Unions play key role in workplace safety, AUPE Vice-President tells Day of Mourning ceremony
EDMONTON – Unions play a fundamental role in ensuring workplace safety, AUPE Vice-President Krista Koroluk told those who attended AUPE’s Day of Mourning ceremonies today.
Year after year, statistics show that injuries and deaths occur at a higher rate on non-union worksites, she noted after the ceremony at the union’s Edmonton Headquarters.
“At a time when Alberta’s economy is so prosperous, we have to ensure that employees are being given the proper time and tools to do their jobs safely,” said Koroluk, who is also chair of AUPE’s Occupational Health and Safety Committee.
More than 80 members of AUPE, staff and the media participated in the annual ceremony.
Koroluk read a statement for the solemn occasion, which asked members to take a moment to remember the 57 AUPE members who have died on the job since the union first organized the ceremony in 1977.
Throughout 2005 and to this point in 2006 no work-related deaths have occurred on AUPE worksites, noted Koroluk.
“However, we also realize that we have room to improve. And for that reason, we have invited AUPE’s union leaders from across the province to participate in a session entitled ‘Day of Mourning – Focus to the Future,’” she said. “Today we plan to focus on areas that we can improve and to formulate a plan of action to strengthen the health and safety of our worksites.”
In 2005, according to the Workers Compensation Board, 143 workers in Alberta died from injury or work-related disease.
As well, more than 168,000 Albertans filed claims with the Alberta Workers Compensation Board — up from close to 155,000 in 2004. Of those, more than 36,000 workers required time away from their jobs due to the severity of their injuries.
The United Nations recognized the International Day of Mourning in 1996, partly as a result of efforts by AUPE and other Alberta labour organizations to have Canada’s Day of Mourning marked worldwide.
During the ceremony, AUPE OH&S specialist Dennis Malayko read a poem by Dennis Mikalson of Local 012.
The poem, which commemorates the workplace death in Lethbridge in 1990 of AUPE member Rolyn Sumlak, is read annually at AUPE’s Day of Mourning ceremony at headquarters. In addition, each year the union presents a health and safety award in Sumlak’s name.
“It was my pleasure to read this poem at the United Nations 10 years ago, and I’m proud that our efforts helped to launch the International Day of Mourning,” Malayko said.“There were two labour representatives at that UN ceremony, and we now have over 100 labour organizations around the world that recognize the International Day of Mourning,” Malayko said.
Photo: AUPE members and staff bow their heads in memory of workers killed and injured on the job.