by the surge of far-right populism in the wake of the Donald Trump election in the United States as well as ongoing global conflicts including, but not limited to, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Palestine conflict. These global political events, along with rising costs and economic insecurity have compounded the stressors that ultimately contribute to deteriorating workplace health and safety, including mental health.
On April 28, if you are able, please join union members at an event in your community as we remember those we have lost and continue to fight to ensure that no one is forced to risk injury, illness, or death because of going to work. If you are unable to participate in a public event, speak to your employer and request that your workplace observe a moment of silence at 11 a.m. on April 28. Once again, you can find more information and other resources at dayofmourning.bc.ca or on the Canadian Labour Congress website.
Join us to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives on the job and to bring awareness to workplace safety on April 28. Today, we will mourn the dead, injured, and ill. Tomorrow, we will recommit ourselves to ending workplace deaths, injuries and illnesses.
In solidarity,
Annette Toth, President
Brenda Chu, Secretary-Treasurer
Rysa Kronebusch, Vice-President, Utilities
Dimitri Ossinsky, Vice-President, ICBC
Christy Slusarenko, Vice-President, Combined Units
