Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job

April 28 is the National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job. On this day, all over the world, public ceremonies are held at 11:00 am to mourn these workers, and those suffering from occupational disease. MoveUP encourages you to attend a ceremony in your area or, if you cannot, to take a moment of silence on Sunday, April 28th at 11:00 am.

The symbol for the Day of Mourning is a canary, used in times past by miners to gauge the quality and safety of the air in the mines in which they worked.

The National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job started over thirty years ago and is now recognized around the globe. Launched by the Canadian Labour Congress in the early 1980’s, the Day of Mourning has been formally recognized by municipal and provincial governments across Canada, and in 1991 was formally recognized by the Government of Canada.

Since then, the  Day of Mourning has been recognized in over 80 countries and has been formally adopted by the AFL-CIO in the United States and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. On April 28, the Canadian flag on Parliament Hill flies at half-mast, just as it does at provincial legislatures and city halls across Canada.

April 28 is an opportunity for workers and employers to remember the dead, honour the injured and sick, and publicly renew their commitment to improve health and safety in the workplace.

Please join your fellow 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 as a result of going to work.

In solidarity,

David Black
President