Workers’ Memorial Week 2015

Workers Memorial Week will be observed April 25 – May 2, 2015.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE?

We invite you to organize an action or event to commemorate fallen workers and build awareness to promote healthy and safe workplaces. Or, look for a local event below and participate! 

Find an event in your area.

Already have an event planned? Let us know about it.

WORKERS’ MEMORIAL DAY RESOURCES AND MATERIALS

• National COSH 2015 Workers Memorial Week report
• Tips for writing a WMDay report
• Information Sources on Fatalities for Workers’ Memorial Day Reports
• US Worker Fatality database
• Video: “Our Loved Ones Died in Unsafe Workplaces”
• NEW: International Workers’ Memorial Week Events at 28April.org
• English-language and Spanish-language flyers from AFL-CIO
• Briefing on Toxic Work: An ITUC Briefing explaining why trade unions must mobilise for protecting workers from hazardous substances, with key facts and figures.

NEED IDEAS FOR AN ACTION? HERE ARE SOME TO GET YOU STARTED…

• Organize visits elected officials to increase awareness about OSH related issues and to make an appeal for the enforcement of laws established to secure the right of workers to have a safe and healthy job. Further, encourage elected officials to motivate creation of new laws to prevent injuries, illness and death on the job. 
• Motivate your school, college, university, union, organization, etc., to hold awareness-building events with students, workers and the community. We encourage these events to focus on a commitment or goal that would help increase the health and safety of workers on the job: a training, an awareness session, an informative talk, a talking circle, and more. 
• Another way to expose the dangerous and hazardous conditions that workers is to increase media coverage on OSH related issues. Contact your local newspaper, community radio and TV station to highlight the urgent need to improve working conditions in your region. Your organization, school, college or union could also write an article or blog and featured it on their website or newsletter and promote it on the various social networks.
• Another idea is for organizations and entities to create banners with a message related to Workers’ Memorial Day. The banners can be safely hung at strategic places.
• These are just some suggestions, but feel free to be creative!

MEDIA OUTREACH TOOLS

• National COSH Media Advisory Template (send about a week before your event, then again day or two before event)
• National COSH Press Release Template (send day of event/action)
• National COSH Tips for Writing Letters to the Editor and Op-Eds (send several days in advance of event/action to try to have it run day of the event/action)
• Telling Our Story: A guide to preparing a state-wide Workers’ Memorial Day report

MATERIALS FOR 2014

• Press Release on National COSH Workers Memorial Week Report
• Press Release on Workers Memorial Week Events and Reports
• Audio of Telephone Press Conference
• National COSH Report: Preventable Deaths 2014
• “Preventable Deaths 2014” Executive Summary in Spanish (Resumen Ejécuitvo en español)  Roundup of Workers’ Memorial Day 2014 events

MATERIALS FOR 2013

• Workers’ Memorial Day 2013 events.
• What to Expect During Workers’ Memorial Week of Action
• National Report: “Preventable Deaths: The Tragedy of Workplace Fatalities” 
• National Press Release 
• National Infographics (available in English and Spanish)
• Stories of Fallen Workers
• National Report (2013): “Preventable Deaths: The Tragedy of Workplace Fatalities” 
• National Press Release (2013) 
• “North Carolina Workers Dying for a Job: A 2013 Report on Worker Fatalities in North Carolina”
• North Carolina Press Release (2013)
• MassCOSH Report (2013): “Dying for Work in Massachusetts”
• MassCOSH Press Release (2013)
• Worksafe’s (California) Report (2013): “Dying at Work in California”
• Tennessee Report (2013): “Tennessee Workers: Dying for a Job” 
• Wyoming Press Release (2013)
• Coalition for Sensible Safeguards’ Workers’ Memorial Week of Action page
• Compliance and Safety Blog’s Workers’ Memorial Day Page
• AFL-CIO Death on the Job Report 2013

PREVIOUS YEARS

• Dying for Work in Massachusetts 2012
• Dying for Work in California 2012
• North Carolina Workers Dying for a Job 2012
• PhilaPOSH Workers’ Memorial Day Video 2011

QUESTIONS? DO YOU NEED SUPPORT ORGANIZING AN EVENT? PLEASE CONTACT:

Peter Dooley