Aberdeen marks International Workers’ Memorial Day

27 April 2018

Co-Leader Cllr Jenny Laing represented Aberdeen City Council during a commemoration organised jointly with Trade Unions at Duthie Park to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD)

Cllr Laing laid a wreath alongside Union representatives at this morning’s event, a precursor to IWMD which takes places tomorrow (April 28).

Council staff were invited to take part in a minute’s silence earlier today and Marischal College at the pocket garden is being lit purple tonight and over the weekend to raise awareness of the memorial, introduced as a day of remembrance for those who have lost their life at work or suffered work related injury or illness.

Tomorrow Cllr Sandra Macdonald will represent the Lord Provost of Aberdeen at an IWMD ceremony at Persley.

Cllr Laing said: “International Workers’ Memorial Day is an important date on the calendar as countries across the world come together with a common bond.

“As a Council the health, safety and wellbeing of our staff is of paramount importance. IWMD is an opportunity not only to remember those who have lost their lives and acknowledge those impacted in many other ways but also to underline our commitment to safe practices and working environments for all Council employees and for all workers in the city.

“As a local authority we have a duty to lead by example in health and safety and to encourage all employers to ensure the highest standards are upheld to protect workers as they go about their duties.”

The Council has worked in partnership with Trade Unions to organise this week’s programme.

Tommy Campbell, Unite Regional Officer, said: “We support this joint initiative by the City Council and the Unions. Unite along with other Trade Unions were proud to lay wreaths in Duthie Park this morning in memory of all those workers who have lost their lives prematurely due to accidents at work or industrial related diseases.

“It’s our task to ensure that all work is carried out in a safe manner. Good health and safety policies and practices are good for workers and are good for all employers too. We need to ensure that all health and safety laws are protected and any criticism of health and safety rules as ‘too much red tape’ always needs to be challenged.”