Workers Right and Workers Deaths

Yesterday was International Workers Memorial Day and I went together with members of the Green Party Trade Union Group to take part in the march and commemoration ceremony for workers who have died at work as a result of accidents. The march was supported by several unions including, GMB, CWU, ACTT and UNITE.

The day began at the statue of the construction worker opposite Tower Bridge Underground station. A number of speeches were given by trade union officials and this was followed by a minutes silence for all those who had died at work. Wreaths were also laid at the statue. Black balloons were also released. The march then made its way through the city and past many construction sites, where workers on the sites were addressed by the demonstrators. We then made our way to the Health and Safety Executive and union activists from there came out and addressed the rally. They said that the Executive was underfunded and that they fully supported the need for proper safety checks to be in place at working sites. They applauded the rally as we moved away towards City Hall.

Outside City Hall we were greeted by a brass band playing such classics as the Italian partisan song 'Bella Ciao' and 'the Internationale'. Trade union officers gave speeches about how more and more workers were dying as a result of the complete lack of health and safety checks and that no action was being taken against unscrupulous employers. Furthermore, they pointed out that they had asked the Welsh and Scottish Executives to strenghten the laws around this and had been supported, whereas when they approached Westminster they were rebuffed!

They also told us that the DWP was consulting to see if International Workers Memorial Day could receive official recognition. One of the interesting contributions was from the CWU who told us that many postal workers were being injured each year by dangerous dogs and that if the attack happened on private property they had no comeback. One or two postal workers had received injuries so serious that their lives had been placed in danger. They also lambasted the Labour government for its support for post office privatisation. I introduced myself to several of the trade union officers as a European Parliamentary Candidate for London and received the response from one that he was considering voting Green in the general election.

The picture on the left shows me sitting beside the construction workers' banner outside City Hall. The other picture shows the banner of the campaign around the Battersea Crane disaster, where relatives of those who died are still seeking justice. It is appalling that the directors and managers of companies often responsible for the deaths of workers get away scot free.

I was joined by Cllr Romayne Phoenix from Lewisham and other members of the Green Party Trade Union Group.