Their Red Tape - Our Lost Lives

#iwmd13 Scenes last week from Bangladesh, where over 350 garment workers died in an unsafe working environment, bring into sharp relief why International Workers' Memorial Day is such an important event in our calendar. Yet the Dhaka tragedy is far from a one off. The TUC's Hugh Robertson writes that there are '2.34 million occupational fatalities every year, of which 321,000 are due to accidents. The remaining 2.02 million deaths are caused by various types of work-related diseases, which correspond to a daily average of more than 5,500 deaths.'

 Shamefully, in the UK we have a Prime Minister who has made it his personal mission to 'kill off the health and safety culture for good' stating that "killing off the health and safety nonsense for good is not something government can do alone. It needs a change in the national mindset. We need to realise, collectively, that we cannot eliminate risk and that some accidents are inevitable."

Such a blatant disregard for the health and safety of workers, and such callous insensitivity to the many thousands of workers killed and injured, via avoidable work related accidents and diseases, and their suffering families, shows the importance of us making our voices heard for stronger health and safety laws.

Over 100 events are taking place over the weekend, to find the one nearest to you check out the TUC website.