HSA to mark April 28 National Day of Mourning

On Friday, April 28th, HSA President Val Avery will join leaders of the labour movement to honour workers killed or injured on the job with events across the country.

The National Day of Mourning will be marked with a ceremony and march to the Legislature in Victoria, ending with a call to action for government and employers to do more to keep workers safe on the job. Around 500 people are expected to attend the event, which begins at 10:30 am on Friday. The event starts at the Victoria Conference Centre, Humboldt St. side and then marches to the Legislature.

On the hundredth anniversary of the implementation of BC's workers compensation system, participants will be carrying 100 coffins to symbolize the tens of thousands of BC workers who've been killed or seriously injured on the job, or who suffer from an occupational disease.

The ceremony at the Legislature is expected to begin at 11:00 am with feature remarks from BCFED President, Irene Lanzinger, and other workplace health and safety advocates.

Lanzinger says worker safety hasn't been a priority of the Christy Clark government, "Health and safety protections are weak and not always rigorously enforced."

"Employers whose negligence kills or seriously injures workers are let off with a slap on the wrist. Injured workers and families of deceased workers have endured deep cuts in
WCB benefits under the BC Liberals."

"Our next provincial government will need to do more to keep workers safe on the job," she says.