International Workers’ Memorial Day

Today marks the World Day for Safety and Health at Work and International Workers’ Memorial Day, where we commemorate and remember those we have lost to workplace injuries and disease by raising awareness of health and safety.

Today, I remind all Australians that your Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, believes his attack on unions matters more than the lives and safety of workers. 185 Australians lost their lives last year through injuries which occurred in the workplace. Since the start of this year, 46 Australian workers have died as a result of an incident at work. Yet in Parliament all they can do is call those who protect lives every day ‘thugs’.

I call on every workplace to hold a minutes’ silence today to remember those killed and injured at work. Every death at work is preventable, and we need to remind the Minister for Employment and the Prime Minister that workers’ lives matter.

I spoke on this in the Senate and you can view it here -

I will keep fighting to make sure everyone’s kids, mums, dads, brothers and sisters come home safe.

Sue

#standforsafety  #worldWHSday2015