Thursday marked the first time in three years local members of Unifor were able to gather to mark the National Day of Mourning and honor fallen and injured workers.
“Today is a time of reflection for those who have passed or have been injured in the workplace,” Unifor Local 127 president Jeff McFadden said at the ceremony.
He thanked those who continued to work throughout the pandemic, especially workers in health care.
“They have gone above and beyond,” McFadden said. “They’re working short every day. … Those are the ones who are getting injured on a day-in and day-out basis, because they’re working short.”
When a manufacturing workplace if short staffed, he noted, it just slows down production.
When a hospital or long-term care home is short staffed, it’s someone’s dad, mom, brother or sister who’s not getting the proper care, McFadden said.
Health-care workers are feeling the stress of those staffing shortages on a daily basis and doing the best they can, he stressed.
“Unfortunately, for those workers, they’re being injured,” he said. “They were called heroes when the pandemic started, and we have to do something for these health-care people in order to recognize the fact. We thank you for taking care of our residents of this community.”
Ten Unifor members across Canada lost their lives on the job in the past year.
Health and safety is one of the cornerstones of what unions do for workers across Canada, McFadden said.
“We expect to go home healthy,” he said.
Without some of the safety measures and regulations unions have pushed for in the past, workplaces would be a lot different today, McFadden said. It’s critical for employers to recognize when union members say something isn’t safe in the workplace, he added.
McFadden said it’s also important for those with knowledge to pass it on to younger people.
“If you have children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren going into the workforce, please, please, please educate them,” he said. “They have the right to know and the right to refuse.
“Tell them if they have questions – ask. They need to go home with the 10 fingers and 10 toes they went in with.”