It’s Workers’ Memorial Day today (Thursday, April 28).

But what’s that all about, you ask.

The annual memorial day remembers people who have died at work. It’s also a rallying call to improve workers’ rights around the world.

Remember the dead, fight like hell for the living. Here’s everything you need to know.


What’s the history of Workers’ Memorial Day?

Workers’ Memorial Day was established in America in 1970 in a bid to remember the hundreds of thousands of working people killed and injured on the job every year. The April 28 date was chosen to mark the Occupational Health and Safety Act which came into force on that day.



After being recognised in Canada, in 1985, and in other parts of the world, it was brought to the UK by Tommy Hart in 1992. The late activist had been campaigning for improved standards in the West Midlands after he was injured in a workplace accident.

Trade unions and campaigners adopted the event and its slogan, ‘remember the dead, fight like hell for the living’, and the day of remembrance became a rallying call for change.

Now workers and their representatives from all over the world come together on April 28 to demand action, demonstrate and honour those who have lost their lives because of their job.

Tommy Hart’s widow talks about the history in the UK video:

Strong laws, strong workers. What does the 2016 theme mean?

Themes for the day were first introduced in 1996 and have highlighted issues ranging from asbestos to HIV/AIDS.

This year the theme is ‘strong laws, strong enforcement, strong unions’.

Activists argue that the world is seeing growing attacks on health and safety protections from governments and companies who care more about the bottom line than workers’ safety.

In Britain millions of self-employed workers saw government protections cut in 2014 in a move designed to cut ‘red tape’. Meanwhile the European Commission is in the process of pursuing a potentially dangerous de-regulation strategy.

IWMD campaigners say that stronger laws alone are not enough if they are not going to be enforced. In the UK the number of workplace inspections has fallen dramatically in the past five years, the Hazards Campaign claims. In many other countries such checks do not even exist.

Strong unions will protect staff and promote health and safety at work, they argue.

Why should it matter to you?

Up to 50,000 people die from work-related ill health and incidents every year in the UK, according to UNISON.

Around the world, one worker dies every 15 seconds, the International Labour Organisation found. That’s two million people who die as a result of work-related accidents and diseases every year, more than the number killed in wars.

That is a shocking statistic, but it’s not the only one that should worry you. Repetitive strain injury, back pain, bullying and workplace violence affect thousands of workers in the UK, and their families. But most of these are preventable.



When the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh collapsed, killing 1,130 people in 2013, it was the deadliest garment factory incident ever. We promised to change our shopping habits, to fight for justice for the victims and their families. But in December last year a report found that only eight of 3,425 factories inspected in the country had ‘remedied violations enough to pass a final inspection’. Not enough has been done, but most of us have already moved on.

Today, pause to remember the dead, and remember that the fight is still on for the living.

What can you do?

Workers will be holding a minute’s silence at midday around the country, but you can take time to remember the dead alone, or with your colleagues, whenever is convenient.

Wear a purple knotted ‘forget me knot’ ribbon which has been adopted as the symbol of Workers’ Memorial Day.

Join in the conversation and follow what is happening using the hashtag #IWMD16

Find out about services and events happening near you here.

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