Worker's Memorial Day 28 April 2011
Remember the dead, fight for the living
What is Workers Memorial Day?
International Workers Memorial Day (IWMD) takes place
all over the world on 28 April each year. The purpose of
IWMD is two-fold. Firstly it is about not forgetting those
who have died, been injured, or made ill by their work.
Secondly it is about ensuring that tragic loss and suffering
are used to reinvigorate the campaign for healthier and
safer work. The campaign slogan is Remember the dead,
Fight for the living.
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Events in Scotland on 28 April 2011 (please notify
us of others)
- Edinburgh: There will be a ceremony organised
by Edinburgh trades council at the Memorial Tree in West
Princes Street Gardens between 12 noon at 1 pm. There
will be come short speeches and contributions and wreaths
will be laid at the Memorial Tree. This year there will
be an anti cuts theme. Click
here for report and photos from this year's event.
- Aberdeen: 10am in the Walled Garden, Bucksburn,
Aberdeen. Click
here for report and photos from this year's event.
- Greenock: A Service and Wreath Laying Ceremony
will take place in Clyde Sq at 11am. Procession leaving
from the Grand Corridor in Inverclyde Council Municipal
Buildings. All welcome.
- Midlothian: A simple ceremony will take place
at the memorial flowerbed in George V Park Bonnyrigg commencing
at 12.30.p.m.
- Glasgow: There will be a rally in Glasgow at
the Robert Burns statue in George Square. It will commence
at 11:00.
- Fife: Company flags will be lowered, a minute's
silence will be observed and an explanatory Safety Bulletin
will be issued for WMD at the Babcock plant at Rosyth
in Fife.
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Previous WMD events
Bonnyrigg: Midlothian Trade Union Council
Memorial to 'working class hero' Michael McGahey unveiled
 Ex
UNISON General Secretary Rodney Bickerstaffe unveiled a
statue to mark the 10th Anniversary of Mick McGahey's address
to the Midlothian TUC Worker's Memorial Day event. The Annual
Memorial Day Commemoration was held at George V Park, Bonnyrigg
followed by the unveiling.
UNISON made a substantial donation to the memorial and,
among others, was represented by Mick McGahey jnr, Matt
Smith (UNISON Scottish Secretary), Agnes Petkevicius, Tom
Waterson, John Stevenson and Lui Giacomello. Edinburgh,
Midlothian and Lothian Health UNISON Branches laid wreaths
at the Workers Memorial Day garden.
Rodney described Michael McGahey as a 'working class hero'.
As someone who never lost touch with his roots and socialist
values. Also someone who was ardent about health and safety.
This was not just about safety at work, but also about building
'economic health and safety'. He listed some of McGahey's
sayings which were just as relevant today. "We are
a movement not a monument", he quoted as a reminder
of the need to continue to move and to fight on.
"We know the reasons why Michael never became NUM
President, but whether he had stayed as a steward or a delegate
he would still have had a major impact on the movement",
said Rodney.
Tributes also came from Eric Clarke, ex NUM Scotland
General Secretary. He stressed the importance of Michael's
work in promoting a personal survival kit for miners that
allowed them time to escape through gas. He also underlined
the man's humour and pored scorn on those who may have described
him as 'dour'.
David Hamilton MP and ex NUM delegate praised the
discipline and purpose Michael brought to representing members.
He recalled at one STUC Congress that McGahey had told the
miners' delegates that it was 'an honour and privilege to
be representing the members' and that they were there 'on
the blood and the sweat' of their members.
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