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 Health & Safety Workers Memorial Day

 

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

McGahey  MemorialEx 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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