Len Elliott, regional vice president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, and Dan Stephens, chair of the London and District Labour Council observe a moment of silence at the Workers' Mourning Day monument on Adelaide St., April 28, 2017. (Photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn News)Len Elliott, regional vice president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, and Dan Stephens, chair of the London and District Labour Council observe a moment of silence at the Workers' Mourning Day monument on Adelaide St., April 28, 2017. (Photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn News)
London

Londoners Pause For Day Of Mourning

Workers killed and injured on the job were honoured in London as dozens of people from several different unions joined together Friday to observe a minute of silence.

The flag outside of 380 Adelaide St., where a commemorative ceremony for the National Day of Mourning or Workers' Mourning Day was held, was lowered to half-staff. Inside, workers heard a passionate speech from Len Elliott, regional vice president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).

Elliott urged those in attendance to "get a fire in their bellies" about changes made to the Occupational Health and Safety Act by the province last December. The changes allow employers with accreditation to avoid surprise safety inspections by the Ministry of Labour.

"[The provincial government] is going to say this is a better standard. Please listen deeper, please ask the hard questions, and please show up to events where you can say 'I understand that, that is not the truth,'" Elliott told the crowd. "Until we start to see corporate leaders and those responsible (for workplace safety hazards) going to jail, hauled off in cuffs, guess what? Our workers, our friends, our family members are going to continue to die. You need to do something."

London-Fanshawe MP Irene Mathyssen and London-West MPP Peggy Sattler were also present at the hour long ceremony.

"We have to ensure and enforce the workplace protections, the health and safety regulations because our families, our workers depend on it. Our entire community depends on it," said Mathyssen. "We need governments that have the courage and the integrity to say to employers that all workplaces have to be safe."

Mathyssen reminded workers that they have the right to refuse work on job sites if they feel it is unsafe or see a potential danger.

"The government will make sure that they can't be fired or disciplined for standing up for themselves and their fellow workers," said Mathyssen.

According to statistics from the Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada, there were 852 workplace deaths and 232,629 work-related injuries in Canada in 2015. But Dan Stephens, chair of the London and District Labour Council, notes there are many more injuries that go unreported each year. He attributes that to the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board's complicated claim system.

"If there is anything questionable you get denied and you have to chase the appeal process," said Stephens. "As the employee, if it is something less serious then they can opt to just take a sick day and get their full pay. But it never gets recorded as an accident or an incident."

The Day of Mourning has been recognized across the country each year on April 28 since 1991. This year, workers are marking the 25th anniversary of the mining disaster in Westray, Nova Scotia, that killed 26 coal miners on May 9, 1992. It spawned changes to Canada’s criminal code, known as the Westray Law, that hold employers responsible for negligence that leads to serious injury or death.

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