Workers Memorial & the International Day of Mourning : Melbourne Indymedia

2007 Workers Memorial

Workers Memorial & the International Day of Mourning
A memorial service is held each year at the Workers Memorial rock .
The memorial rock was unveiled in 2000 to commemorate workers who have lost their lives as a result of their work. Each year on (or near) the 28th of April, people gather together to remember their loved ones who were killed at work.

The inscription on the rock reads:

"IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE
WORKERS
WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES AS A RESULT OF THEIR WORK
THEY ARE GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN."

The memorial rock has enormous significance for so many of us. It came from a site where a worker died. The 'symbolic' cross was carved by a worker who lost his mate on the job, and it was erected after hours by two groups of workers, each having lost someone dear to them due to a workplace death. The memorial rock honours all victims of work-related deaths and is a constant reminder of the number of people who lose their lives each year in Australia as a result of their work.
The erection of the Memorial was a collaborative effort between IDSA and the Trades Hall Literary Institute, VTHC and affiliated unions. It is located on the lawns outside the Victorian Trades Hall Council building, corner of Lygon Street and Victoria Street, Carlton South, Victoria, Australia.

History of the International Day of Mourning
In 1984, the OH&S committee of a Canadian union organisation* recommended the creation of a remembrance day for workers killed or injured on the job. By 1991 the Canadian government passed legislation declaring each April 28 "a day of remembrance for workers killed or injured at work." Recognition of this "Workers Memorial Day" spread, and it was adopted internationally in 1996. Now the day is marked in countries all around the world.
Since 1997, the Australian union movement has observed the day with commemorative events organised by the state and territory trades and labour councils. The day highlights the preventable nature of the majority of workplace accidents and ill health and promotes campaigns and union organisation in the fight for improvements in workplace safety. The slogan for the day is Mourn the dead, fight for the living.

* The Canadian Union of Public Employees - CUPE

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- The 2007 Workers Memorial Day will be held on Friday, 27th April, 2007.

Further details of 2007 time etc to follow.

Industrial Deaths Support and Advocacy Inc
Phone (03) 9309 4453
International +61 3 9309 4453
Fax (03) 9309 4453
Mobile Phone 0414 763 143

idsa@idsa.com.au

Office address
1/9 Hillcrest Road
Glenroy, Victoria, 3046
Australia

http://www.idsa.com.au

LINKS:
WorkSafe: Further assistance and contacts, including how to contact WorkSafe's Family Support Officer and other organisations to help bereaved families http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/WorkSafe

Grief and Bereavement
National Association for Loss and Grief: Loss, Grief and Bereavement Support
http://www.nalagvic.org.au/

Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement: Bereavement Counselling Service
http://www.grief.org.au/

Griefline: Telephone counselling service
(03) 9596 7799, daily from noon until 3am
Lifeline: phone support 13 11 14

Mensline Australia: for men with family & relationship concerns 1300 789 978 or http://www.menslineaus.org.au

Kids Help Line 1800 55 1800 or http://www.kidshelp.com.au

Suicide Helpline Victoria: 24/7 crisis intervention, support & information 1300 651 251 or http://www.suicidehelpline.org.au

Other states of Australia

SOUTH AUSTRALIA - VOID - Voice Of Industrial Death -
a South Australian support & lobby group with 24 hour phone support:
http://www.void.org.au/
(08) 8524 6879 or 0417 819 745

SOUTH AUSTRALIA - site with information about workplace deaths.
http://www.grieflink.asn.au/workplace.html

NEW SOUTH WALES - WorkCover web-site:
http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au

QUEENSLAND -
http://www.workplacedeath.wmb.org.au/about.php "Partnerships in Grieving"

WESTERN AUSTRALIA -
http://www.worksafe.wa.gov.au

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The following is from a WorkSafe media release dated 27th March, 2007.

Bendigo death adds to horror workplace death toll

The death of a man who fell around three metres on a domestic home improvement project today at Bendigo has taken Victoria’s work-related death toll for 2007 to 11.

The man, who was from Eaglehawk and aged in his late 50s, died in hospital.

He was working with another man at the house in Peacock Drive Epsom when he fell through plastic sheeting.

They were completing a pergola.

Victoria’s alarming death toll of 11 compares with five at the same time last year.

Four of this year’s deaths have been in the construction industry. More than a quarter of the state’s deaths since the start of last year (11 of 41) were in construction.

WorkSafe’s Executive Director, John Merritt, said falls were a major cause of deaths in construction. There have been four since the start of 2006.

“Planning a safe work sites does not take long or add significant cost. Most importantly it protects workers, workmates and families the horror of a tragedy. It protects business.

“In small businesses, the injured person often is the business. They own it; they do the work alongside others.”

Mr Merritt said most people hurt or killed at work in Victoria are doing the job they do everyday, and may have been doing for years.

“People make mistakes. Safe systems of work must be built into every job. Relying on skill and experience is not the basis of a safe working environment.

“Thinking safe and being safe – not saying ‘that should be OK’ but knowing it will be safe should be everyone’s aim.