Remembering fallen workers
Welland and Port Colborne observe National Day of Mourning
It was a chilly, rainy day for National Day of Mourning ceremonies across the region, but that didn’t dissuade people in Welland and Port Colborne from remembering workers killed or injured on the job.
Sue Hotte of Niagara Regional Labour Council led ceremonies Saturday afternoon — in Welland at Merritt Park; in Port Colborne at H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park.
“We’re here to mourn for those who’ve passed away and keep fighting for those who are living,” she said.
The National Day of Mourning is recognized to remember people who have lost their lives in the workplace and to promote workplace safety. This year’s theme was specifically workplace violence and harassment.
Daniel Peat, also from the labour council, said although industries and workplaces have changed, there are still many workplace injuries and deaths.
He said 30 per cent of employment nowadays is through small businesses, but those small businesses account for 60 per cent of workplace fatalities.
Young people between the ages of 15 and 24, he added, are three times more likely to die from workplace injuries.
For him, part of the solution is making sure young people know what their rights are, including the right to proper training and the right to refuse unsafe work.
Last year in Ontario, 227 people were killed on the job or died from an occupational disease.