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April 28, 2008 is the International Day of Mourning
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On December 28, 1990, 8-years after the Day of Remembrance was launched by the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), the
Government of Canada passed the Workers Mourning Day Act, which established April 28 as the official day of observance to
annually commemorate workers killed, injured or disabled on the job, or who suffer from occupational related illnesses. This day
is also intended to show Canadians' concern for occupational health and safety.
Canada's National Day of Mourning spread to over 80 countries around the world and has been adopted by the AFL-CIO and the
International Confederation of Free Trade, which has earned this important day to now be recognized as the International Day of
Mourning. In 2004, over 800 workers died from workplace injury and disease. Over 300,000 were injured seriously enough to
prevent them from reporting to work.
It is estimated that over one million work-related injuries and illnesses are reported each year in Canada, not to mention the
numbers that are not.
We ask our Local 4001 Membership to stop working at 11:00 local time on April 28th, and pause for one-minute of silence in
memory of all Canadian workers who have been killed or injured on the job.
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Appendix IX of CN Agreement 5.1, Appendix VIII of CN Agreement 5.4 and VIA Agreements 1 and 2 enshrine this observance each April 28th for non-clerical
members.
On April 28th, the Canadian flag on Parliament Hill will fly at half-mast, workers will light candles, don ribbons and black armbands and observe moments of
silence all across the country.
Making workplaces safer is, or should be, a daily effort. But April 28 has been singled out to offer employees and employers the opportunity to remember the
dead, injured and ill, as well as publicly renew their commitment to improve health and safety in the workplace.
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