committee:

Health, Safety & Wellness

National Day of Mourning - April 28

In 1990, Parliament passed the Workers Mourning Day Act to recognize April 28th as the day to remember workers killed or injured on the job. Over 1,000 Canadians lose their lives at work every year. On this day, we honour those whose lives have been forever changed by a workplace incident.

A Story of Remembrance

When Jason Cunningham went out with his crew to work on a tower’s aircraft lighting, he took the time to share Bruce Halladay’s story - a man who’s memorial sits atop the tower from two decades earlier.

As many on the crew were new apprentices, they were unfamiliar with Bruce’s story. Together, the team took a moment of silence to honour and pay their respects to their predecessor. Then, they got to work cleaning up Bruce’s memorial with a fresh coat of paint, straightening out the cross and adding his name to the monument installed to enshrine Bruce and his legacy. For Bruce, and for the others who lost their lives on the job, they remembered.
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Events and Resources

Some of our employer and organizational partners have provided resources for us to come together. Take the opportunity to participate in an event in your community.

A Message from John Wabb
Good morning and thank you for joining us again today on this Workers Day of Mourning.

Today we pause to remember and honour family, friends and co-workers who have lost their lives, suffered injury, or experienced illness due to unsafe or unhealthy workplaces.

Why? Because it is important to learn from the experience of others and to better understand how heart breaking and devastating a workplace accident can be on our family.

Please take the time to reach out to a friend, co-worker or family member and let them know we are thinking about them today...

Read the full message
Day of Mourning Video
Take a moment to watch this  2.5 minute video where members talk about what the day means to them. Towards the end of the video is a tribute to the CUSW members we've lost over the years. 
Partner Resources
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Our primary partner in the fight for Health, Safety & Wellness in the workplace is the Workers Health & Safety Centre. The WHSC Day of Mourning Page includes a list of events taking place in our communities on the 28th. Be sure to have a look for an event in your community. 
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The CCU has produced a series of posters in recognition of the National Day of Mourning. You can now have a digital copy of each. Feel free to download the PDF files and print them out. Visit the CCU Day of Mourning Page at the link below.
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The Association for Workplace Tragedy Family Support, known as Threads of Life, is a Canadian registered charity dedicated to supporting families after a workplace fatality, life-altering injury or occupational disease. 
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In this video, Hydro One and its Union Partners honour those who have passed while on the job.