TUAC NEWS
Regulation, Enforcement and Strong Unions: key for safe workplaces
28/04/2016
TUAC release 28th April 2016
On 28 April 2016, trade unions, workers and their communities
around the globe mobilise to commemorate workers who have lost
their lives or health at work, and to fight for better occupational
safety and health.
Every 15 seconds, a worker dies from a work-related accident or
disease. Every 15 seconds, 153 workers have a work-related
accident. Every day, 6,300 people die as a result of occupational
accidents or work-related diseases – more than 2.3 million deaths
per year. 317 million accidents occur on the job annually.
“On top of already unsafe and precarious working conditions faced
by workers around the world, some of the business models associated
with the expansion of global supply chains, are leading to less
protection and more insecurity for workers,” said John Evans,
General Secretary of TUAC.
“This year’s commemoration focusses on the need for stronger laws,
stronger enforcement and stronger unions as key conditions
for securing safe work for all; these must all be reflected in the
global policy agenda”, said Evans.
“It is also key to ensure occupational safety and health is not
treated as a technical, experts-only issue, but is put at the heart
of global discussions on job quality; the OECD’s framework for Job
Quality needs to be put at the centre of government policy.”
Trade unions in more than 70 countries are marking the
International Commemoration Day. The ITUC/Hazards global events map
is compiling 28 April updates from all over the world.