April 26, 2026    Letter to the Editor

 

Re: National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job – April 28

 

Greetings,

 

As we approach April 28th, the National Day of Mourning for Workers Killed or Injured on the Job, I want to invite everyone to join us on Tuesday, April 28 at 6:00 PM at the First Wesley United Church, 130 N Brodie Street, Thunder Bay.  Food and fellowship to follow.

 

We seek your help to protect the health and safety of all workers and for our communities at large.  There are over a million work related injuries and illnesses each year in Canada, of which about 50,000 are severe that result in death or life long disabilities.  Not only are these workers affected, but their families are as well.

 

A little history.  April 28 has many names. Marked around the world, its origins are in Canada. In Canada, it’s the Day of Mourning. In the United States and the United Kingdom, it’s Workers’ Memorial Day. The International Labour Organization calls it the World Day for Safety and Health at Work. 

Around 1983, the health and safety director of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Colin Lambert, and his long-time friend and fellow activist, Ray Sentes, came up with the idea of a day to recognize workers killed and injured on the job.  Previously as a steelworker and miner in Sudbury, Ontario, Lambert was instrumental in having mandatory coroners’ inquests for all miners’ deaths in Ontario. He also lamented the contrast between the lack of recognition for miners and other workers who died because of their work and the large public events for “fallen” police officers and union firefighters.

In 1984, there were 4 deaths at the shipyards here in Thunder Bay.  The Steelworkers joined the call for a National Day of Mouring and Action

At the CUPE convention in 1984, union delegates supported the proposal. Soon after, some CUPE locals started negotiating events, such as lowered flags and moments of silence.  In 1986, the Canadian Labour Congress announced the first Day of Mourning, coinciding with the first day of its convention that year. They chose the date when the Ontario legislature passed the country’s first workers compensation law, in 1914.  It is now recognized by both federal and provincial governments.

So, where is our government on this issue?  The messages from the Ford Government are they are focused on reducing costs to corporations by lowering WSIB premiums to an all-time low and giving annual rebates saving big businesses 21 billions dollars.  At the same time, fines for Occupational Health and Safety violations have dropped by 90%.

 

Real Occupational Health and Safety is not achieved by allowing corporations to escape the costs of injury, illness, and death.  Corporations have the legal responsibility to protect their workers.  Let’s hold them accountable.

 

Stay safe!

 

Steve Mantis, Kaministiquia  

Thunder Bay & District Injured Workers Support Group